Cost of living in Merrill 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 Merrill 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 Merrill is 80, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Merrill is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Merrill ranks as the #2 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Merrill ranks as the #112 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Merrill is $218,216.
The median income in Merrill is $49,947.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Merrill has an overall cost of living index of 80, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Merrill has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Merrill ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Merrill ranks as the #144 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Merrill, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Merrill. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Merrill is 84.
The Groceries index in Merrill is 97.
The Health index in Merrill is 123.
The Housing index in Merrill is 52.
The Transportation index in Merrill is 90.
The Utilities index in Merrill is 93.
| Living Expense | Merrill | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 84 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 123 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 52 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 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 Merrill is $218,216.
The Median Rent in Merrill is $784.
The Median Income in Merrill is $49,947.
The Home Value To Income in Merrill is 4.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Merrill is 0.19x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Merrill. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Wausau, WI has a cost of living index of 86, 1.1x Merrill.
Stevens Point, WI has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Merrill.
Marshfield, WI has a cost of living index of 87, 1.1x Merrill.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Merrill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | 39,893 | 86 | 1.1x |
| Stevens Point, WI | 25,497 | 90 | 1.1x |
| Marshfield, WI | 18,718 | 87 | 1.1x |
| Weston, WI | 15,784 | 88 | 1.1x |
| Kronenwetter, WI | 8,420 | 94 | 1.2x |
| Rhinelander, WI | 8,248 | 83 | 1.0x |
| Antigo, WI | 8,058 | 77 | 1.0x |
| Rib Mountain, WI | 6,134 | 95 | 1.2x |
| Rothschild, WI | 5,532 | 87 | 1.1x |