Cost of living in Janesville 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 Janesville 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 Janesville is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Janesville is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Janesville ranks as the #32 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Janesville ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Janesville is $287,119.
The median income in Janesville is $71,664.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Janesville has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Janesville has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Janesville ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Janesville ranks as the #114 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Janesville, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Janesville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Janesville is 90.
The Groceries index in Janesville is 99.
The Health index in Janesville is 99.
The Housing index in Janesville is 86.
The Transportation index in Janesville is 111.
The Utilities index in Janesville is 88.
| Living Expense | Janesville | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 99 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 86 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 111 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 88 | 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 Janesville is $287,119.
The Median Rent in Janesville is $1,037.
The Median Income in Janesville is $71,664.
The Home Value To Income in Janesville is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Janesville is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Janesville | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $287,119 | $328,216 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,037 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $71,664 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 4.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Janesville | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.73 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $19.94 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $36.22 | $45.56 |
| Item | Janesville | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.72 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.63 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.82 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.99 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.56 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.58 | $3.7 |
| Item | Janesville | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $79.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $158.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $110.16 | $113.29 |
| Item | Janesville | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.69 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.28 | $59.92 |
| Item | Janesville | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $147.39 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Janesville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Beloit, WI has a cost of living index of 82, 0.9x Janesville.
Whitewater, WI has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Janesville.
Stoughton, WI has a cost of living index of 109, 1.2x Janesville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Janesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beloit, WI | 36,554 | 82 | 0.9x |
| Whitewater, WI | 15,705 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Stoughton, WI | 13,063 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Fort Atkinson, WI | 12,490 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Roscoe, IL | 10,881 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Delavan, WI | 8,531 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Rockton, IL | 8,238 | 94 | 1.0x |
| South Beloit, IL | 7,930 | 87 | 0.9x |
| Edgerton, WI | 5,924 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Milton, WI | 5,685 | 100 | 1.1x |