Portage County, Wisconsin Housing Market Prices
Portage County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 69% below the Wisconsin median Among the top 3 cheapest counties in Wisconsin$52,647
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Median rent 14% below the Wisconsin median$939
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Portage County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $52,647 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 0.3% | 4.2% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $939 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.5% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Portage County is about 69% lower than in Wisconsin. Rent is about 14% lower than the Wisconsin average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Portage County, up about 0.3% and 4.5% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Portage County rose about 39.2% between 2015 and 2024, from $674 to $939. Over the same span, rent in Wisconsin rose about 40.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.7 yearly household incomes in Portage County.
Buying the median-priced home in Portage County costs roughly 4.7 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 Portage County. The price-to-rent ratio in Wisconsin is about 13.1.
| Metric | Portage County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $52,647 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $76,397 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.7 | 2.2 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Portage County fell about 54.3%, while median household income rose about 41.4% between 2009 and 2025 — 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 | Portage County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 65.2% | 60.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 28.3% | 28.7% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2010 | 2011 |
Portage County has a homeownership rate of 65.2%, higher than the Wisconsin average of 60.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.5%, compared with 10.8% in Wisconsin.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Portage County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.29 people | 2.33 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1978 | 1974 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Portage County was built around 1978. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.8 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Portage County, WI Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Portage County, WI compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage County, WI | 70,832 | $52,647 #3/3 | $939 #2/3 | 69.7% #3/3 |
| Marathon County, WI | 138,251 | $136,999 | $998 | 73.3% |
| Adams County, WI | 21,114 | $121,315 | $827 | 86.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Portage County, Wisconsin.
What is the median home price in Portage County, Wisconsin?
The median home price in Portage County, Wisconsin is $52,647, lower than the Wisconsin average of $170,479.
What is the average home price in Portage County, Wisconsin?
The typical home price in Portage County, Wisconsin, reported as the median sale price, is $52,647. 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 Portage County, Wisconsin?
The median gross rent in Portage County, Wisconsin is $939 per month, lower than the Wisconsin average of $1,087.
What was the median gross rent in Portage County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Portage County, Wisconsin was $781 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Portage County, Wisconsin?
The price-to-rent ratio in Portage County, Wisconsin is about 4.7, meaning it would take roughly 4.7 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 Portage County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Portage County, Wisconsin?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Portage County, up about 0.3% and 4.5% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Portage County, Wisconsin?
65.2% of households in Portage County, Wisconsin own their home, higher than the Wisconsin average of 60.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Portage County, Wisconsin?
The housing vacancy rate in Portage County, Wisconsin is 6.5%, lower than the Wisconsin average of 10.8%.
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