Appleton, WI vs Springfield, IL: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Springfield, IL and Appleton, WI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Appleton works out to about $75,300 in Springfield, before taxes.
- Housing is 1.2% higher in Springfield, goods 0.2% lower and other services 0.2% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,207 a month in Springfield and $1,197 in Appleton, nearly the same (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $201,000 in Springfield and $349,000 in Appleton.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Springfield was 2.1% less expensive than Appleton.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Appleton and Springfield
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.4 | 92.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 70.8 | 71.6 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 90.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 |
| Category | Appleton | Springfield | Springfield vs Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.4 | 92.7 | +0.4% |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 | −0.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 70.8 | 71.6 | +1.2% |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 90.4 | −0.2% |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 | +0.2% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,197 | $1,207 | +0.8% |
| Typical home value | $349,000 | $201,000 | −42.4% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Appleton | $75,000 | $75,300 | +0.4% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Appleton and Springfield has narrowed since 2008: 2.1 points then, 0.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.1 | 95.0 |
| 2009 | 94.6 | 93.6 |
| 2010 | 95.1 | 93.5 |
| 2011 | 94.2 | 91.9 |
| 2012 | 94.6 | 93.3 |
| 2013 | 95.3 | 93.4 |
| 2014 | 94.4 | 92.8 |
| 2015 | 93.4 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 92.9 | 92.3 |
| 2017 | 92.1 | 90.7 |
| 2018 | 93.6 | 93.1 |
| 2019 | 93.7 | 91.8 |
| 2020 | 92.3 | 90.9 |
| 2021 | 93.4 | 91.6 |
| 2022 | 91.9 | 89.7 |
| 2023 | 93.7 | 90.7 |
| 2024 | 92.4 | 92.7 |
Goods
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.0 | 98.8 |
| 2009 | 97.9 | 97.5 |
| 2010 | 96.7 | 96.4 |
| 2011 | 95.9 | 95.8 |
| 2012 | 97.1 | 96.9 |
| 2013 | 97.0 | 96.7 |
| 2014 | 98.7 | 98.5 |
| 2015 | 98.4 | 98.0 |
| 2016 | 97.6 | 97.3 |
| 2017 | 95.5 | 95.4 |
| 2018 | 97.8 | 97.6 |
| 2019 | 96.4 | 96.5 |
| 2020 | 94.2 | 94.1 |
| 2021 | 94.7 | 94.7 |
| 2022 | 92.0 | 90.8 |
| 2023 | 93.8 | 93.1 |
| 2024 | 93.8 | 93.6 |
Housing (rents)
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 83.9 | 74.0 |
| 2009 | 73.8 | 70.8 |
| 2010 | 81.0 | 72.6 |
| 2011 | 81.3 | 69.5 |
| 2012 | 81.2 | 74.7 |
| 2013 | 82.0 | 74.1 |
| 2014 | 79.1 | 69.6 |
| 2015 | 78.2 | 71.9 |
| 2016 | 75.4 | 73.5 |
| 2017 | 75.8 | 68.9 |
| 2018 | 77.8 | 74.0 |
| 2019 | 75.3 | 66.0 |
| 2020 | 72.4 | 67.5 |
| 2021 | 75.5 | 67.3 |
| 2022 | 75.3 | 65.2 |
| 2023 | 81.6 | 65.2 |
| 2024 | 70.8 | 71.6 |
Utilities
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 103.0 | 97.0 |
| 2009 | 105.0 | 93.2 |
| 2010 | 101.7 | 94.5 |
| 2011 | 103.5 | 94.4 |
| 2012 | 100.6 | 90.6 |
| 2013 | 100.4 | 86.3 |
| 2014 | 94.5 | 87.6 |
| 2015 | 91.8 | 86.6 |
| 2016 | 89.0 | 84.9 |
| 2017 | 95.0 | 90.7 |
| 2018 | 98.5 | 92.5 |
| 2019 | 93.2 | 89.7 |
| 2020 | 94.8 | 90.1 |
| 2021 | 96.3 | 92.4 |
| 2022 | 90.5 | 94.9 |
| 2023 | 90.3 | 87.8 |
| 2024 | 90.6 | 90.4 |
Other services
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| 2009 | 99.4 | 99.5 |
| 2010 | 98.8 | 98.9 |
| 2011 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| 2012 | 96.8 | 97.0 |
| 2013 | 98.1 | 97.7 |
| 2014 | 96.4 | 96.9 |
| 2015 | 94.9 | 95.2 |
| 2016 | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| 2017 | 95.1 | 94.9 |
| 2018 | 95.6 | 96.5 |
| 2019 | 98.3 | 98.5 |
| 2020 | 97.7 | 97.8 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 98.0 |
| 2022 | 97.6 | 98.2 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 98.1 |
| 2024 | 99.4 | 99.6 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,207 in Springfield vs $1,197 in Appleton
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $743 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $751 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $752 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $758 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $773 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $766 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $761 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $769 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $782 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $773 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $787 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $783 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $805 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $809 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $805 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $813 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $820 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $833 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $852 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $844 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | $871 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | $899 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | $918 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $912 | $919 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $933 | $959 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $952 | $985 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $963 | $984 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $977 | $998 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $992 | $1,023 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,021 | $1,035 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,013 | $1,054 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,042 | $1,066 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,044 | $1,094 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,059 | $1,111 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,067 | $1,114 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,106 | $1,126 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,112 | $1,146 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,121 | $1,166 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,125 | $1,161 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,150 | $1,194 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,163 | $1,208 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,197 | $1,207 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $201,000 in Springfield vs $349,000 in Appleton
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Appleton, WI
- Springfield, IL
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Appleton, WI | Springfield, IL | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $158K | $133K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $160K | $133K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $161K | $134K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $163K | $135K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $164K | $135K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $166K | $135K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $168K | $135K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $172K | $136K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $175K | $137K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $178K | $137K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $181K | $136K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $184K | $137K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $187K | $137K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $190K | $137K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $192K | $137K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $193K | $136K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $198K | $139K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $202K | $141K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $205K | $141K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $208K | $143K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $209K | $145K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $213K | $145K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $217K | $147K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $226K | $148K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $231K | $148K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $241K | $151K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $249K | $153K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $252K | $154K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $260K | $158K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $271K | $161K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $272K | $160K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $274K | $162K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $282K | $163K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $291K | $167K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $297K | $171K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $299K | $172K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $303K | $173K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $309K | $176K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $311K | $176K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $317K | $179K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $322K | $181K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $328K | $182K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $331K | $187K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $338K | $193K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $345K | $197K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $345K | $198K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $349K | $201K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.