Janesville, WI vs Eau Claire, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Eau Claire, WI has a modeled overall cost index 3.3% lower than Janesville, WI.

Janesville, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,265 / month
Eau Claire, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,205 / 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 Janesville, WI and Eau Claire, 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

Current salary in Janesville, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $238/month in Eau Claire, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,144 in Eau Claire, WI

Regional cost estimates: Janesville, WI uses Madison, WI. Eau Claire, WI uses Saint Paul, MN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.3%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$238

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.9K

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.

Janesville, WI

Population:66K

Cost Index:

101.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$286K

Eau Claire, WI

Population:71K

Cost Index:

98.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$308K

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Janesville, WI

The Badger State

66K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Eau Claire, WI

The Badger State

71K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 71K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Janesville, WI vs Eau Claire, 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.

Category	Janesville, WI	Eau Claire, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,353/mo	$2,233/mo	↓ $120less	5.1%
Other	$1,700/mo	$1,583/mo	↓ $117less	6.9%
Transportation	$1,335/mo	$1,267/mo	↓ $68.60less	5.1%
Groceries	$927/mo	$978/mo	↑ $51.24more	5.5%
Healthcare	$694/mo	$718/mo	↑ $23.92more	3.4%
All Utilities	$491/mo	$483/mo	↓ $8.07less	1.6%

Housing

↓ 5.1%

Janesville, WI

$2,353

Eau Claire, WI

$2,233

Difference

$120

less

Other

↓ 6.9%

Janesville, WI

$1,700

Eau Claire, WI

$1,583

Difference

$117

less

Transportation

↓ 5.1%

Janesville, WI

$1,335

Eau Claire, WI

$1,267

Difference

$68.60

less

Groceries

↑ 5.5%

Janesville, WI

$927

Eau Claire, WI

$978

Difference

$51.24

Healthcare

↑ 3.4%

Janesville, WI

$694

Eau Claire, WI

$718

Difference

$23.92

All Utilities

↓ 1.6%

Janesville, WI

$491

Eau Claire, WI

$483

Difference

$8.07

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$915

To$950

↑ $35.00

1 Bed

From$970

To$980

↑ $10.00

2 Bed

From$1,265

To$1,205

↓ $60.00

3 Bed

From$1,620

To$1,615

↓ $5.00

Janesville, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/mo

Eau Claire, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $980–$980/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 Janesville, WI

$7,262

Monthly in Eau Claire, WI

$238

Difference

Home Values

Janesville

Eau Claire

$286K

Median Value

$308K

↑ +5.9%

YoY Change

↑ +2.3%

↑ +46.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +36%

$267K - $306K

Price Range

$279K - $338K

Homes in Eau Claire are 8% more expensive than Janesville

Calculate payment - Janesville Calculate payment - Eau Claire

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

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

Eau Claire, 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

Janesville, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Eau Claire, 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

Janesville

Eau Claire

42 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

72.4%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

95 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.7°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.7°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

Before moving from Janesville, WI to Eau Claire, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Eau Claire, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Janesville, 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 Janesville to Eau Claire moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Janesville, WI vs Eau Claire, WI

How do the cost estimates for Janesville, WI and Eau Claire, WI compare?

Eau Claire, WI has a modeled overall cost index 3.3% lower than Janesville, 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 Janesville, WI, the model estimates $147,144 in Eau Claire, 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 Janesville, WI and Eau Claire, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,265/month in Janesville, WI and $1,205/month in Eau Claire, 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.