The 2023 first quarter Cost of Living Index (COLI) for Fond du Lac County remains below the national average. The after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living is 90.2 or 9.8% below the national average of 100.0. Our county continues to be a very affordable place to live, work, and raise a family.

Each quarter, Envision Greater Fond du Lac collects data for COLI which is produced by Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The Cost of Living Index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services for professional and managerial households in the top income bracket. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering 61 different items in 271 urban areas. The composite index of 90.2 for the Fond du Lac area is based on six different categories: grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services.

Six locations in Wisconsin collected cost of living data in the first quarter of 2023 including Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee-Waukesha, and Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield. The Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield area is the least expensive at 86.7 (13.3% below average) with Madison the most expensive in the state at 103.8 or 3.8% above average.

Why is cost of living information important? A lower cost of living attracts people and businesses. If it costs less to live in Fond du Lac County, in addition to other quality of life benefits, attracting workforce talent and new businesses can be easier. For instance, housing costs in Fond du Lac County have an index of 64.5, or 35.5% less than the national average.

If you are interested in learning more or want to help gather prices, please contact our Director of Business Intelligence at [email protected]