Wausau, WI vs Appleton, WI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Appleton, WI and Wausau, WI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Wausau works out to about $74,800 in Appleton, before taxes.
- Housing is 1.0% lower in Appleton, goods 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,197 a month in Appleton and $960 in Wausau, $2,844 a year more in Appleton (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $349,000 in Appleton and $271,000 in Wausau.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.8%).
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 Wausau and Appleton
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.7 | 92.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 71.5 | 70.8 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| Category | Wausau | Appleton | Appleton vs Wausau |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.7 | 92.4 | −0.3% |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 71.5 | 70.8 | −1.0% |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 90.6 | +0.7% |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.4 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $960 | $1,197 | +24.7% |
| Typical home value | $271,000 | $349,000 | +28.7% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Wausau | $75,000 | $74,800 | −0.3% |
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 Wausau and Appleton has narrowed since 2008: 2.3 points then, 0.2 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.8 | 97.1 |
| 2009 | 95.0 | 94.6 |
| 2010 | 94.6 | 95.1 |
| 2011 | 93.3 | 94.2 |
| 2012 | 94.1 | 94.6 |
| 2013 | 94.3 | 95.3 |
| 2014 | 90.7 | 94.4 |
| 2015 | 92.5 | 93.4 |
| 2016 | 92.0 | 92.9 |
| 2017 | 91.1 | 92.1 |
| 2018 | 92.2 | 93.6 |
| 2019 | 93.0 | 93.7 |
| 2020 | 90.2 | 92.3 |
| 2021 | 91.2 | 93.4 |
| 2022 | 91.8 | 91.9 |
| 2023 | 90.7 | 93.7 |
| 2024 | 92.7 | 92.4 |
Goods
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| 2009 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2010 | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| 2011 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2012 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2013 | 97.0 | 97.0 |
| 2014 | 98.7 | 98.7 |
| 2015 | 98.4 | 98.4 |
| 2016 | 97.6 | 97.6 |
| 2017 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| 2018 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2019 | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| 2020 | 94.2 | 94.2 |
| 2021 | 94.7 | 94.7 |
| 2022 | 92.0 | 92.0 |
| 2023 | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| 2024 | 93.8 | 93.8 |
Housing (rents)
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 71.7 | 83.9 |
| 2009 | 75.2 | 73.8 |
| 2010 | 78.7 | 81.0 |
| 2011 | 76.2 | 81.3 |
| 2012 | 78.8 | 81.2 |
| 2013 | 77.0 | 82.0 |
| 2014 | 60.7 | 79.1 |
| 2015 | 74.3 | 78.2 |
| 2016 | 71.3 | 75.4 |
| 2017 | 69.9 | 75.8 |
| 2018 | 68.9 | 77.8 |
| 2019 | 72.0 | 75.3 |
| 2020 | 63.7 | 72.4 |
| 2021 | 66.1 | 75.5 |
| 2022 | 74.9 | 75.3 |
| 2023 | 66.0 | 81.6 |
| 2024 | 71.5 | 70.8 |
Utilities
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.6 | 103.0 |
| 2009 | 102.1 | 105.0 |
| 2010 | 101.8 | 101.7 |
| 2011 | 102.3 | 103.5 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 100.6 |
| 2013 | 100.1 | 100.4 |
| 2014 | 96.7 | 94.5 |
| 2015 | 93.7 | 91.8 |
| 2016 | 91.4 | 89.0 |
| 2017 | 94.6 | 95.0 |
| 2018 | 97.4 | 98.5 |
| 2019 | 93.1 | 93.2 |
| 2020 | 92.6 | 94.8 |
| 2021 | 94.8 | 96.3 |
| 2022 | 90.0 | 90.5 |
| 2023 | 89.9 | 90.3 |
| 2024 | 90.0 | 90.6 |
Other services
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| 2009 | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| 2010 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2011 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| 2012 | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| 2013 | 98.1 | 98.1 |
| 2014 | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| 2015 | 94.9 | 94.9 |
| 2016 | 96.0 | 96.0 |
| 2017 | 95.1 | 95.1 |
| 2018 | 95.6 | 95.6 |
| 2019 | 98.3 | 98.3 |
| 2020 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 97.6 | 97.6 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 99.4 | 99.4 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,197 in Appleton vs $960 in Wausau
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | – | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | – | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | – | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $765 | $912 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $803 | $933 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $810 | $952 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $806 | $963 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $816 | $977 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $834 | $992 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $839 | $1,021 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $828 | $1,013 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $824 | $1,042 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $855 | $1,044 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $872 | $1,059 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $851 | $1,067 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $886 | $1,106 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $895 | $1,112 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $902 | $1,121 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $907 | $1,125 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $935 | $1,150 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $961 | $1,163 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $960 | $1,197 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $349,000 in Appleton vs $271,000 in Wausau
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Wausau, WI
- Appleton, WI
- 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
| Wausau, WI | Appleton, WI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $130K | $158K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $132K | $160K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $134K | $161K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $135K | $163K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $136K | $164K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $137K | $166K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $139K | $168K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $141K | $172K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $143K | $175K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $144K | $178K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $145K | $181K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $147K | $184K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $149K | $187K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $152K | $190K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $155K | $192K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $156K | $193K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $159K | $198K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $163K | $202K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $166K | $205K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $170K | $208K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $170K | $209K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $172K | $213K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $178K | $217K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $181K | $226K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $182K | $231K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $188K | $241K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $193K | $249K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $194K | $252K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $199K | $260K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $206K | $271K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $204K | $272K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $205K | $274K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $212K | $282K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $220K | $291K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $225K | $297K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $225K | $299K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $227K | $303K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $234K | $309K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $236K | $311K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $241K | $317K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $246K | $322K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $248K | $328K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $249K | $331K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $257K | $338K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $267K | $345K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $269K | $345K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $271K | $349K | $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.