Cost of living in Whitefish Bay 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 Whitefish Bay 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 Whitefish Bay is 126, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Whitefish Bay is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Whitefish Bay ranks as the #144 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Whitefish Bay ranks as the #4,776 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Whitefish Bay is $617,792.
The median income in Whitefish Bay is $154,255.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Whitefish Bay has an overall cost of living index of 126, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Whitefish Bay has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Whitefish Bay ranks as #144 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Whitefish Bay ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Whitefish Bay, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Whitefish Bay. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Whitefish Bay is 100.
The Groceries index in Whitefish Bay is 103.
The Health index in Whitefish Bay is 109.
The Housing index in Whitefish Bay is 188.
The Transportation index in Whitefish Bay is 98.
The Utilities index in Whitefish Bay is 106.
| Living Expense | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 126 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 188 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 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 Whitefish Bay is $617,792.
The Median Rent in Whitefish Bay is $1,348.
The Median Income in Whitefish Bay is $154,255.
The Home Value To Income in Whitefish Bay is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Whitefish Bay is 0.1x.
| Statistic | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $617,792 | $328,216 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,348 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $154,255 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 4.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.1x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.07 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.26 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $10.03 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.21 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $33.25 | $45.56 |
| Item | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.05 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.46 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.1 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.33 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $8.52 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.66 | $3.7 |
| Item | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $278.65 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $223.73 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $106.79 | $113.29 |
| Item | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.3 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $44.14 | $59.92 |
| Item | Whitefish Bay | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.69 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $185.79 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Whitefish Bay. 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, 0.7x Whitefish Bay.
Wauwatosa, WI has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Whitefish Bay.
Brookfield, WI has a cost of living index of 121, 1.0x Whitefish Bay.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Whitefish Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 569,756 | 94 | 0.7x |
| Wauwatosa, WI | 47,718 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Brookfield, WI | 41,592 | 121 | 1.0x |
| New Berlin, WI | 40,384 | 114 | 0.9x |
| Menomonee Falls, WI | 38,963 | 114 | 0.9x |
| Franklin, WI | 35,751 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Mequon, WI | 25,259 | 133 | 1.1x |
| Shorewood, WI | 13,682 | 121 | 1.0x |
| Glendale, WI | 13,134 | 106 | 0.8x |
| Brown Deer, WI | 12,615 | 101 | 0.8x |