Cost of living in Brookfield 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 Brookfield 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 Brookfield is 121, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Brookfield is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Brookfield ranks as the #138 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Brookfield ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Brookfield is $505,006.
The median income in Brookfield is $124,026.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brookfield has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Brookfield has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Brookfield ranks as #138 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Brookfield ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Brookfield, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Brookfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Brookfield is 97.
The Groceries index in Brookfield is 105.
The Health index in Brookfield is 112.
The Housing index in Brookfield is 174.
The Transportation index in Brookfield is 97.
The Utilities index in Brookfield is 104.
| Living Expense | Brookfield | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 121 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 174 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 104 | 102 | 100 | |
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 Brookfield is $505,006.
The Median Rent in Brookfield is $1,794.
The Median Income in Brookfield is $124,026.
The Home Value To Income in Brookfield is 4.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Brookfield is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Brookfield | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $505,006 | $328,216 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,794 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $124,026 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.1x | 4.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Brookfield | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.07 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.26 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $10.03 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.21 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $33.25 | $45.56 |
| Item | Brookfield | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.05 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.46 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.1 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.33 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $8.52 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.66 | $3.7 |
| Item | Brookfield | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $278.65 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $223.73 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $106.79 | $113.29 |
| Item | Brookfield | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.3 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $44.14 | $59.92 |
| Item | Brookfield | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.69 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $185.79 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Brookfield. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
West Allis, WI has a cost of living index of 97, 0.8x Brookfield.
Wauwatosa, WI has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Brookfield.
New Berlin, WI has a cost of living index of 114, 0.9x Brookfield.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Allis, WI | 59,588 | 97 | 0.8x |
| Wauwatosa, WI | 47,718 | 111 | 0.9x |
| New Berlin, WI | 40,384 | 114 | 0.9x |
| Menomonee Falls, WI | 38,963 | 114 | 0.9x |
| Mequon, WI | 25,259 | 133 | 1.1x |
| Oconomowoc, WI | 18,385 | 110 | 0.9x |
| Whitefish Bay, WI | 14,750 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Cedarburg, WI | 12,317 | 116 | 1.0x |
| Richfield, WI | 11,806 | 122 | 1.0x |
| Sussex, WI | 11,795 | 113 | 0.9x |