Bloomington, IN vs Janesville, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Janesville, WI has a modeled overall cost index 19.6% higher than Bloomington, IN.

Bloomington, IN · modeled 2BR rent
$1,220 / month
Janesville, WI · modeled 2BR rent
$1,265 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓
Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Bloomington, IN and Janesville, WI using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,449/month in Janesville, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $167,386 in Janesville, WI

Regional cost estimates: Bloomington, IN uses Indianapolis, IN. Janesville, WI uses Madison, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 19.6%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$1,449
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$17.4K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Bloomington, IN

Population:79K
Cost Index:
84.7
100 = national average
Typical Home:$302K

Janesville, WI

Population:66K
Cost Index:
101.3
100 = national average
Typical Home:$286K

Planning the move to Janesville?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Bloomington, IN

The Hoosier State

79K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 79K residents.

Janesville, WI

The Badger State

66K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 66K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Bloomington, IN vs Janesville, WI

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↑ 40.1%
Bloomington, IN
$2,004
Janesville, WI
$2,807
Difference
$803
more
Transportation
↑ 17.3%
Bloomington, IN
$1,358
Janesville, WI
$1,593
Difference
$235
more
Other
↑ 11.6%
Bloomington, IN
$1,817
Janesville, WI
$2,028
Difference
$211
more
Healthcare
↑ 22.9%
Bloomington, IN
$674
Janesville, WI
$829
Difference
$154
more
Groceries
↑ 3.9%
Bloomington, IN
$1,065
Janesville, WI
$1,106
Difference
$41.32
more
All Utilities
↑ 0.6%
Bloomington, IN
$582
Janesville, WI
$586
Difference
$3.70
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Bloomington, IN: Monroe County Income Tax$2,625/yr (1.8%)

Janesville, WI has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$970
To$915
↓ $55.00
1 Bed
From$1,080
To$970
↓ $110
2 Bed
From$1,220
To$1,265
↑ $45.00
3 Bed
From$1,585
To$1,620
↑ $35.00
Bloomington, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $980–$1,100/mo

Janesville, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Bloomington, IN
$8,949
Monthly in Janesville, WI
$1,449
Difference

Home Values

Bloomington
Janesville
$302K
Median Value
$286K
↑ +1.7%
YoY Change
↑ +5.9%
↑ +32.2%
5-Year Change
↑ +46.8%
$268K - $338K
Price Range
$267K - $306K

Homes in Janesville are 5% less expensive than Bloomington

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $4.0K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$334
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
2.7%
Rate difference

Bloomington, IN

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Indiana State Tax
Effective: 3.2%
$4.8K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 27.9%
$41.9K
Take-Home Pay
$9,012/month
$108.1K

Janesville, WI

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Wisconsin State Tax
Effective: 5.9%
$8.8K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 30.6%
$45.9K
Take-Home Pay
$8,678/month
$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Bloomington, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

Janesville, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%
Property Tax:1.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Bloomington
Janesville
54 Moderate
Air Quality
42 Good
36.6%
Good Air Days
72.1%
97 High
Climate Risk
94 Moderate
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌪💨
▲+3.1°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.4°F
18 days
Heat Days >95°F
10 days
▲+3.1°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.4°F
18 days
Heat Days >95°F
10 days

Before moving from Bloomington, IN to Janesville, WI

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Janesville, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Bloomington, IN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Bloomington to Janesville moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Janesville, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Bloomington, IN vs Janesville, WI

How do the cost estimates for Bloomington, IN and Janesville, WI compare?

Janesville, WI has a modeled overall cost index 19.6% higher than Bloomington, IN. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Bloomington, IN, the model estimates $167,386 in Janesville, WI. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Bloomington, IN and Janesville, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,220/month in Bloomington, IN and $1,265/month in Janesville, WI. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Indiana and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com

Similar cost to Janesville, WI

Other cities in a similar price range

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison