Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Counties in Wisconsin
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Wisconsin | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $176,921 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 5.3% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,045 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — |
The median home price in Wisconsin is about 27% lower than in US. Rent is about 22% lower than the US average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Wisconsin, up about 5.3% and 4.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Wisconsin rose about 34.7% between 2015 and 2023, from $776 to $1,045. Over the same span, rent in US rose about 45.1%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.3 yearly household incomes in Wisconsin.
Buying the median-priced home in Wisconsin costs roughly 14.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Wisconsin. The price-to-rent ratio in US is about 15.0.
| Metric | Wisconsin | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $176,921 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $75,766 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.3 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Wisconsin rose about 40.1%, while median household income rose about 46.6% between 2009 and 2023 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Wisconsin | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 60.4% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 28.6% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 11.1% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 |
Wisconsin has a homeownership rate of 60.4%, higher than the US average of 58.2%. Its housing vacancy rate is 11.1%, compared with 10.6% in US.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Wisconsin | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.35 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1973 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Wisconsin was built around 1973. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Wisconsin.
What is the median home price in Wisconsin?
The median home price in Wisconsin is $176,921, lower than the US average of $242,182.
What is the average home price in Wisconsin?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Wisconsin?
The median gross rent in Wisconsin is $1,045 per month, lower than the US average of $1,342.
What was the median gross rent in Wisconsin in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Wisconsin was $871 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Wisconsin?
The price-to-rent ratio in Wisconsin is about 14.1, meaning it would take roughly 14.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Wisconsin.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Wisconsin?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Wisconsin, up about 5.3% and 4.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Wisconsin?
60.4% of households in Wisconsin own their home, higher than the US average of 58.2%.
What is the vacancy rate in Wisconsin?
The housing vacancy rate in Wisconsin is 11.1%, higher than the US average of 10.6%.