Wisconsin households earn a median $77,485 a year and pay a median $1,087 in rent, according to the Census Bureau. Before borrowing, confirm the lender's state license, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and walk away from any upfront fee.
On this page
- Wisconsin by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Wisconsin borrowers
- Largest places in Wisconsin
- Other sizable places in Wisconsin
- Counties with the most residents
- How Wisconsin earns a living
- More context for Wisconsin budgets
- Checking a lender in Wisconsin
- Can Wisconsin residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Wisconsin
- Frequently asked questions
Wisconsin by the numbers
Before any advice, the data: Wisconsin against the country on income, housing costs, work and commuting.
| Indicator | Wisconsin | U.S. | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,485 | $80,734 | 26th |
| Share of households under $35,000 | 20% | 21% | 32nd |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 38% | 41% | 26th |
| People below the poverty line | 10.6% | 12.5% | 36th |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 3.2% | 5.2% | 48th |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,087 | $1,413 | 33rd |
| Rent-burdened renters (30%+) | 44% | 51% | 47th |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $332,700 | 31st |
| Homeownership rate | 68% | 65% | 22nd |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 22% | 28% | 42nd |
| Years of median income to buy the median home | 3.4x | 4.1x | 34th |
| Commutes of 45 minutes or longer | 10% | 17% | 43rd |
| Workers who work from home | 13% | 15% | 27th |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 33% | 36% | 29th |
| Age, median | 40.2 | 38.9 | 13th |
| Gini index (inequality) | 0.444 | 0.483 | 47th |
What the numbers mean for Wisconsin borrowers
In Wisconsin, 13% of workers work from home and 10% spend 45 minutes or more getting to work, compared with 15% and 17% nationally. Where commutes are long, a car repair is often the emergency that sends people looking for a loan; see our auto repair guide.
Jobs and hardship: an average 3.2% unemployment rate in the 2020 to 2024 survey, and 10.6% of people below the federal poverty line. If you were recently out of work, wait until you have a few steady paychecks before you apply.
Wisconsin renters pay a median $1,087 a month. 44% of them spend 30 percent or more of income on rent, below the national share of 51%. A moving or deposit loan is common among renters; compare it with a payment plan from the landlord or utility first.
Wisconsin's Gini index of income inequality is 0.444 (U.S.: 0.483; higher means more unequal), 33% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree, and the median resident is 40.2 years old.
Largest places in Wisconsin
Where most Wisconsin residents live: the 12 largest cities, towns and census-designated places, with the latest five-year Census figures.
| Place | County | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee County, Waukesha County | 566,973 | $54,234 | $1,059 | $184,000 |
| Madison | Dane County | 278,001 | $78,050 | $1,413 | $372,900 |
| Green Bay | Brown County | 106,253 | $66,206 | $932 | $207,200 |
| Kenosha | Kenosha County | 99,372 | $71,239 | $1,186 | $225,200 |
| Racine | Racine County | 77,633 | $57,740 | $1,033 | $166,500 |
| Appleton | Outagamie County, Calumet County | 75,023 | $80,483 | $1,030 | $231,400 |
| Waukesha | Waukesha County | 71,233 | $83,837 | $1,219 | $315,500 |
| Eau Claire | Eau Claire County, Chippewa County | 70,322 | $67,395 | $1,045 | $247,600 |
| Oshkosh | Winnebago County | 66,729 | $62,188 | $935 | $177,700 |
| Janesville | Rock County | 66,030 | $73,446 | $1,054 | $223,400 |
| West Allis | Milwaukee County | 59,612 | $67,611 | $1,007 | $203,800 |
| La Crosse | La Crosse County | 51,356 | $55,866 | $1,010 | $210,100 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Wisconsin tops out at $144,051 in Mequon and bottoms out at $54,234 in Milwaukee. The state has 12 places over 50,000 and 97 over 10,000. The highest median rent among them is $2,157 in Mequon, the lowest $804 in Manitowoc.
Other sizable places in Wisconsin
Continuing down the population list from Sheboygan to Muskego.
| City or town | Residents | Median household income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | 49,645 | $62,927 | $924 |
| Wauwatosa | 48,529 | $101,138 | $1,438 |
| Fond du Lac | 44,494 | $62,260 | $913 |
| Brookfield | 41,273 | $129,548 | $1,886 |
| New Berlin | 40,270 | $101,091 | $1,426 |
| Wausau | 39,996 | $64,389 | $1,010 |
| Menomonee Falls | 39,539 | $100,238 | $1,313 |
| Sun Prairie | 37,570 | $90,942 | $1,419 |
| Greenfield | 37,345 | $70,459 | $1,170 |
| Oak Creek | 37,325 | $96,555 | $1,452 |
| Beloit | 36,534 | $62,663 | $1,066 |
| Franklin | 35,886 | $106,894 | $1,458 |
| Manitowoc | 34,620 | $63,757 | $804 |
| Fitchburg | 32,619 | $86,516 | $1,373 |
| West Bend | 32,030 | $74,076 | $1,076 |
| Mount Pleasant | 27,953 | $91,616 | $1,127 |
| Neenah | 27,336 | $75,374 | $1,006 |
| Superior | 26,677 | $64,216 | $900 |
| Stevens Point | 25,785 | $58,031 | $890 |
| Muskego | 25,406 | $112,221 | $1,313 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Beloit (20%) and least in Muskego (14%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Wisconsin county data, largest first (16 shown of 72).
| County | Population | Median household income | Median gross rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County | 926,331 | $64,435 | $1,101 | $230,700 |
| Dane County | 572,674 | $89,975 | $1,398 | $394,800 |
| Waukesha County | 411,762 | $106,076 | $1,356 | $398,200 |
| Brown County | 270,892 | $79,649 | $1,031 | $266,000 |
| Racine County | 197,532 | $78,096 | $1,080 | $251,400 |
| Outagamie County | 192,826 | $85,069 | $1,057 | $267,300 |
| Winnebago County | 171,769 | $74,925 | $965 | $225,800 |
| Kenosha County | 168,438 | $81,239 | $1,219 | $265,500 |
| Rock County | 164,350 | $75,673 | $1,037 | $231,600 |
| Marathon County | 138,403 | $77,884 | $999 | $219,600 |
| Washington County | 137,879 | $96,359 | $1,153 | $344,800 |
| La Crosse County | 120,488 | $73,013 | $1,059 | $257,000 |
| Sheboygan County | 117,991 | $73,094 | $934 | $232,700 |
| Eau Claire County | 107,116 | $74,546 | $1,064 | $261,000 |
| Walworth County | 105,657 | $80,520 | $1,150 | $302,700 |
| Fond du Lac County | 104,137 | $74,275 | $960 | $222,800 |
Median income by county stretches from $55,878 (Langlade County) up to $106,076 (Waukesha County). Lenders price your own file, not your county, but local costs decide how much payment your budget can carry.
How Wisconsin earns a living
Top four employers of Wisconsin residents by industry, with the gap to the U.S. mix.
| Industry | Share of Wisconsin workers | U.S. share | Gap vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 23% | 24% | -0.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18% | 10% | +8.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11% | 11% | +0.2 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 9% | 13% | -3.1 pts |
The industry where Wisconsin stands out most from the U.S. is manufacturing: 18% of employed residents, versus 10% for the nation. Hourly workers with variable schedules should average several months of pay when sizing a payment.
More context for Wisconsin budgets
The bottom and top of the Wisconsin income ladder: 20% of households under $35,000, 38% at $100,000 or more. U.S. comparison: 21% and 41%. A wide spread like this is why one-size borrowing advice fails; size the loan to your own pay, not to the state's.
The typical Wisconsin home is valued at $266,500 (3.4 times median income), and 68% of households own the place they live in. Among owners with a mortgage, 22% spend 30 percent or more of income on housing (U.S.: 28%).
The median household in Wisconsin earns $77,485 a year, 4% below the national median of $80,734, which ranks 26th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A lender never sees the state median, only your own documented income, but the median tells you what a typical payment has to fit inside.
Checking a lender in Wisconsin
A two-minute check protects you: look the lender up before you share a Social Security number. In Wisconsin the banking agency named by CSBS is the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
- If a lender stops answering, the CFPB complaint form usually gets a response within weeks.
- Ask for the lender's license number and look it up on NMLS Consumer Access.
- An upfront fee to "secure" a loan is a warning sign the FTC describes here.
Can Wisconsin residents use the questionnaire?
You can start it, and the location step is where you find out: if partners are not yet taking Wisconsin requests, you will see a short email waitlist and nothing more is asked.
Local guides in Wisconsin
City-level guides for Wisconsin (3 so far):
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates personal lenders in Wisconsin?
The state banking agency listed for Wisconsin by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors is the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. You can also search a lender on NMLS Consumer Access and file complaints with the CFPB.
What do households in Wisconsin earn?
$77,485 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 26th among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Wisconsin?
The typical renter pays $1,087; the U.S. median is $1,413. In Wisconsin, 44% of renting households spend 30 percent or more of income on housing.
Do home values in Wisconsin change how I should borrow?
The median home in Wisconsin is valued at $266,500, about 3.4 times the median household income of $77,485. Where housing takes a big share of income, keep new payments modest and compare total cost rather than stretching the term.