Eau Claire, WI vs Racine, WI

Racine is moderately more affordable than Eau Claire, with a 5.4% lower cost of living index. Eau Claire scores 80 compared to 76 for Racine, 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 $983/month in Racine — a 1% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Eau Claire has cheaper rent, Racine actually has lower median home values ($158,100 vs $228,000).

Median household income in Eau Claire is $65,369 compared to $55,705 in Racine (+17.3%). While Eau Claire is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Eau Claire spend roughly 17.8% of their income on rent, less than the 21.2% in Racine.