Cost of living in Whitewater 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 Whitewater 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 Whitewater is 100, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Whitewater is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Whitewater ranks as the #73 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Whitewater ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Whitewater is $333,286.
The median income in Whitewater is $49,000.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Whitewater has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Whitewater has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Whitewater ranks as #73 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Whitewater ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Whitewater, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Whitewater. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Whitewater is 105.
The Groceries index in Whitewater is 102.
The Health index in Whitewater is 121.
The Housing index in Whitewater is 91.
The Transportation index in Whitewater is 100.
The Utilities index in Whitewater is 110.
| Living Expense | Whitewater | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 121 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 91 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 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 Whitewater is $333,286.
The Median Rent in Whitewater is $985.
The Median Income in Whitewater is $49,000.
The Home Value To Income in Whitewater is 6.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Whitewater is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Whitewater | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $333,286 | $328,216 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $985 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $49,000 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.8x | 4.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Whitewater | 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 |
| Item | Whitewater | 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 |
| Item | Whitewater | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $70.37 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $222.85 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $122.45 | $113.29 |
| Item | Whitewater | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.39 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.66 | $59.92 |
| Item | Whitewater | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $226.9 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $185.25 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Whitewater. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Janesville, WI has a cost of living index of 92, 0.9x Whitewater.
Fort Atkinson, WI has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Whitewater.
Elkhorn, WI has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x Whitewater.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Whitewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 65,813 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Fort Atkinson, WI | 12,490 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Elkhorn, WI | 10,259 | 95 | 0.9x |
| Delavan, WI | 8,531 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Jefferson, WI | 7,722 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Lake Mills, WI | 6,391 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Edgerton, WI | 5,924 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Milton, WI | 5,685 | 100 | 1.0x |