Portage, WI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Portage, WI Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
100
Portage's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portage, WI?

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:

73 out of 146
In Wisconsin
2,621 out of 6,489
In America

Portage Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

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
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Portage Cost of Living Vs. WI

Portage, WI Housing Cost Breakdown

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.

Statistic Portage Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $288,953 $328,216 $303,400
Median Rent $963 $1,045 $1,348
Median Income $62,785 $75,670 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 4.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x
$288,953
Median Home Value
$963
Median Rent
$62,785
Median Income

Portage, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Portage Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $12.47 $12.13
Bowling $27.76 $18
Haircut $24.26 $24.26
Beauty Salon $66.46 $45.56

Detailed Portage Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Ground Beef $6.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.79 $4.67
Potatoes $4.2 $4.93
Pizza $10.96 $12.09
Beer $8.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Portage Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Optometrist $70.37 $125.68
Doctor $222.85 $135.78
Dentist $122.45 $113.29

Detailed Portage Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
Gasoline $3.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.66 $59.92

Detailed Portage Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Portage Wisconsin
All Electricity $226.9 $193.99
Phone $185.25 $192.25

Portage SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portage

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

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