Eau Claire, WI vs Fond du Lac, WI

Fond du Lac is moderately more affordable than Eau Claire, with a 9.5% lower cost of living index. Eau Claire scores 80 compared to 73 for Fond du Lac, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Eau Claire can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Eau Claire is $971/month compared to $905/month in Fond du Lac — a 7% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Fond du Lac is more affordable at $161,300 median vs $228,000.

Median household income in Eau Claire is $65,369 compared to $61,620 in Fond du Lac (+6.1%). The higher salaries in Eau Claire partially offset the cost difference, but don't fully close the gap. Looking at affordability, residents of Eau Claire spend roughly 17.8% of their income on rent, more than the 17.6% in Fond du Lac.