Cost of living in Portage 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 Portage 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 Portage is 100, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Portage is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Portage ranks as the #73 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Portage ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Portage is $288,953.
The median income in Portage is $62,785.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portage has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Portage has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Portage ranks as #73 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Portage ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Portage, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portage. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Portage is 107.
The Groceries index in Portage is 100.
The Health index in Portage is 122.
The Housing index in Portage is 78.
The Transportation index in Portage is 102.
The Utilities index in Portage is 110.
| Living Expense | Portage | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 122 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 78 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 102 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 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 Portage is $288,953.
The Median Rent in Portage is $963.
The Median Income in Portage is $62,785.
The Home Value To Income in Portage is 4.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Portage is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portage. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sun Prairie, WI has a cost of living index of 114, 1.1x Portage.
Middleton, WI has a cost of living index of 125, 1.2x Portage.
Waunakee, WI has a cost of living index of 124, 1.2x Portage.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Portage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Prairie, WI | 36,455 | 114 | 1.1x |
| Middleton, WI | 22,235 | 125 | 1.2x |
| Waunakee, WI | 14,927 | 124 | 1.2x |
| Verona, WI | 14,499 | 120 | 1.2x |
| Stoughton, WI | 13,063 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Baraboo, WI | 12,506 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Oregon, WI | 11,384 | 116 | 1.2x |
| DeForest, WI | 10,853 | 112 | 1.1x |
| McFarland, WI | 9,230 | 117 | 1.2x |
| Cottage Grove, WI | 7,906 | 119 | 1.2x |