Cost of living in Wausau 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 Wausau 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 Wausau is 86, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wausau is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Wausau ranks as the #9 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Wausau ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wausau is $236,110.
The median income in Wausau is $61,877.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wausau has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Wausau has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Wausau ranks as #9 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Wausau ranks as the #137 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Wausau, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wausau. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wausau is 84.
The Groceries index in Wausau is 98.
The Health index in Wausau is 124.
The Housing index in Wausau is 69.
The Transportation index in Wausau is 90.
The Utilities index in Wausau is 96.
| Living Expense | Wausau | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 84 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 69 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 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 Wausau is $236,110.
The Median Rent in Wausau is $950.
The Median Income in Wausau is $61,877.
The Home Value To Income in Wausau is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wausau is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wausau. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Weston, WI has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Wausau.
Merrill, WI has a cost of living index of 80, 0.9x Wausau.
Kronenwetter, WI has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Wausau.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wausau |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weston, WI | 15,784 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Merrill, WI | 9,224 | 80 | 0.9x |
| Kronenwetter, WI | 8,420 | 94 | 1.1x |
| Rib Mountain, WI | 6,134 | 95 | 1.1x |
| Rothschild, WI | 5,532 | 87 | 1.0x |