Wisconsin · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Columbia County, WI

Prices around Columbia County, WI run 2.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $85,351 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,195 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $47,800 a year.

Columbia County, WI at a glance

Median household income

$85,351$7,113 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,195HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.3-2.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential WI
Population58,272Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Columbia County, WI?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,195Monthly market rent
Share of gross income16.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$47,800To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,134At 30% of $85,351
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Columbia County, WI? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Columbia County, WI HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Columbia County, WI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$824$9,888$32,96011.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$911$10,932$36,44012.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,195$14,340$47,80016.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,645$19,740$65,80023.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,798$21,576$71,92025.3%

Rent in Columbia County, WI, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Columbia County, WI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $85,351 a year ($7,113 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,556/moRent ($1,195 2-BR), utilities (~$176/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,134/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,423/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $85,351 leaves after Wisconsin taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Wisconsin tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$85,351
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$85,351
Net 77%
Fed 12%
WI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$65,316After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,443Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,512Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,947 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$3,558 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,529 / yr

Living in Columbia County, WI: common questions

What is the median household income in Columbia County, WI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Columbia County, WI is $85,351 per year (approximately $7,113 per month).

What is the average rent in Columbia County, WI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $824 for a studio, $911 for one bedroom, $1,195 for two, $1,645 for three and $1,798 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Columbia County, WI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 97.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Columbia County, WI?

To keep a $1,195 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $47,800 a year, or $3,983 a month. That is 56% of what the typical household in Columbia County, WI earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Columbia County, WI?

On the local median income of $85,351 ($7,113 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,556 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,134 for everything else and $1,423 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,195 takes 34% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Columbia County, WI?

Homes in Wisconsin paid 19.6¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $176. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.