Cost of living in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire is 100, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Eau Claire is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Eau Claire ranks as the #73 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Eau Claire ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Eau Claire is $311,034.
The median income in Eau Claire is $65,369.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Eau Claire has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Eau Claire has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Eau Claire ranks as #73 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Eau Claire ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Eau Claire, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Eau Claire. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Eau Claire is 102.
The Groceries index in Eau Claire is 98.
The Health index in Eau Claire is 112.
The Housing index in Eau Claire is 88.
The Transportation index in Eau Claire is 101.
The Utilities index in Eau Claire is 101.
| Living Expense | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 88 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 101 | 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 Eau Claire is $311,034.
The Median Rent in Eau Claire is $971.
The Median Income in Eau Claire is $65,369.
The Home Value To Income in Eau Claire is 4.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Eau Claire is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $311,034 | $328,216 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $971 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $65,369 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.8x | 4.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Eau Claire | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.23 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.0 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.83 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $39.17 | $45.56 |
| Item | Eau Claire | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.94 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.61 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.58 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.49 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.29 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $8.47 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.67 | $3.7 |
| Item | Eau Claire | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $125.0 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $179.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $107.33 | $113.29 |
| Item | Eau Claire | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.36 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $62.89 | $59.92 |
| Item | Eau Claire | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $193.62 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $197.22 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Eau Claire. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Menomonie, WI has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Eau Claire.
Chippewa Falls, WI has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Eau Claire.
Rice Lake, WI has a cost of living index of 92, 0.9x Eau Claire.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Eau Claire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menomonie, WI | 16,548 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Chippewa Falls, WI | 14,643 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Rice Lake, WI | 9,030 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Altoona, WI | 8,750 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Lake Hallie, WI | 7,245 | 101 | 1.0x |