Rice Lake, WI vs Watertown, WI

Rice Lake is moderately more affordable than Watertown, with a 11.7% lower cost of living index. Rice Lake scores 73 compared to 82 for Watertown, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Watertown can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Rice Lake is $834/month compared to $1,061/month in Watertown — a 21% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Rice Lake is more affordable at $178,100 median vs $211,500.

Median household income in Rice Lake is $55,040 compared to $68,333 in Watertown (-19.5%). While Watertown is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Rice Lake spend roughly 18.2% of their income on rent, less than the 18.6% in Watertown.