Before you decide to relocate to Wisconsin, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Wisconsin that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 141 places in Wisconsin with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Wisconsin for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Wisconsin For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Wisconsin? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Mequon is the most expensive place to live in Wisconsin.
Merrill (the cheapest place to live in Wisconsin) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Wisconsin and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Wisconsin For 2024
/10
Population: 25,102
Cost Of Living Index: 123
Median Income: $141,996
Average Home Price: $572,570
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.0x
More on Mequon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Mequon is 123. The median income in Mequon comes in at $141,996 and the average home value is $572,570 for 2024.
/10
Population: 7,181
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $99,239
Average Home Price: $638,617
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.4x
More on Delafield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Delafield is 121. The median income in Delafield comes in at $99,239 and the average home value is $638,617 for 2024.
/10
Population: 14,804
Cost Of Living Index: 120
Median Income: $142,356
Average Home Price: $553,113
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.9x
More on Whitefish Bay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Whitefish Bay is 120. The median income in Whitefish Bay comes in at $142,356 and the average home value is $553,113 for 2024.
/10
Population: 6,445
Cost Of Living Index: 119
Median Income: $126,996
Average Home Price: $580,004
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Elm Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Elm Grove is 119. The median income in Elm Grove comes in at $126,996 and the average home value is $580,004 for 2024.
/10
Population: 15,817
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $110,110
Average Home Price: $459,571
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.2x
More on Pewaukee: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Pewaukee is 114. The median income in Pewaukee comes in at $110,110 and the average home value is $459,571 for 2024.
/10
Population: 14,794
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $132,305
Average Home Price: $512,820
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.9x
More on Waunakee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Waunakee is 114. The median income in Waunakee comes in at $132,305 and the average home value is $512,820 for 2024.
/10
Population: 8,227
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $60,202
Average Home Price: $459,571
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.6x
More on Pewaukee: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Pewaukee is 114. The median income in Pewaukee comes in at $60,202 and the average home value is $459,571 for 2024.
/10
Population: 6,811
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $130,865
Average Home Price: $481,451
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.7x
More on Fox Point: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Fox Point is 114. The median income in Fox Point comes in at $130,865 and the average home value is $481,451 for 2024.
/10
Population: 41,342
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $121,837
Average Home Price: $450,774
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.7x
More on Brookfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Brookfield is 113. The median income in Brookfield comes in at $121,837 and the average home value is $450,774 for 2024.
/10
Population: 14,040
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $109,960
Average Home Price: $480,612
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.4x
More on Verona: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Verona is 113. The median income in Verona comes in at $109,960 and the average home value is $480,612 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Badger State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Wisconsin are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Wisconsin to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 141 places in Wisconsin that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Wisconsin according to the data is Mequon. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Wisconsin.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Wisconsin For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Wisconsin that have the highest cost of living, with Mequon ranking as the most expensive city in the Badger State.
The most expensive cities in Wisconsin are Mequon, Delafield, Whitefish Bay, Elm Grove, Pewaukee, Waunakee, Pewaukee, Fox Point, Brookfield, and Verona.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Wisconsin according to the data:
- Merrill
- Wisconsin Rapids
- Antigo
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Wisconsin
- Safest Places In Wisconsin
- Worst Places To Live In Wisconsin
Most Expensive Cities In Wisconsin
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mequon | 123 | 25,102 | $141,996 | $572,570 | 4.0x |
| 2 | Delafield | 121 | 7,181 | $99,239 | $638,617 | 6.4x |
| 3 | Whitefish Bay | 120 | 14,804 | $142,356 | $553,113 | 3.9x |
| 4 | Elm Grove | 119 | 6,445 | $126,996 | $580,004 | 4.6x |
| 5 | Pewaukee | 114 | 15,817 | $110,110 | $459,571 | 4.2x |
| 6 | Waunakee | 114 | 14,794 | $132,305 | $512,820 | 3.9x |
| 7 | Pewaukee | 114 | 8,227 | $60,202 | $459,571 | 7.6x |
| 8 | Fox Point | 114 | 6,811 | $130,865 | $481,451 | 3.7x |
| 9 | Brookfield | 113 | 41,342 | $121,837 | $450,774 | 3.7x |
| 10 | Verona | 113 | 14,040 | $109,960 | $480,612 | 4.4x |
| 11 | Shorewood | 113 | 13,707 | $87,161 | $467,870 | 5.4x |
| 12 | Richfield | 113 | 11,757 | $128,165 | $493,223 | 3.8x |
| 13 | Fitchburg | 112 | 29,826 | $87,253 | $447,181 | 5.1x |
| 14 | Cottage Grove | 112 | 7,567 | $123,750 | $416,743 | 3.4x |
| 15 | McFarland | 110 | 9,104 | $91,029 | $418,062 | 4.6x |
| 16 | Muskego | 109 | 25,073 | $112,537 | $444,024 | 3.9x |
| 17 | Mount Horeb | 109 | 7,717 | $96,915 | $412,236 | 4.3x |
| 18 | New Berlin | 108 | 40,387 | $94,769 | $388,822 | 4.1x |
| 19 | Hartland | 108 | 9,599 | $82,238 | $421,737 | 5.1x |
| 20 | Hudson | 107 | 14,763 | $90,250 | $461,468 | 5.1x |
| 21 | Sussex | 107 | 11,549 | $105,435 | $437,059 | 4.1x |
| 22 | Madison | 106 | 268,516 | $74,895 | $369,136 | 4.9x |
| 23 | Menomonee Falls | 106 | 38,610 | $96,986 | $367,403 | 3.8x |
| 24 | Oconomowoc | 106 | 18,178 | $99,104 | $435,095 | 4.4x |
| 25 | Hales Corners | 106 | 7,677 | $84,911 | $351,737 | 4.1x |
| 26 | Wauwatosa | 105 | 47,919 | $93,812 | $362,434 | 3.9x |
| 27 | Franklin | 105 | 36,513 | $100,524 | $380,895 | 3.8x |
| 28 | Cedarburg | 105 | 12,213 | $79,610 | $475,448 | 6.0x |
| 29 | DeForest | 105 | 10,767 | $97,381 | $356,196 | 3.7x |
| 30 | Monona | 105 | 8,592 | $87,723 | $417,017 | 4.8x |
| 31 | Bristol | 105 | 5,169 | $103,652 | $533,141 | 5.1x |
| 32 | Pleasant Prairie | 104 | 21,373 | $99,635 | $386,284 | 3.9x |
| 33 | Oregon | 104 | 11,240 | $95,453 | $422,070 | 4.4x |
| 34 | Mukwonago | 104 | 8,311 | $91,827 | $423,592 | 4.6x |
| 35 | Oak Creek | 103 | 36,286 | $86,408 | $356,263 | 4.1x |
| 36 | Sun Prairie | 103 | 35,847 | $90,384 | $374,169 | 4.1x |
| 37 | Greendale | 103 | 14,722 | $89,684 | $342,979 | 3.8x |
| 38 | Glendale | 103 | 13,227 | $79,861 | $312,896 | 3.9x |
| 39 | Stoughton | 103 | 13,091 | $73,014 | $331,307 | 4.5x |
| 40 | Onalaska | 102 | 18,837 | $80,296 | $315,396 | 3.9x |
| 41 | Grafton | 102 | 12,160 | $83,500 | $377,473 | 4.5x |
| 42 | Hobart | 102 | 10,130 | $107,222 | $425,683 | 4.0x |
| 43 | West Salem | 102 | 5,253 | $79,891 | $320,923 | 4.0x |
| 44 | Caledonia | 101 | 25,277 | $90,346 | $327,335 | 3.6x |
| 45 | Holmen | 101 | 10,806 | $77,880 | $357,250 | 4.6x |
| 46 | Lake Mills | 101 | 6,280 | $77,449 | $364,364 | 4.7x |
| 47 | Waukesha | 100 | 70,945 | $77,558 | $328,532 | 4.2x |
| 48 | Mount Pleasant | 100 | 27,640 | $83,827 | $292,158 | 3.5x |
| 49 | Port Washington | 100 | 12,446 | $76,609 | $322,974 | 4.2x |
| 50 | Waterford | 100 | 5,587 | $81,575 | $383,978 | 4.7x |
| 51 | River Falls | 99 | 16,165 | $72,247 | $370,227 | 5.1x |
| 52 | Suamico | 99 | 12,878 | $111,320 | $396,184 | 3.6x |
| 53 | Altoona | 99 | 8,506 | $77,002 | $306,195 | 4.0x |
| 54 | Jackson | 99 | 7,814 | $94,621 | $367,088 | 3.9x |
| 55 | Lake Hallie | 99 | 7,178 | $76,134 | $308,070 | 4.0x |
| 56 | Slinger | 99 | 6,055 | $92,984 | $404,668 | 4.4x |
| 57 | Greenfield | 98 | 37,521 | $67,536 | $291,988 | 4.3x |
| 58 | Hartford | 98 | 15,667 | $70,887 | $324,957 | 4.6x |
| 59 | Fort Atkinson | 98 | 12,522 | $72,215 | $256,174 | 3.5x |
| 60 | Twin Lakes | 98 | 6,341 | $88,770 | $332,070 | 3.7x |
| 61 | Watertown | 97 | 22,978 | $67,189 | $266,947 | 4.0x |
| 62 | Brown Deer | 97 | 12,593 | $88,164 | $253,305 | 2.9x |
| 63 | Burlington | 97 | 11,000 | $80,529 | $305,324 | 3.8x |
| 64 | Jefferson | 97 | 7,778 | $69,844 | $285,758 | 4.1x |
| 65 | Edgerton | 97 | 5,878 | $80,255 | $255,568 | 3.2x |
| 66 | Columbus | 97 | 5,481 | $65,727 | $268,346 | 4.1x |
| 67 | Eau Claire | 96 | 69,098 | $63,882 | $282,687 | 4.4x |
| 68 | Superior | 96 | 26,562 | $54,935 | $198,624 | 3.6x |
| 69 | South Milwaukee | 96 | 20,678 | $68,801 | $256,703 | 3.7x |
| 70 | Howard | 96 | 20,022 | $77,118 | $340,552 | 4.4x |
| 71 | Bellevue | 96 | 16,086 | $76,152 | $345,424 | 4.5x |
| 72 | Whitewater | 96 | 15,725 | $46,135 | $295,965 | 6.4x |
| 73 | Lake Geneva | 96 | 8,335 | $62,883 | $341,584 | 5.4x |
| 74 | Evansville | 96 | 5,720 | $83,431 | $299,429 | 3.6x |
| 75 | La Crosse | 95 | 52,043 | $51,836 | $237,653 | 4.6x |
| 76 | West Bend | 95 | 31,682 | $71,904 | $300,826 | 4.2x |
| 77 | De Pere | 95 | 25,373 | $78,733 | $337,383 | 4.3x |
| 78 | Menomonie | 95 | 16,563 | $51,250 | $273,762 | 5.3x |
| 79 | Milton | 95 | 5,692 | $78,957 | $293,485 | 3.7x |
| 80 | Neenah | 94 | 27,309 | $71,280 | $295,098 | 4.1x |
| 81 | Baraboo | 94 | 12,541 | $66,592 | $246,414 | 3.7x |
| 82 | Platteville | 94 | 11,543 | $46,554 | $227,451 | 4.9x |
| 83 | New Richmond | 94 | 10,158 | $78,077 | $345,613 | 4.4x |
| 84 | Kronenwetter | 94 | 8,335 | $107,727 | $288,694 | 2.7x |
| 85 | Sheboygan Falls | 94 | 8,163 | $66,416 | $273,284 | 4.1x |
| 86 | Kenosha | 93 | 99,493 | $64,963 | $230,818 | 3.6x |
| 87 | Monroe | 93 | 10,622 | $62,191 | $237,656 | 3.8x |
| 88 | Portage | 93 | 10,450 | $59,619 | $244,455 | 4.1x |
| 89 | Delavan | 93 | 8,519 | $69,238 | $286,756 | 4.1x |
| 90 | Cudahy | 92 | 18,087 | $66,592 | $248,599 | 3.7x |
| 91 | Beaver Dam | 92 | 16,652 | $65,802 | $239,342 | 3.6x |
| 92 | Plover | 92 | 13,549 | $76,120 | $296,269 | 3.9x |
| 93 | Reedsburg | 92 | 10,019 | $66,026 | $265,464 | 4.0x |
| 94 | St. Francis | 92 | 9,288 | $51,749 | $250,548 | 4.8x |
| 95 | Sturtevant | 92 | 6,823 | $83,816 | $245,292 | 2.9x |
| 96 | Milwaukee | 91 | 573,299 | $49,733 | $191,843 | 3.9x |
| 97 | Oshkosh | 91 | 66,373 | $59,186 | $219,076 | 3.7x |
| 98 | West Allis | 91 | 59,907 | $64,888 | $236,211 | 3.6x |
| 99 | Fond du Lac | 91 | 44,527 | $58,675 | $198,830 | 3.4x |
| 100 | Chippewa Falls | 91 | 14,623 | $58,558 | $275,687 | 4.7x |