Cost of Living in Fond du Lac, WI
Cost of Living in Fond du Lac, WI has an overall index of 76, 24% below the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $161,300; typical monthly rent is $905; and median household income is $61,620.
Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.
Rent and home prices are comparatively balanced with local income. This describes the local market, not your household.
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Frequently asked questions about Fond du Lac
Living in Fond du Lac
Is Fond du Lac, WI an affordable place to live?+
Yes — everyday expenses in Fond du Lac run about 24% below the US average (Cost Index: 76). Housing is especially affordable: the median home is valued around $161,300, compared to the $303,400 national median. Monthly rent is $905, versus $1,348 nationally.
How does Fond du Lac fit a household housing budget?+
Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $905, while local median household income is $61,620. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 18% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.
How much are taxes in Fond du Lac, WI?+
Wisconsin uses an approximate state-income-tax planning model; 7.65% is top marginal-rate context from the tax snapshot. Applying the 1.76% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $161,300 gives a planning estimate near $2,839 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 5.44%.
How much does it cost to rent in Fond du Lac, WI?+
The typical monthly rent in Fond du Lac is around $905. That's roughly 33% lower than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $161,300, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.
How much does a house cost in Fond du Lac, WI?+
The typical home value in Fond du Lac is $161,300. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $783/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 58% of residents here own their homes.
Are groceries and utilities expensive in Fond du Lac?+
Grocery prices in Fond du Lac are more affordable compared to the rest of the US (index: 94, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 91). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.
What is Fond du Lac, WI like to live in?+
Fond du Lac is a smaller city with a population of about 44,491. The median age of residents is 37.2, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 12.48%, near the national average of 12.4%.