Residential comparison · 13 facts
Racine, WI vs Waukesha, WI
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Racine needs about $89,500 in Waukesha to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Waukesha, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $80,500 in Racine.
A few differences
- Waukesha is higher on median household income ($83,837 vs $57,740).
- Racine is lower on cost of living index (80 vs 91).
- Racine is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,019/mo vs $1,270/mo).
Racine vs Waukesha · facet by facet
| Facet | Racine, WI | Waukesha, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $166,500 | $315,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,019/mo | $1,270/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.61% | 1.61% |
| State & local income tax | 3.17% | 3.17% |
| Sales tax | 5.7% | 5.7% |
| Cost of living index | 80 | 91 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 96 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $57,740 | $83,837 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.7/10 | 6.7/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Racine, WI · Waukesha, WI
Questions & answers
- Is Racine cheaper than Waukesha?
- Racine has the lower day-to-day cost index (80 vs 91 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Waukesha equals $85,000 in Racine?
- A household earning $85,000 in Racine needs about $89,500 in Waukesha to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Waukesha lifestyle costs about $80,500 in Racine.