States › Wisconsin › Beaver Dam

Is Beaver Dam, WI expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,06140% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$71,907about $5,992/month · 17% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$201,90039% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 84% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $42,440 a year. That is $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Wisconsin cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Wisconsin. It is number 31 of 156 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Beaver Dam
$1,061
Menomonie
$992
Bellevue
$1,291
River Falls
$1,228
Pewaukee
$2,019
Ashwaubenon
$1,230
Hartford
$1,234

How much do households earn in Beaver Dam?

Under $25k
11.5%
$25k–50k
29.2%
$50k–100k
40.1%
$100k–150k
13.0%
$150k+
4.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 17.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Beaver Dam

SizeBeaver DamU.S. average
Studio$716$1,338
1 bedroom$918$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,100$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,276$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,271$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Beaver Dam overall?

Everyday prices in Wisconsin overall are 6% below the U.S. average (index 94.1, U.S. = 100).

Housing
79
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
90
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Beaver Dam, so the Wisconsin figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Beaver Dam

🏛️ Property tax$3,536a year · 1.75% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$149a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Beaver Dam

Commute to work24.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree25.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home55.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Beaver Dam?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $340 a month less.

Renting
$1,061
Owning
$1,401

Owning assumes a typical $201,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $20,190 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Beaver Dam, WI?

Renting in Beaver Dam costs a median of about $1,061 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Wisconsin median is $1,305.

How much do I need to make to live in Beaver Dam?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $42,440 a year, or $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Beaver Dam cheap or expensive?

Beaver Dam is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.7% of the typical household income of $71,907. It ranks 31st cheapest of 156 Wisconsin cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Beaver Dam?

The median homeowner in Beaver Dam pays $3,536 a year in property taxes, about 1.75% of the median home value.

Is Beaver Dam more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Wisconsin are 6% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Beaver Dam?

The median home value in Beaver Dam is $201,900, about 2.8 times the typical yearly household income.

16,565 people live in Beaver Dam. Numbers are typical (middle) values.