Wisconsin · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Eau Claire County, WI

Prices around Eau Claire County, WI run 7.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $74,546 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,181 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $47,240 a year.

Eau Claire County, WI at a glance

Median household income

$74,546$6,212 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,181HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.8-7.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential WI
Population107,116Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Eau Claire 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$1,181Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$47,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,864At 30% of $74,546
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Eau Claire, WI MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Eau Claire County, WI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$932$11,184$37,28015%
1-Bedroom Apartment$962$11,544$38,48015.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,181$14,172$47,24019%
3-Bedroom Home$1,582$18,984$63,28025.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,588$19,056$63,52025.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Eau Claire County, WI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $74,546 a year ($6,212 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,106/moRent ($1,181 2-BR), utilities (~$176/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,864/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,242/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $74,546 leaves after Wisconsin taxes

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

$74,546
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$74,546
Net 78%
Fed 10%
WI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$58,357After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,863Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,244Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,570 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$2,917 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,703 / yr

Living in Eau Claire County, WI: common questions

What is the median household income in Eau Claire County, WI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Eau Claire County, WI is $74,546 per year (approximately $6,212 per month).

What is the average rent in Eau Claire County, WI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $932 for a studio, $962 for one bedroom, $1,181 for two, $1,582 for three and $1,588 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 Eau Claire County, WI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.8, 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 Eau Claire County, WI?

To keep a $1,181 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $47,240 a year, or $3,937 a month. That is 63% of what the typical household in Eau Claire County, WI earns.

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

On the local median income of $74,546 ($6,212 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,106 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,864 for everything else and $1,242 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,181 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Eau Claire 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.