Cost of Living in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa's cost of living centers on above-Milwaukee-County-average housing and property tax costs, offset by median household income running a real, disclosed ~22% above the Wisconsin statewide figure.
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Learn moreAbove-average housing and tax costs
Wauwatosa's $369,337 average home value and 1.56% effective property tax rate both run genuinely above the Milwaukee County and Wisconsin statewide averages -- a real cost this record discloses honestly.
Above-average household income
Wauwatosa's median household income ran $95,471 in 2023 (~21.8% above Wisconsin's $74,631 statewide figure), with a separately-cited 2026 figure of $101,138.
Wisconsin's 4-bracket state income tax, no local layer
Wisconsin's real, 4-bracket state income tax (3.54%-7.65%) applies statewide, with no local or county piggyback layer and no separate Wauwatosa city income tax.
Key takeaways
- Wauwatosa's housing and property tax costs both run above the Milwaukee County/Wisconsin statewide averages.
- Median household income runs a real, disclosed ~22% above the Wisconsin statewide figure.
- Wisconsin's 4-bracket state income tax applies, with no local income tax layer.
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