Appleton, WI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Appleton, WI Summary

Cost of living in Appleton 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 Appleton 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 Appleton is 94, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Appleton ranks as the #44 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.

  • Appleton ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Appleton is $291,131.

  • The median income in Appleton is $77,450.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
94
Appleton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Appleton, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Appleton has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Appleton ranks as #44 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Appleton ranks as the #102 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Appleton, check out:

44 out of 146
In Wisconsin
1,806 out of 6,489
In America

Appleton Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

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

  • The Services index in Appleton is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Appleton is 98.

  • The Health index in Appleton is 96.

  • The Housing index in Appleton is 85.

  • The Transportation index in Appleton is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Appleton is 99.

Living Expense Appleton Wisconsin National Average
Overall 94 95 100
Services 95 98 100
Groceries 98 100 100
Health 96 111 100
Housing 85 88 100
Transportation 100 100 100
Utilities 99 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Appleton Cost of Living Vs. WI

Appleton, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Appleton is $291,131.

  • The Median Rent in Appleton is $957.

  • The Median Income in Appleton is $77,450.

  • The Home Value To Income in Appleton is 3.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Appleton is 0.15x.

Statistic Appleton Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $291,131 $328,216 $303,400
Median Rent $957 $1,045 $1,348
Median Income $77,450 $75,670 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.8x 4.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.17x 0.21x
$291,131
Median Home Value
$957
Median Rent
$77,450
Median Income

Appleton, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Appleton Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Appleton Wisconsin
Shampoo $1.29 $1.28
Movie $14.24 $12.13
Bowling $17.83 $18
Haircut $20.11 $24.26
Beauty Salon $30.55 $45.56

Detailed Appleton Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Appleton Wisconsin
Ground Beef $6.1 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $4.35 $4.93
Pizza $10.54 $12.09
Beer $8.87 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Appleton Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Appleton Wisconsin
Optometrist $78.75 $125.68
Doctor $157.9 $135.78
Dentist $104.06 $113.29

Detailed Appleton Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Appleton Wisconsin
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.04 $59.92

Detailed Appleton Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Appleton Wisconsin
All Electricity $191.22 $193.99
Phone $185.4 $192.25

Appleton SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Appleton

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

  • Raymore, MO has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Appleton.

  • Warrensburg, MO has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Appleton.

  • Harrisonville, MO has a cost of living index of 92, 1.0x Appleton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Appleton
Raymore, MO 23,849 102 1.1x
Warrensburg, MO 19,437 93 1.0x
Harrisonville, MO 10,002 92 1.0x
Clinton, MO 9,047 86 0.9x
Pleasant Hill, MO 8,853 96 1.0x
Nevada, MO 7,998 79 0.8x
Fort Scott, KS 7,551 78 0.8x
Greenwood, MO 6,000 98 1.0x
Louisburg, KS 5,034 99 1.1x

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