Wisconsin · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Rock County, WI

Prices around Rock County, WI run 6.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $75,673 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,246 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $49,840 a year.

Rock County, WI at a glance

Median household income

$75,673$6,306 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,246HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.7-6.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential WI
Population164,350Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Rock 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$1,246Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$49,840To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,892At 30% of $75,673
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Rock County, WI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$900$10,800$36,00014.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$955$11,460$38,20015.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,246$14,952$49,84019.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,596$19,152$63,84025.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,650$19,800$66,00026.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Rock County, WI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $75,673 a year ($6,306 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,153/moRent ($1,246 2-BR), utilities (~$176/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,892/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,261/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $75,673 leaves after Wisconsin taxes

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

$75,673
$30,000$155,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$75,673
Net 78%
Fed 10%
WI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$59,082After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,924Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,272Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,818 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$2,983 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,789 / yr

Living in Rock County, WI: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Rock County, WI is $75,673 per year (approximately $6,306 per month).

What is the average rent in Rock County, WI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $900 for a studio, $955 for one bedroom, $1,246 for two, $1,596 for three and $1,650 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 Rock County, WI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.7, 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 Rock County, WI?

To keep a $1,246 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $49,840 a year, or $4,153 a month. That is 66% of what the typical household in Rock County, WI earns.

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

On the local median income of $75,673 ($6,306 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,153 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,892 for everything else and $1,261 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,246 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Rock 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.