| Index | Middleton | Wisconsin | National |
| Cost of living | 120 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Health care | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Housing | 170 | 89 | 100 |
| Transportation | 96 | 98 | 100 |
| Utilities | 105 | 101 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 100 | 98 | 100 |
| Household Items | 96 | 99 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 103 | 98 | 100 |

Knowing the cost of living in Middleton allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Middleton stands at 120, marking it 20% higher than the national average.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Middleton may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Middleton falls within this bracket.
When it comes to the cost of living in Middleton, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 70% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
Is Middleton an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Middleton, the median home price is 93.9% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 14.1% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Middleton come in at $109,193, which is 34.3% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
Transportation: When public transportation options are limited or non-existent, residents frequently resort to vehicle ownership, which can significantly contribute to the overall cost of living. Monthly financial obligations encompass fuel, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or financing expenses. In Middleton, the transportation index is 3.7% lower than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Middleton, the groceries index is 0.7% lower than the national average.
The Middleton cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
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| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $171,834 | $14,320 | $4,009 | $5,156 |
| Renters | $75,508 | $6,292 | $1,762 | $2,265 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Wisconsin | 5% | 6.75% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Wisconsin | 3.54% | 7.65% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Black Earth, WI | 1,426 | 99 | 1.4% |
| Mazomanie, WI | 1,754 | 100 | 0.4% |
| Sauk City, WI | 3,557 | 102 | 1.5% |
| Stoughton, WI | 13,411 | 103 | 2.9% |
| Lodi, WI | 3,180 | 105 | 5.0% |
| Middleton, WI | 20,512 | 120 | 20.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Glassboro, NJ | 20,509 | 115 | 15.1% |
| Rosedale, MD | 20,525 | 112 | 11.7% |
| Parma Heights, OH | 20,527 | 89 | 11.2% |
| South Frontenac, ON | 20,491 | n/a | |
| East Northport, NY | 20,490 | 149 | 49.2% |
| Middleton, WI | 20,512 | 120 | 20.5% |