Rice Lake, WI Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Rice Lake. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Rice Lake compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Cost of living in Rice Lake 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 Rice Lake 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:

92 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#27 Cheapest in Wisconsin (of 146)
#1,359 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$271,838 Median home value
$856 Median rent
$52,417 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Rice Lake, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rice Lake has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Wisconsin, Rice Lake has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Wisconsin's index of 98.

The standard of living in Rice Lake ranks as #27 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Rice Lake ranks as the #119 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Rice Lake, check out:

Rice Lake Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rice Lake. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Rice Lake is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Rice Lake is 99.

  • The Health index in Rice Lake is 79.

  • The Housing index in Rice Lake is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Rice Lake is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Rice Lake is 98.

Living Expense Rice Lake Wisconsin National Average
Overall 92 98 100
Services 98 98 100
Groceries 99 100 100
Health 79 91 100
Housing 99 99 100
Transportation 101 102 100
Utilities 98 100 100

Rice Lake Cost Of Living Compared To Wisconsin Averages

Services
Rice Lake 98
Wisconsin avg 98
Groceries
Rice Lake 99
Wisconsin avg 100
Health
Rice Lake 79
Wisconsin avg 91
Housing
Rice Lake 99
Wisconsin avg 99
Transportation
Rice Lake 101
Wisconsin avg 102
Utilities
Rice Lake 98
Wisconsin avg 100

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Rice Lake, WI Housing Cost Breakdown

$271,838Median Home Value
$856Median Rent
$52,417Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Rice Lake is $271,838.

  • The Median Rent in Rice Lake is $856.

  • The Median Income in Rice Lake is $52,417.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rice Lake is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rice Lake is 0.2x.

Statistic Rice Lake Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $271,838 $330,171 $332,700
Median Rent $856 $1,087 $1,413
Median Income $52,417 $77,485 $80,734
Home Value To Income 5.2x 4.3x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.17x 0.21x

Rice Lake, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Rice Lake Services costs vs. Wisconsin
Item Rice Lake 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
Detailed Rice Lake Groceries costs vs. Wisconsin
Item Rice Lake 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
Detailed Rice Lake Health costs vs. Wisconsin
Item Rice Lake Wisconsin
Optometrist $125.0 $125.68
Doctor $179.67 $135.78
Dentist $107.33 $113.29
Detailed Rice Lake Transportation costs vs. Wisconsin
Item Rice Lake Wisconsin
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $62.89 $59.92
Detailed Rice Lake Utilities costs vs. Wisconsin
Item Rice Lake Wisconsin
All Electricity $193.62 $193.99
Phone $197.22 $192.25

Rice Lake SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 5/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 6/10
Diversity 4/10
Safety 4/10
Amenities 8/10
Education 8/10
Commute 10/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rice Lake

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rice Lake. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Eau Claire, WI has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Rice Lake.

  • Menomonie, WI has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Rice Lake.

  • Chippewa Falls, WI has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Rice Lake.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rice Lake
Eau Claire, WI 70,322 95 1.0x
Menomonie, WI 16,539 96 1.0x
Chippewa Falls, WI 14,782 97 1.1x
New Richmond, WI 10,539 102 1.1x
Altoona, WI 8,878 99 1.1x
Lake Hallie, WI 7,285 102 1.1x