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 2020-2024 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 145 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 2026.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
What’s the most expensive place to live in Wisconsin? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Summit is the most expensive place to live in Wisconsin.
Antigo (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 2026
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The overall cost of living in Summit is 129. The median income in Summit comes in at $140,682 and the average home value is $752,618 for 2026.
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Population: 25,270
Cost Of Living Index: 128
Median Income: $144,051
Average Home Price: $647,577
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.5x
More on Mequon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Mequon is 128. The median income in Mequon comes in at $144,051 and the average home value is $647,577 for 2026.
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Population: 14,665
Cost Of Living Index: 127
Median Income: $157,109
Average Home Price: $642,952
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.1x
More on Whitefish Bay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Whitefish Bay is 127. The median income in Whitefish Bay comes in at $157,109 and the average home value is $642,952 for 2026.
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Population: 7,202
Cost Of Living Index: 126
Median Income: $94,806
Average Home Price: $741,320
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.8x
More on Delafield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Delafield is 126. The median income in Delafield comes in at $94,806 and the average home value is $741,320 for 2026.
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Population: 6,459
Cost Of Living Index: 126
Median Income: $158,016
Average Home Price: $672,839
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.3x
More on Elm Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Elm Grove is 126. The median income in Elm Grove comes in at $158,016 and the average home value is $672,839 for 2026.
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Population: 13,627
Cost Of Living Index: 122
Median Income: $86,726
Average Home Price: $544,885
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.3x
More on Shorewood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Shorewood is 122. The median income in Shorewood comes in at $86,726 and the average home value is $544,885 for 2026.
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Population: 16,211
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $108,350
Average Home Price: $557,877
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.1x
More on Pewaukee: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Pewaukee is 121. The median income in Pewaukee comes in at $108,350 and the average home value is $557,877 for 2026.
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Population: 15,687
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $125,220
Average Home Price: $584,110
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.7x
More on Waunakee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Waunakee is 121. The median income in Waunakee comes in at $125,220 and the average home value is $584,110 for 2026.
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Population: 8,196
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $62,139
Average Home Price: $557,877
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.0x
More on Pewaukee: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Pewaukee is 121. The median income in Pewaukee comes in at $62,139 and the average home value is $557,877 for 2026.
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Population: 6,683
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $141,467
Average Home Price: $547,714
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.9x
More on Fox Point: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Fox Point is 121. The median income in Fox Point comes in at $141,467 and the average home value is $547,714 for 2026.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Badger State For 2026
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 2020-2024 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 145 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 Summit. We updated this article for 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the most expensive places to live in Wisconsin.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Wisconsin For 2026
Well, there you have it, the places in Wisconsin that have the highest cost of living, with Summit ranking as the most expensive city in the Badger State.
The most expensive cities in Wisconsin are Summit, Mequon, Whitefish Bay, Delafield, Elm Grove, Shorewood, Pewaukee, Waunakee, Pewaukee, and Fox Point.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Wisconsin according to the data:
- Antigo
- Wisconsin Rapids
- Shawano
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 | Summit | 129 | 5,114 | $140,682 | $752,618 | 5.3x |
| 2 | Mequon | 128 | 25,270 | $144,051 | $647,577 | 4.5x |
| 3 | Whitefish Bay | 127 | 14,665 | $157,109 | $642,952 | 4.1x |
| 4 | Delafield | 126 | 7,202 | $94,806 | $741,320 | 7.8x |
| 5 | Elm Grove | 126 | 6,459 | $158,016 | $672,839 | 4.3x |
| 6 | Shorewood | 122 | 13,627 | $86,726 | $544,885 | 6.3x |
| 7 | Pewaukee | 121 | 16,211 | $108,350 | $557,877 | 5.1x |
| 8 | Waunakee | 121 | 15,687 | $125,220 | $584,110 | 4.7x |
| 9 | Pewaukee | 121 | 8,196 | $62,139 | $557,877 | 9.0x |
| 10 | Fox Point | 121 | 6,683 | $141,467 | $547,714 | 3.9x |
| 11 | Brookfield | 120 | 41,273 | $129,548 | $517,699 | 4.0x |
| 12 | Middleton | 120 | 22,301 | $89,524 | $613,359 | 6.9x |
| 13 | Fitchburg | 117 | 32,619 | $86,516 | $501,313 | 5.8x |
| 14 | Muskego | 116 | 25,406 | $112,221 | $515,980 | 4.6x |
| 15 | Cedarburg | 116 | 12,605 | $84,896 | $552,361 | 6.5x |
| 16 | Richfield | 116 | 11,755 | $143,963 | $560,142 | 3.9x |
| 17 | Verona | 115 | 15,232 | $119,606 | $590,564 | 4.9x |
| 18 | Hartland | 113 | 9,972 | $87,754 | $654,280 | 7.5x |
| 19 | Cottage Grove | 113 | 8,513 | $139,313 | $474,955 | 3.4x |
| 20 | Hudson | 112 | 14,959 | $93,937 | $496,564 | 5.3x |
| 21 | Sussex | 112 | 12,066 | $119,041 | $507,550 | 4.3x |
| 22 | Monona | 112 | 8,527 | $87,773 | $468,105 | 5.3x |
| 23 | New Berlin | 111 | 40,270 | $101,091 | $448,456 | 4.4x |
| 24 | Menomonee Falls | 111 | 39,539 | $100,238 | $431,120 | 4.3x |
| 25 | Sun Prairie | 111 | 37,570 | $90,942 | $436,613 | 4.8x |
| 26 | Oconomowoc | 111 | 19,080 | $106,425 | $537,005 | 5.0x |
| 27 | Suamico | 111 | 12,985 | $118,337 | $461,750 | 3.9x |
| 28 | Oregon | 111 | 11,547 | $102,978 | $489,919 | 4.8x |
| 29 | Bristol | 111 | 5,207 | $123,648 | $641,622 | 5.2x |
| 30 | Madison | 110 | 278,001 | $78,050 | $423,766 | 5.4x |
| 31 | Wauwatosa | 110 | 48,529 | $101,138 | $415,681 | 4.1x |
| 32 | Franklin | 110 | 35,886 | $106,894 | $436,182 | 4.1x |
| 33 | Pleasant Prairie | 110 | 21,669 | $103,902 | $451,234 | 4.3x |
| 34 | Hobart | 109 | 10,610 | $103,440 | $481,198 | 4.7x |
| 35 | McFarland | 109 | 9,160 | $97,500 | $485,872 | 5.0x |
| 36 | Grafton | 108 | 12,445 | $89,861 | $450,690 | 5.0x |
| 37 | Mount Horeb | 108 | 7,736 | $107,856 | $481,814 | 4.5x |
| 38 | DeForest | 107 | 11,501 | $106,419 | $445,514 | 4.2x |
| 39 | Hales Corners | 107 | 7,689 | $87,740 | $402,132 | 4.6x |
| 40 | Slinger | 107 | 6,307 | $101,404 | $463,134 | 4.6x |
| 41 | Oak Creek | 105 | 37,325 | $96,555 | $407,622 | 4.2x |
| 42 | Glendale | 105 | 13,656 | $78,092 | $351,577 | 4.5x |
| 43 | Waterford | 105 | 5,692 | $82,404 | $432,512 | 5.2x |
| 44 | Greendale | 104 | 14,594 | $94,769 | $383,282 | 4.0x |
| 45 | Port Washington | 104 | 12,645 | $81,948 | $381,021 | 4.6x |
| 46 | Mukwonago | 104 | 8,415 | $98,273 | $487,932 | 5.0x |
| 47 | Howard | 103 | 21,087 | $85,477 | $391,192 | 4.6x |
| 48 | River Falls | 103 | 16,719 | $83,627 | $406,768 | 4.9x |
| 49 | Stoughton | 103 | 13,033 | $79,551 | $428,270 | 5.4x |
| 50 | Lake Geneva | 103 | 8,521 | $75,629 | $411,279 | 5.4x |
| 51 | Mount Pleasant | 102 | 27,953 | $91,616 | $336,758 | 3.7x |
| 52 | Burlington | 102 | 10,987 | $83,419 | $351,654 | 4.2x |
| 53 | New Richmond | 102 | 10,539 | $88,157 | $374,056 | 4.2x |
| 54 | Lake Hallie | 102 | 7,285 | $86,740 | $361,887 | 4.2x |
| 55 | Lake Mills | 102 | 6,470 | $91,027 | $420,977 | 4.6x |
| 56 | Twin Lakes | 102 | 6,309 | $86,222 | $394,923 | 4.6x |
| 57 | Waukesha | 101 | 71,233 | $83,837 | $413,609 | 4.9x |
| 58 | Jackson | 101 | 8,003 | $93,170 | $416,165 | 4.5x |
| 59 | Greenfield | 100 | 37,345 | $70,459 | $323,451 | 4.6x |
| 60 | West Bend | 100 | 32,030 | $74,076 | $347,505 | 4.7x |
| 61 | Caledonia | 100 | 25,257 | $93,152 | $380,069 | 4.1x |
| 62 | Onalaska | 100 | 19,348 | $85,867 | $359,544 | 4.2x |
| 63 | Hartford | 100 | 15,821 | $82,014 | $374,924 | 4.6x |
| 64 | Brown Deer | 100 | 12,564 | $93,974 | $283,652 | 3.0x |
| 65 | Holmen | 100 | 11,372 | $79,899 | $413,026 | 5.2x |
| 66 | Evansville | 100 | 5,782 | $81,149 | $358,800 | 4.4x |
| 67 | West Salem | 100 | 5,330 | $97,019 | $370,539 | 3.8x |
| 68 | Elkhorn | 99 | 10,221 | $77,649 | $338,685 | 4.4x |
| 69 | Altoona | 99 | 8,878 | $84,552 | $327,629 | 3.9x |
| 70 | Kronenwetter | 99 | 8,395 | $115,044 | $330,174 | 2.9x |
| 71 | Columbus | 99 | 5,488 | $75,427 | $311,070 | 4.1x |
| 72 | Union Grove | 99 | 5,036 | $107,482 | $328,655 | 3.1x |
| 73 | De Pere | 98 | 25,301 | $84,869 | $401,112 | 4.7x |
| 74 | Ashwaubenon | 98 | 17,314 | $69,667 | $338,975 | 4.9x |
| 75 | Bellevue | 98 | 16,442 | $84,672 | $393,956 | 4.7x |
| 76 | Jefferson | 98 | 7,732 | $79,006 | $337,201 | 4.3x |
| 77 | Sturtevant | 98 | 6,772 | $92,647 | $281,361 | 3.0x |
| 78 | Kenosha | 97 | 99,372 | $71,239 | $273,053 | 3.8x |
| 79 | Weston | 97 | 15,749 | $78,207 | $300,000 | 3.8x |
| 80 | Chippewa Falls | 97 | 14,782 | $57,873 | $330,661 | 5.7x |
| 81 | Plover | 97 | 13,884 | $88,042 | $347,473 | 3.9x |
| 82 | Fort Atkinson | 97 | 12,463 | $79,302 | $297,960 | 3.8x |
| 83 | Edgerton | 97 | 6,014 | $72,489 | $294,921 | 4.1x |
| 84 | Dodgeville | 97 | 5,042 | $72,288 | $328,872 | 4.5x |
| 85 | Menomonie | 96 | 16,539 | $56,889 | $298,133 | 5.2x |
| 86 | Whitewater | 96 | 15,807 | $54,969 | $338,753 | 6.2x |
| 87 | Allouez | 96 | 13,975 | $91,250 | $319,587 | 3.5x |
| 88 | Little Chute | 96 | 11,754 | $87,538 | $298,046 | 3.4x |
| 89 | Milwaukee | 95 | 566,973 | $54,234 | $220,136 | 4.1x |
| 90 | Eau Claire | 95 | 70,322 | $67,395 | $311,026 | 4.6x |
| 91 | Janesville | 95 | 66,030 | $73,446 | $288,358 | 3.9x |
| 92 | Stevens Point | 95 | 25,785 | $58,031 | $280,949 | 4.8x |
| 93 | Kaukauna | 95 | 17,706 | $80,365 | $303,856 | 3.8x |
| 94 | St. Francis | 95 | 9,004 | $57,368 | $282,496 | 4.9x |
| 95 | Delavan | 95 | 8,689 | $65,357 | $329,932 | 5.0x |
| 96 | Appleton | 94 | 75,023 | $80,483 | $297,642 | 3.7x |
| 97 | La Crosse | 94 | 51,356 | $55,866 | $276,421 | 4.9x |
| 98 | Neenah | 94 | 27,336 | $75,374 | $305,615 | 4.1x |
| 99 | South Milwaukee | 94 | 20,442 | $73,427 | $300,411 | 4.1x |
| 100 | Beaver Dam | 94 | 16,565 | $66,673 | $288,264 | 4.3x |