Cottage Grove, WI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Cottage Grove, WI Summary

Cost of living in Cottage Grove 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 Cottage Grove 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 Cottage Grove is 119, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Cottage Grove is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Cottage Grove ranks as the #132 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.

  • Cottage Grove ranks as the #4,349 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cottage Grove is $464,235.

  • The median income in Cottage Grove is $132,717.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
119
Cottage Grove's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cottage Grove, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cottage Grove has an overall cost of living index of 119, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Wisconsin, Cottage Grove has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.

The standard of living in Cottage Grove ranks as #132 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Cottage Grove ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Cottage Grove, check out:

132 out of 146
In Wisconsin
4,349 out of 6,489
In America

Cottage Grove Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

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

  • The Services index in Cottage Grove is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Cottage Grove is 104.

  • The Health index in Cottage Grove is 122.

  • The Housing index in Cottage Grove is 147.

  • The Transportation index in Cottage Grove is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Cottage Grove is 111.

Living Expense Cottage Grove Wisconsin National Average
Overall 119 95 100
Services 107 98 100
Groceries 104 100 100
Health 122 111 100
Housing 147 88 100
Transportation 102 100 100
Utilities 111 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Cottage Grove Cost of Living Vs. WI

Cottage Grove, 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 Cottage Grove is $464,235.

  • The Median Rent in Cottage Grove is $1,500.

  • The Median Income in Cottage Grove is $132,717.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cottage Grove is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cottage Grove is 0.14x.

Statistic Cottage Grove Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $464,235 $328,216 $303,400
Median Rent $1,500 $1,045 $1,348
Median Income $132,717 $75,670 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 4.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.17x 0.21x
$464,235
Median Home Value
$1,500
Median Rent
$132,717
Median Income

Cottage Grove, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Cottage Grove Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Cottage Grove Wisconsin
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $12.47 $12.13
Bowling $27.76 $18
Haircut $24.26 $24.26
Beauty Salon $66.46 $45.56

Detailed Cottage Grove Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Cottage Grove Wisconsin
Ground Beef $6.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.79 $4.67
Potatoes $4.2 $4.93
Pizza $10.96 $12.09
Beer $8.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Cottage Grove Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Cottage Grove Wisconsin
Optometrist $70.37 $125.68
Doctor $222.85 $135.78
Dentist $122.45 $113.29

Detailed Cottage Grove Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Cottage Grove Wisconsin
Gasoline $3.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.66 $59.92

Detailed Cottage Grove Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Cottage Grove Wisconsin
All Electricity $226.9 $193.99
Phone $185.25 $192.25

Cottage Grove SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8
Diversity
5
Safety
9
Amenities
8
Education
9.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cottage Grove

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

  • Madison, WI has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x Cottage Grove.

  • Sun Prairie, WI has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Cottage Grove.

  • Middleton, WI has a cost of living index of 125, 1.1x Cottage Grove.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cottage Grove
Madison, WI 275,568 117 1.0x
Sun Prairie, WI 36,455 114 1.0x
Middleton, WI 22,235 125 1.1x
Waunakee, WI 14,927 124 1.0x
Verona, WI 14,499 120 1.0x
Stoughton, WI 13,063 109 0.9x
Oregon, WI 11,384 116 1.0x
DeForest, WI 10,853 112 0.9x
McFarland, WI 9,230 117 1.0x
Monona, WI 8,604 118 1.0x

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