Portage, WI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Portage, WI Summary

Cost of living in Portage research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Portage is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Wisconsin, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Portage is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portage is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Portage ranks as the #58 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 143.

  • Portage ranks as the #2,137 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portage is $151,000.

  • The median income in Portage is $56,303.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Portage's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portage, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portage has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Wisconsin, Portage has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Wisconsin's index of 95.

The standard of living in Portage ranks as #58 most affordable out of the 143 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Portage ranks as the #85 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Portage, check out:

58 out of 143
In Wisconsin
2,137 out of 6,412
In America

Portage Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portage. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Portage is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Portage is 110.

  • The Health index in Portage is 126.

  • The Housing index in Portage is 67.

  • The Transportation index in Portage is 105.

  • The Utilities index in Portage is 102.

Living Expense Portage Wisconsin National Average
Overall 93 95 100
Services 107 97 100
Groceries 110 98 100
Health 126 114 100
Housing 67 84 100
Transportation 105 96 100
Utilities 102 103 100
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Portage Cost of Living Vs. WI

Portage, WI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Wisconsin, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Portage is $151,000.

  • The Median Rent in Portage is $881.

  • The Median Income in Portage is $56,303.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portage is 2.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portage is 0.19x.

Statistic Portage Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $151,000 $200,400 $244,900
Median Rent $881 $916 $1,163
Median Income $56,303 $67,080 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.7x 3.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.16x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Portage, WI
$151,000
Median Home Value
$881
Median Rent
$56,303
Median Income

Portage, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Portage Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $10.98 $10.68
Bowling $22.33 $14.67
Haircut $18.66 $18.62
Beauty Salon $48.44 $39.05

Detailed Portage Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Ground Beef $4.41 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.61 $1.39
Milk $2.26 $2.05
Potatoes $2.55 $3.29
Pizza $10.49 $10.62
Beer $8.27 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.36 $2.34

Detailed Portage Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Optometrist $57.0 $108.57
Doctor $201.33 $116.17
Dentist $113.22 $99.13

Detailed Portage Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Gasoline $2.18 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.17 $50.07

Detailed Portage Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
All Electricity $169.31 $167.67
Phone $179.44 $175.64

Portage SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portage

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portage. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Sun Prairie, WI has a cost of living index of 108, 1.2x Portage.

  • Middleton, WI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.3x Portage.

  • Waunakee, WI has a cost of living index of 119, 1.3x Portage.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portage
Sun Prairie, WI 35,528 108 1.2x
Middleton, WI 21,634 118 1.3x
Waunakee, WI 14,679 119 1.3x
Verona, WI 13,798 116 1.2x
Stoughton, WI 13,158 101 1.1x
Baraboo, WI 12,446 98 1.1x
Oregon, WI 11,100 110 1.2x
DeForest, WI 10,700 104 1.1x
McFarland, WI 9,026 109 1.2x
Mount Horeb, WI 7,727 110 1.2x

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