Burlington, WI vs Rochester, WI

Burlington is moderately more affordable than Rochester, with a 5.1% lower cost of living index. Burlington scores 85 compared to 89 for Rochester, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Rochester can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Burlington is $967/month compared to $920/month in Rochester — a 5% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Rochester has cheaper rent, Burlington actually has lower median home values ($268,300 vs $340,900).

Median household income in Burlington is $81,658 compared to $104,429 in Rochester (-21.8%). While Rochester is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Burlington spend roughly 14.2% of their income on rent, more than the 10.6% in Rochester.