States › Wisconsin › Portage

Is Portage, WI expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 22 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,27427% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$69,803about $5,817/month · 20% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$204,90038% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 71% 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 $50,960 a year. That is $25 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 73 of 156 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Portage
$1,274
Elkhorn
$1,144
Reedsburg
$1,101
Hartland
$1,888
Sparta
$825
New Richmond
$1,747
Monroe
$901

How much do households earn in Portage?

Under $25k
14.7%
$25k–50k
23.5%
$50k–100k
36.9%
$100k–150k
12.6%
$150k+
7.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 20.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Portage

SizePortageU.S. average
Studio$707$1,338
1 bedroom$825$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,216$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,137$1,698

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

How expensive is Portage 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 Portage, so the Wisconsin figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Portage

🏛️ Property tax$3,331a year · 1.63% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$145a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Portage

Commute to work22.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree19.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home58.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line13.5%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Portage?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $148 a month less.

Renting
$1,274
Owning
$1,422

Owning assumes a typical $204,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $20,490 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Portage, WI?

Renting in Portage costs a median of about $1,274 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Wisconsin median is $1,305.

How much do I need to make to live in Portage?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $50,960 a year, or $25 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Portage cheap or expensive?

Portage is rated OK: rent takes 21.9% of the typical household income of $69,803. It ranks 73rd cheapest of 156 Wisconsin cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Portage?

The median homeowner in Portage pays $3,331 a year in property taxes, about 1.63% of the median home value.

Is Portage 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 Portage?

The median home value in Portage is $204,900, about 2.9 times the typical yearly household income.

10,236 people live in Portage. Numbers are typical (middle) values.