Business. Life. Balance.
City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division

Cost of Living

With rising costs of inflation affecting the entire nation, it is important to find a place that is affordable to live and raise a family. In order to determine how Eau Claire's living costs compare to other cities, we routinely participate in the nationwide Accra Cost of Living Index, a government-recognized survey that accurately and reliably compares individual city data. Every quarter we collect prices from local retailers and service providers in order to give current and prospective residents important information about Cost of Living in Eau Claire.

 

Eau Claire

In the 1st quarter of 2010, the ACCRA Cost of Living Index Eau Claire received an index of 95.8. This is compared to national average of 100. Here is a comparison to other Wisconsin cities.
City Q1 2010
Janesville 95.4
Appleton 94.5
Sheboygan 99.1
Wausau 95.7
Green Bay 95.4
Wisconsin Rapids 93.8
Eau Claire 95.8
WI average 95.64

 

Long-term Trend in Eau Claire

Throughout our time of participation in the survey, Eau Claire's cost of living has consistently ranked below the national average. According to the final 2007 data readings, Eau Claire received an overall ranking of 94.8, which was well under the national average of 100. The most recent data from second quarter of 2009, indicate that Eau Claire is maintaining its below average status at 92.7. Low cost of living is advantageous for the city as well as its residents and encourages cultural diversity.

  Q1-08 Q2-08 Q3-08 Q4-08 Q1-09 Q2-09 Q3-09 Q4-09 Q1-10
Composite Index 97.3 94.4 91.3 94.4 93.2 92.7     95.8

 

Calculator

Use this handy tool to find out how Eau Claire compares to your current place of residence. It is provided by the C2ER ACCRA Cost of Living Index.