Last updated 2026-07-10 ยท MovePlan Editorial Team
Affordable lake and river cities, four real seasons, and short Midwest commutes.
1. Green Bay: Best value overall
2. Appleton: Best for families
3. Eau Claire: Best college-town value
4. Oshkosh: Best lake-city value
5. Wausau: Best central value
6. La Crosse: Best riverfront value
7. Janesville: Cheapest near the metros
8. Sheboygan: Best for the lakeshore
Wisconsin keeps housing affordable across most of the state, especially away from Madison and the Milwaukee suburbs. Lake towns, river cities, and college towns all offer low rents. Here are the 8 cheapest places to live in Wisconsin, ranked.