Watertown, WI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Watertown, WI Summary

Cost of living in Watertown 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 Watertown 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 Watertown is 101, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Watertown is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Watertown ranks as the #80 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.

  • Watertown ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Watertown is $312,897.

  • The median income in Watertown is $68,333.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
101
Watertown's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Watertown, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Watertown has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Wisconsin, Watertown has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.

The standard of living in Watertown ranks as #80 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Watertown ranks as the #66 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Watertown, check out:

80 out of 146
In Wisconsin
2,735 out of 6,489
In America

Watertown Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

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

  • The Services index in Watertown is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Watertown is 101.

  • The Health index in Watertown is 122.

  • The Housing index in Watertown is 89.

  • The Transportation index in Watertown is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Watertown is 111.

Living Expense Watertown Wisconsin National Average
Overall 101 95 100
Services 106 98 100
Groceries 101 100 100
Health 122 111 100
Housing 89 88 100
Transportation 102 100 100
Utilities 111 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Watertown Cost of Living Vs. WI

Watertown, 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 Watertown is $312,897.

  • The Median Rent in Watertown is $1,061.

  • The Median Income in Watertown is $68,333.

  • The Home Value To Income in Watertown is 4.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Watertown is 0.19x.

Statistic Watertown Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $312,897 $328,216 $303,400
Median Rent $1,061 $1,045 $1,348
Median Income $68,333 $75,670 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 4.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.17x 0.21x
$312,897
Median Home Value
$1,061
Median Rent
$68,333
Median Income

Watertown, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Watertown Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Watertown 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 Watertown Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Watertown 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 Watertown Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

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

Detailed Watertown Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

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

Detailed Watertown Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

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

Watertown SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
7
Affordability
7
Diversity
7
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
7
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Watertown

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

  • Oconomowoc, WI has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Watertown.

  • Beaver Dam, WI has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Watertown.

  • Hartford, WI has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Watertown.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Watertown
Oconomowoc, WI 18,385 110 1.1x
Beaver Dam, WI 16,629 96 1.0x
Hartford, WI 15,761 102 1.0x
Fort Atkinson, WI 12,490 102 1.0x
Jefferson, WI 7,722 102 1.0x
Delafield, WI 7,192 125 1.2x
Lake Mills, WI 6,391 104 1.0x

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