Fort Atkinson, WI vs Festus, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Festus, MO has a modeled overall cost index 16.8% lower than Fort Atkinson, WI.

Fort Atkinson, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,160 / month
Festus, MO · modeled 2BR rent: $1,070 / 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 Fort Atkinson, WI and Festus, MO 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 Fort Atkinson, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,258/month in Festus, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $134,909 in Festus, MO

Regional cost estimates: Fort Atkinson, WI uses Madison, WI. Festus, MO uses St. Louis, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 16.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,258

Savings

Annual Impact

$15.1K

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.

Fort Atkinson, WI

Population:12K

Cost Index:

97.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$309K

Festus, MO

Population:13K

Cost Index:

81.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$292K

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Fort Atkinson, WI

The Badger State

12K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 12K residents.

Festus, MO

The Show-Me State

13K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 13K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Fort Atkinson, WI vs Festus, MO

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	Fort Atkinson, WI	Festus, MO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,341/mo	$1,595/mo	↓ $745less	31.8%
Healthcare	$704/mo	$516/mo	↓ $187less	26.6%
Transportation	$1,328/mo	$1,152/mo	↓ $176less	13.3%
Other	$1,691/mo	$1,523/mo	↓ $168less	10.0%
All Utilities	$497/mo	$525/mo	↑ $27.67more	5.6%
Groceries	$939/mo	$931/mo	↓ $8.14less	0.9%

Housing

↓ 31.8%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$2,341

Festus, MO

$1,595

Difference

$745

less

Healthcare

↓ 26.6%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$704

Festus, MO

$516

Difference

$187

less

Transportation

↓ 13.3%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$1,328

Festus, MO

$1,152

Difference

$176

less

Other

↓ 10.0%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$1,691

Festus, MO

$1,523

Difference

$168

less

All Utilities

↑ 5.6%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$497

Festus, MO

$525

Difference

$27.67

Groceries

↓ 0.9%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$939

Festus, MO

$931

Difference

$8.14

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$800

To$840

↑ $40.00

1 Bed

From$920

To$870

↓ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,160

To$1,070

↓ $90.00

3 Bed

From$1,540

To$1,380

↓ $160

Fort Atkinson, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $920–$920/mo

Festus, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $870–$870/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 Fort Atkinson, WI

$6,242

Monthly in Festus, MO

$1,258

Difference

Home Values

Fort Atkinson

Festus

$309K

Median Value

$292K

↑ +5%

YoY Change

↑ +5.1%

↑ +36.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +35.7%

Homes in Festus are 6% less expensive than Fort Atkinson

Calculate payment - Fort Atkinson Calculate payment - Festus

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $921

Per year

Monthly Difference

$76.74

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.6%

Rate difference

Fort Atkinson, 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

Festus, MO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Missouri State Tax

Effective: 5.3%

$7.9K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$44.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,755/month

$105.1K

Additional Tax Information

Fort Atkinson, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Festus, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.0%

💡 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

Fort Atkinson

Festus

42 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

72.1%

Good Air Days

38%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

39 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

39 days

Before moving from Fort Atkinson, WI to Festus, MO

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Festus, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Fort Atkinson, 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 Fort Atkinson to Festus moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Fort Atkinson, WI vs Festus, MO

How do the cost estimates for Fort Atkinson, WI and Festus, MO compare?

Festus, MO has a modeled overall cost index 16.8% lower than Fort Atkinson, 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 Fort Atkinson, WI, the model estimates $134,909 in Festus, MO. 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 Fort Atkinson, WI and Festus, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,160/month in Fort Atkinson, WI and $1,070/month in Festus, MO. 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 Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com