Cost of living in Wauwatosa 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 Wauwatosa 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 Wauwatosa is 111, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wauwatosa is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Wauwatosa ranks as the #114 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Wauwatosa ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wauwatosa is $405,367.
The median income in Wauwatosa is $93,859.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wauwatosa has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Wauwatosa has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Wauwatosa ranks as #114 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Wauwatosa ranks as the #32 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Wauwatosa, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wauwatosa. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wauwatosa is 97.
The Groceries index in Wauwatosa is 102.
The Health index in Wauwatosa is 112.
The Housing index in Wauwatosa is 129.
The Transportation index in Wauwatosa is 100.
The Utilities index in Wauwatosa is 105.
| Living Expense | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 111 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 129 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 105 | 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 Wauwatosa is $405,367.
The Median Rent in Wauwatosa is $1,373.
The Median Income in Wauwatosa is $93,859.
The Home Value To Income in Wauwatosa is 4.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wauwatosa is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wauwatosa. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Milwaukee, WI has a cost of living index of 94, 0.8x Wauwatosa.
West Allis, WI has a cost of living index of 97, 0.9x Wauwatosa.
Brookfield, WI has a cost of living index of 121, 1.1x Wauwatosa.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wauwatosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 569,756 | 94 | 0.8x |
| West Allis, WI | 59,588 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Brookfield, WI | 41,592 | 121 | 1.1x |
| New Berlin, WI | 40,384 | 114 | 1.0x |
| Menomonee Falls, WI | 38,963 | 114 | 1.0x |
| Greenfield, WI | 37,361 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Mequon, WI | 25,259 | 133 | 1.2x |
| Whitefish Bay, WI | 14,750 | 126 | 1.1x |
| Shorewood, WI | 13,682 | 121 | 1.1x |
| Glendale, WI | 13,134 | 106 | 1.0x |