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Cost of living in Fond du Lac, WI

Compared with New York. Change city

$2,210a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $26,517 a year, enough to cover 14 months of the mortgage in Fond du Lac. The average commute is 16 minutes shorter each way, about 2.6 hours a week back4.

Typical home $339,900 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $991 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Fond du Lac Lighthouse at Lakeside Park on Lake Winnebago, Fond du LacCmarsch / Wikimedia Commons
All cities
  • Beach or lakeLake Winnebago

Fond du Lac at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Fond du Lac$1,868/mo
$339,900 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Fond du Lac$991/mo
About $1,006 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Fond du Lac

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Fond du Lac$339,900
54% less, a $402,100 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Fond du Lac$192
2.6 times the space for the money

Pays you to move

9
$5,500 cashLive & Work in Fond du Lac$5,500 cash relocation stipend; up to $9,500 total with perksWho qualifies: Live outside Wisconsin, 18+, household income at least $55,000, pass a background check. Remote track: keep a full-time remote job or self-employment. Local track: secure full-time work in Fond du Lac County. Local listing requires one year of residency.Program details, 2026-06-24

Weather

8
  • 9.2°January low
  • 79.8°July high
  • 38 inSnow per year

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs633% cheaper than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$122,122
Fond du Lac in a paragraph

The median listed home in Fond du Lac is $339,900 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 19% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,868 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $991 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 91.6, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $122,122 here.

Your New York, in Fond du Lac

We're matching Fond du Lac's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Fond du Lac ranks for your household

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Is Fond du Lac a good place to live?

Fond du Lac fits families who want prices 8% below the US average and homes list 19% below the US median. The main trade-off is real winters. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 8% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 91.6 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Homes list 19% below the US median$339,900 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Pays you to moveLive & Work in Fond du Lac: $5,500 cash.Program page, 2026-06-24
  • Beach or lake accessLake WinnebagoSlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Real wintersJanuary lows average 9.2°F with 38 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • No nonstop flights to New YorkTrips home mean a connection or a drive to a bigger airport.Airport route page, October 15, 2026

More on Fond du Lac and Wisconsin

Fond du Lac cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Fond du Lac, WI?

The median listed home in Fond du Lac is $339,900 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 19% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,868 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $991 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 91.6, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $122,122 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Fond du Lac?

The median listed home is $339,900 in Fond du Lac against $742,000 in the New York metro, 54% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $2,210 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Fond du Lac?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Fond du Lac metro is $991 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $1,006 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Fond du Lac matches $150,000 in New York?

$122,122. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (91.6 in Fond du Lac, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Fond du Lac pay you to move there?

Yes. Live & Work in Fond du Lac offers $5,500 cash. Who qualifies: Live outside Wisconsin, 18+, household income at least $55,000, pass a background check. Remote track: keep a full-time remote job or self-employment. Local track: secure full-time work in Fond du Lac County. Local listing requires one year of residency.. Confirm current terms with the program.

What is the weather like in Fond du Lac?

January lows average 9.2°F and July highs 79.8°F, with 38 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Fond du Lac WWTP).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  8. 8Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Fond du Lac WWTP.
  9. 9Incentives: terms come from each program's page. Confirm eligibility with the program before you move.
Sources for this page