Lake Mills, WI vs Lake Geneva, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lake Geneva, WI has a modeled overall cost index 13.0% lower than Lake Mills, WI.

Lake Mills, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,220 / month
Lake Geneva, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,320 / 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 Lake Mills, WI and Lake Geneva, 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 Lake Mills, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $857/month in Lake Geneva, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $139,714 in Lake Geneva, WI

Regional cost estimates: Lake Mills, WI uses Madison, WI. Lake Geneva, WI uses Milwaukee, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 13.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$857

Savings

Annual Impact

$10.3K

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.

Lake Mills, WI

Population:7K

Cost Index:

96.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$408K

Lake Geneva, WI

Population:9K

Cost Index:

83.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$439K

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Lake Mills, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 7K residents.

Lake Geneva, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lake Mills, WI vs Lake Geneva, 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	Lake Mills, WI	Lake Geneva, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,336/mo	$1,638/mo	↓ $699less	29.9%
Other	$1,688/mo	$1,520/mo	↓ $168less	9.9%
Transportation	$1,326/mo	$1,331/mo	↑ $5.20more	0.4%
Groceries	$943/mo	$945/mo	↑ $1.85more	0.2%
Healthcare	$707/mo	$708/mo	↑ $1.38more	0.2%
All Utilities	$500/mo	$501/mo	↑ $0.98more	0.2%

Housing

↓ 29.9%

Lake Mills, WI

$2,336

Lake Geneva, WI

$1,638

Difference

$699

less

Other

↓ 9.9%

Lake Mills, WI

$1,688

Lake Geneva, WI

$1,520

Difference

$168

less

Transportation

↑ 0.4%

Lake Mills, WI

$1,326

Lake Geneva, WI

$1,331

Difference

$5.20

Groceries

↑ 0.2%

Lake Mills, WI

$943

Lake Geneva, WI

$945

Difference

$1.85

Healthcare

↑ 0.2%

Lake Mills, WI

$707

Lake Geneva, WI

$708

Difference

$1.38

All Utilities

↑ 0.2%

Lake Mills, WI

$500

Lake Geneva, WI

$501

Difference

$0.98

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$840

To$910

↑ $70.00

1 Bed

From$970

To$1,010

↑ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,220

To$1,320

↑ $100

3 Bed

From$1,610

To$1,660

↑ $50.00

Lake Mills, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/mo

Lake Geneva, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,010–$1,010/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 Lake Mills, WI

$6,643

Monthly in Lake Geneva, WI

$857

Difference

Home Values

Lake Mills

Lake Geneva

$408K

Median Value

$439K

↑ +3.3%

YoY Change

↑ +4.8%

↑ +35.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +42.4%

Homes in Lake Geneva are 7% more expensive than Lake Mills

Calculate payment - Lake Mills Calculate payment - Lake Geneva

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

Lake Mills, 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

Lake Geneva, 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

Lake Mills, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Lake Geneva, 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

Lake Mills

Lake Geneva

42 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

68.6%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Lake Mills, WI to Lake Geneva, WI

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Lake Mills, WI vs Lake Geneva, WI

How do the cost estimates for Lake Mills, WI and Lake Geneva, WI compare?

Lake Geneva, WI has a modeled overall cost index 13.0% lower than Lake Mills, 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 Lake Mills, WI, the model estimates $139,714 in Lake Geneva, 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 Lake Mills, WI and Lake Geneva, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,220/month in Lake Mills, WI and $1,320/month in Lake Geneva, 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.