C+
11%
Overall NAT. AVG.
6%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
24%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Search Homes for Sale
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index DeForest Wisconsin National
Cost of living11196100
Goods & Services10697100
Groceries10299100
Health care120112100
Housing12488100
Transportation10198100
Utilities109102100

An Overview of Cost of Living in DeForest, WI

Getting a feel for the cost of living in DeForest is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in DeForest is 111, which is 11% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in DeForest, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 23.9% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Is DeForest Affordable?

Is DeForest an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in DeForest, the median home price is 31.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 5.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in DeForest come in at $84,282, which is 52.3% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in DeForest?

Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In DeForest, the transportation index is 1.3% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenses and insurance premiums can vary significantly depending on the specific city or state. Factors such as accessibility to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's visits, dental care expenses, prescription costs and specialized medical care fees can all influence the overall cost of living. In DeForest, healthcare costs are 19.7% higher than the national average.

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any other goods or services, utility expenditures can exhibit substantial variability, influenced by factors such as climate, energy sources accessibility, geographical location and state regulations. Costs related to electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, whether higher or lower, contingent on the city or state. In DeForest, the utilities index is 9.2% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The DeForest cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

New Real Estate Listings in DeForest Area
Search Homes for Sale in DeForest, WI

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in DeForest is 16% higher than the Wisconsin average
  • The cost of living in DeForest is 11% higher than the national average
  • DeForest housing is 24% higher than the national average
  • Wisconsin general sales tax is 2% lower than the national average
  • Wisconsin state income tax is 36% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around DeForest

See all the best places to live around DeForest

Compare DeForest, WI Cost of Living

      vs
      How would you rate the cost of living in DeForest?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      Is the cost of living increasing or decreasing in DeForest?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      See all DeForest poll results

      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$105,105$8,759$2,452$3,153
      Renters$49,821$4,152$1,162$1,495
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in DeForest, WI, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In DeForest, the median monthly income is $105,105 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,452 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $49,821, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $1,162 on monthly rental expenses.

      Wisconsin Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Wisconsin 5% 6.75%

      Wisconsin Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Wisconsin 3.54% 7.65%

      Goods & Services

      Item DeForest National avg. Difference
      Haircut $24.26$24.260.0%
      Beauty Salon $66.46$45.5645.9%
      Toothpaste $3.76$3.701.7%
      Shampoo $1.22$1.284.8%
      Movie $12.47$12.132.8%
      Bowling $27.76$18.0054.2%

      Groceries

      Item DeForest National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.27$5.847.4%
      Fried Chicken $1.45$1.578.1%
      Milk $4.79$4.672.5%
      Potatoes $4.20$4.9315.0%
      Pizza $10.96$12.099.3%
      Beer $8.82$10.4115.3%

      Health Care

      Item DeForest National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $70.37$125.6844.0%
      Doctor $222.85$135.7864.1%
      Dentist $122.45$113.298.1%
      Ibuprofen $10.72$10.650.6%
      Lipitor $506.88$468.608.2%

      Housing

      Item DeForest National avg. Difference
      Home Price $243,400.00$184,700.0031.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,571.07$2,346.699.6%
      Apartment Rent $1,000.00$949.005.4%

      Transportation

      Item DeForest National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.39$3.462.0%
      Tire Balancing $65.66$59.929.6%

      Utilities

      Item DeForest National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $226.90$193.9917.0%
      Phone $185.25$192.253.6%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Rio, WI1,049964.2%
      Doylestown, WI220963.7%
      Marshall, WI3,9751054.6%
      Poynette, WI2,5071055.1%
      Fall River, WI1,7551065.8%
      DeForest, WI10,47311111.3%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Covington, LA10,4711033.5%
      Cusseta-Chattahoochee County, GA10,4708811.7%
      Burley, ID10,4768911.0%
      Wasilla, AK10,46912221.5%
      North Bellport, NY10,46813332.7%
      DeForest, WI10,47311111.3%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.