Cost of Living in Lafayette County, Wisconsin
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Lafayette County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Lafayette County ranks #1,870 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 40%)
Sourced county brief
Lafayette County Median Gross Rent Percentage Reaches 25.0 Percent
In Lafayette County, the official Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) is 25.0%. This figure is 0.3 percentage points below the Wisconsin unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 25.3%. The median gross rent in the county was estimated at $830 per month, which is lower than the state unweighted county mean of $916. For homeowners, the median selected monthly owner cost for all owner-occupied units is $1,101, which is $29 above the state unweighted county mean of $1,072. The median home value is $194,500, while the state unweighted county mean is $234,086. Renter households in the county have a median income of $45,833. All rental affordability figures presented here are based on official ACS B25071 data rather than derived estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Lafayette County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 25.0% of renter household income in Lafayette County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $830 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,101. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $33,200 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Wisconsin unweighted mean of county median rents is $916 per month. Lafayette County's $830 median is 9.3% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Lafayette County
Rent Burden
13.0%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,784
per month
Owner Cost Burden
17.3%
of gross income
You can likely afford the median home in Lafayette County
Median home value is $194,500. Estimated monthly cost: $1,553 vs. your max of $1,784.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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