Eau Claire, WI vs Waukesha, WI

Eau Claire is moderately more affordable than Waukesha, with a 13.7% lower cost of living index. Eau Claire scores 80 compared to 93 for Waukesha, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Waukesha 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 $1,183/month in Waukesha — a 18% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Eau Claire is more affordable at $228,000 median vs $286,600.

Median household income in Eau Claire is $65,369 compared to $81,651 in Waukesha (-19.9%). While Waukesha 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, more than the 17.4% in Waukesha.