5 Numbers: Eau Claire’s Dollar Value

Tom Giffey |

1. $4.5 Billion

That’s the value of all the property – residential, commercial, manufacturing, and personal – in the city of Eau Claire, according to a new report by City Assessor Al Andreo. That’s a $68 million increase from the previous year, which is good for both property owners (whose investments are growing) and the city (whose tax base is growing). However, the lingering effects of the Great Recession are still evident: The increase is still before the 20-year average increase.

2. $76.5 Million

The assessment levied on Gerber Products (aka Nestle), the city of Eau Claire’s largest taxpayer, as of January 2014. Gerber edged Mayo Clinic Health System ($73 million) and Oakwood Mall ($72.8 million) on the list of top taxpayers.

3. $914,000

The average value of a commercial property in the city. There are about 1,300 such parcels in Eau Claire, ranging from big clinics to tiny corner stores. Altogether, commercial property in the city is worth nearly $1.2 billion.

4. $138,000

That’s the average value of a single-family home in Eau Claire. That might not seem like much – it’s below the state average – but it adds up: With more than 15,000 such homes, their total value is more than $2.1 billion.

5. $165,000

The median selling prices last year for a home in the Third Ward, one of the city’s older and more picturesque neighborhoods. According to the report, this is the highest median selling price of any neighborhood in town. The lowest median sale price was $92,000 on the city’s lower north side.