Cost of Living in Portage 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 Portage County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Portage County ranks #2,114 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 33%)
Sourced county brief
Portage County Official GRAPI Estimated at 26.0 Percent
In Portage County, the official rentBurdenGrapiPct is 26.0%, which represents the median gross rent as a percentage of household income. This figure is 0.7 percentage points above the Wisconsin unweighted county mean of 25.3%. The median gross rent is $940 per month, while the state unweighted county mean is $916. For homeowners, the median selected monthly owner cost is $1,042, which is below the state unweighted county mean of $1,072. The median home value in the county is $243,100, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $234,086. Median renter-household income is $44,535. These statistics are derived from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates and provide a single-period housing cost profile. 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: Portage County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 26.0% of renter household income in Portage 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 $940 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,042. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $37,600 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. Portage County's $940 median is 2.7% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Portage County
Rent Burden
14.8%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,775
per month
Owner Cost Burden
16.4%
of gross income
The median home in Portage County may be a stretch
Median home value is $243,100. Estimated monthly cost: $1,941 vs. your max of $1,775.
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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