Cost of living in DeForest 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 DeForest 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 DeForest is 112, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in DeForest is 1.1x higher than the national average.
DeForest ranks as the #117 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
DeForest ranks as the #3,863 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in DeForest is $447,748.
The median income in DeForest is $106,223.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, DeForest has an overall cost of living index of 112, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, DeForest has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in DeForest ranks as #117 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies DeForest ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in DeForest, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in DeForest. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in DeForest is 107.
The Groceries index in DeForest is 103.
The Health index in DeForest is 122.
The Housing index in DeForest is 122.
The Transportation index in DeForest is 102.
The Utilities index in DeForest is 109.
| Living Expense | DeForest | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 112 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 122 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 122 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 102 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 109 | 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 DeForest is $447,748.
The Median Rent in DeForest is $1,381.
The Median Income in DeForest is $106,223.
The Home Value To Income in DeForest is 4.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in DeForest is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around DeForest. 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 DeForest.
Sun Prairie, WI has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x DeForest.
Fitchburg, WI has a cost of living index of 120, 1.1x DeForest.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. DeForest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 275,568 | 117 | 1.0x |
| Sun Prairie, WI | 36,455 | 114 | 1.0x |
| Fitchburg, WI | 31,566 | 120 | 1.1x |
| Middleton, WI | 22,235 | 125 | 1.1x |
| Waunakee, WI | 14,927 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Verona, WI | 14,499 | 120 | 1.1x |
| McFarland, WI | 9,230 | 117 | 1.0x |
| Monona, WI | 8,604 | 118 | 1.1x |
| Cottage Grove, WI | 7,906 | 119 | 1.1x |