Clear Lake, WI vs Kent City, MI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Kent City, MI has a modeled overall cost index 15.3% lower than Clear Lake, WI.

Clear Lake, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,520 / month
Kent City, MI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,520 / 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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Clear Lake, WI and Kent City, MI 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

Current salary in Clear Lake, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $972/month in Kent City, MI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $138,335 in Kent City, MI

Regional cost estimates: Clear Lake, WI uses Saint Paul, MN. Kent City, MI uses Milwaukee, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.3%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$972

Savings

Annual Impact

$11.7K

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.

Clear Lake, WI

Population:1K

Cost Index:

90.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$289K

Kent City, MI

Population:1K

Cost Index:

76.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$315K

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Clear Lake, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Kent City, MI

The Great Lakes State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Michigan, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Clear Lake, WI vs Kent City, MI

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.

Category	Clear Lake, WI	Kent City, MI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,277/mo	$1,585/mo	↓ $693less	30.4%
Other	$1,614/mo	$1,471/mo	↓ $143less	8.9%
Groceries	$1,040/mo	$958/mo	↓ $81.44less	7.8%
Healthcare	$764/mo	$718/mo	↓ $45.63less	6.0%
All Utilities	$513/mo	$508/mo	↓ $5.71less	1.1%
Transportation	$1,292/mo	$1,288/mo	↓ $3.56less	0.3%

Housing

↓ 30.4%

Clear Lake, WI

$2,277

Kent City, MI

$1,585

Difference

$693

less

Other

↓ 8.9%

Clear Lake, WI

$1,614

Kent City, MI

$1,471

Difference

$143

less

Groceries

↓ 7.8%

Clear Lake, WI

$1,040

Kent City, MI

$958

Difference

$81.44

less

Healthcare

↓ 6.0%

Clear Lake, WI

$764

Kent City, MI

$718

Difference

$45.63

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.1%

Clear Lake, WI

$513

Kent City, MI

$508

Difference

$5.71

less

Transportation

↓ 0.3%

Clear Lake, WI

$1,292

Kent City, MI

$1,288

Difference

$3.56

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,100

To$1,220

↑ $120

1 Bed

From$1,250

To$1,270

↑ $20.00

2 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,520

→ $0

3 Bed

From$2,020

To$1,970

↓ $50.00

Clear Lake, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,250–$1,250/mo

Kent City, MIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,270–$1,270/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 Clear Lake, WI

$6,528

Monthly in Kent City, MI

$972

Difference

Home Values

Clear Lake

Kent City

$289K

Median Value

$315K

↑ +8.2%

YoY Change

↑ +5.5%

↑ +45.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +44.5%

Homes in Kent City are 9% more expensive than Clear Lake

Calculate payment - Clear Lake Calculate payment - Kent City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $2.5K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$206

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.6%

Rate difference

Clear Lake, 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

Kent City, MI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Michigan State Tax

Effective: 4.3%

$6.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 28.9%

$43.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,884/month

$106.6K

Additional Tax Information

Clear Lake, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Kent City, MI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:1.4%

💡 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

Clear Lake

Kent City

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

68.6%

95 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Clear Lake, WI to Kent City, MI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Kent City, MI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Clear Lake, WI. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
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.
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.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Clear Lake to Kent City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Kent City, MI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Clear Lake, WI vs Kent City, MI

How do the cost estimates for Clear Lake, WI and Kent City, MI compare?

Kent City, MI has a modeled overall cost index 15.3% lower than Clear Lake, WI. 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 Clear Lake, WI, the model estimates $138,335 in Kent City, MI. 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 Clear Lake, WI and Kent City, MI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,520/month in Clear Lake, WI and $1,520/month in Kent City, MI. 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 Wisconsin and Michigan on TaxTakeHome.com

Where your money goes further

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