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West Salem, WI Area Profile

West Salem, Wisconsin Area, WI

Cost of Living

A quick read on everyday affordability around West Salem, with the main cost drivers separated for scanning.

Composite Index

95.8

Grocery Index

9.1

Housing Index

8.6

Transportation Index

7.2

Cost of living summary
MetricValue
Composite cost index95.8
Grocery index9.1
Housing index8.6
Transportation index7.2

What to Watch

  • Treat West Salem as a small-town market where monthly costs can behave differently from statewide averages.
  • Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
  • Use Onalaska, WI as a same-state comparison point before treating one WI value as typical.
View Wisconsin cost of living report

Utilities

Monthly utility patterns and baseline household costs for power, water, gas, and fuel.

Electric Rate Consumption

Monthly electric index
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
222834456274485667826157

Water Consumption

Monthly water index
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
664844363026343733554958

Gas Rate (CCF)

Monthly gas index
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
283643526147556349455257
Everyday utility costs
MetricValue
Electricity rate$0.188/kWh
Gasoline price$3.28/gal
Water bill avg$48/mo
Gas rate$1.18/CCF
View Wisconsin utilities report

Demographics

Population, age mix, education, and income context for understanding the local community.

Population Age Pyramid

Age mix index
Age bandMaleFemale
0-96864
10-197571
20-348378
35-499290
50-6410097
65-748488
75+7279

Income Distribution

Income bracket index
BracketIndex
Under $35k72
$35k-$49k88
$50k-$74k100
$75k-$99k79
$100k+52

Annual Income Distribution

Median household$63,200
Per capita$33,900
Poverty rate9.8%
Community snapshot
MeasureEstimate
Population5,268
Median age40.5
Bachelor+44.1%

Schools

School performance and classroom context in a compact local snapshot.

Test Score Trends

Test score trend
201920202021202220232024
424851575964

Grocery Index

9.1

Housing Index

8.6

Transportation Index

7.2

Utility Index

7.9

School snapshot
IndicatorValue
Math proficiency53%
Reading proficiency58%
Student-teacher ratio14:1

Helpful Context

  • School comparisons around West Salem are most useful when paired with district boundaries and commute patterns.
  • A single score rarely explains the full school picture for West Salem; program fit and attendance zones matter too.
  • Nearby city pages can help separate West Salem-specific signals from broader Wisconsin patterns.

Local Economy

A simple labor-market snapshot showing local job mix, wages, and workforce size.

Industry Job Types

Industry job mix
IndustryShareIndex
Manufacturing31%74
Agriculture26%64
Healthcare19%52
Retail14%39
Other Services10%31
Local economy snapshot
MetricValue
Unemployment3.5%
Median wage$90,991
Labor force264

Climate

Winter avg: 15 degrees F - Summer avg: 82 degrees F - Snowfall: 43 in

Local Takeaways

  • The labor market is comparatively tight, which can support local wage stability for West Salem and the surrounding Wisconsin labor market.
  • The median household income value is $90,991 when ACS data is available for this place.
  • Use the economy card with housing and taxes to judge whether West Salem works for a specific household budget.

Real Estate

Home values, property taxes, and rental context in one housing-focused snapshot.

Median Home Value Trend

Median home value trend
201920202021202220232024
$154k$161k$172k$181k$186k$189k

Property Tax Breakdown

  • County levy: 42%
  • School district: 34%
  • City/other: 24%
Housing and tax snapshot
IndicatorValue
Median home value$269,300
Median property tax paid$3,641
Estimated state sales tax rate7.39%
Rent (2-bed)$1,142/mo
View Wisconsin property tax report

Climate

A compact view of weather patterns and natural-risk context for the area.

Avg High (Jul)82°F
Avg Low (Jan)8°F
Humidity72%

Climate Snapshot

Reference
Now--
Condition--
Wind--
Today--

Climate context is provided for planning and comparison.

Climate snapshot
MeasureValue
Sunny days196
Annual snowfall43 in
NOAA hazard risk scoreModerate

Planning Notes

  • Seasonal weather can change the practical cost picture in West Salem, especially for heating, cooling, and maintenance.
  • Utility planning matters because electricity is in a moderate range, with usage habits driving the final bill.
  • Compare climate and insurance sections together before using West Salem as a relocation shortlist.

Insurance

Location-based risk and cost pressure signals that can affect insurance pricing.

Risk IndexModerate
Weather RiskMedium
Cost PressureLow
Insurance summary
IndicatorEstimate
Insurance cost index95
NOAA hazard risk scoreModerate
Primary local riskWinter weather

What Affects Rates

  • Median property tax paid is $3,641, so taxes should be checked with insurance and mortgage assumptions.
  • Local claims history, coverage limits, deductibles, and property condition can outweigh broad WI averages.
  • Compare with Onalaska, WI for a broader read on Wisconsin insurance pressure.
View Wisconsin insurance report

West Salem Facts

Fast factual reference points for West Salem, combining available ACS, EIA, and BLS signals.

West Salem, WI facts
FactValueSource context
Population5,268ACS place estimate
Median household income$90,991ACS household estimate
Median home value$269,300ACS housing estimate
Median age40.5ACS demographic estimate
Bachelor+ share44.1%ACS education estimate
Residential electric rate$0.188/kWhEIA state residential rate

Helpful Context

  • In West Salem, home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
  • City-specific ACS values are used when the place matches; state-level API values fill statewide measures.
  • Use these facts as a fast WI screen before checking address-level records or provider quotes.

West Salem Local Data Brief

This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the West Salem page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.

West Salem, WI local metrics and source context
MetricValueHow to read it
Population5,268West Salem is treated as a small-town place for comparison.
Median household income$90,991Income is solid, so housing and taxes usually decide the budget picture.
Median home value$269,300Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Two-bedroom rent$1,142/moRent gives a renter-side affordability baseline beside owner costs.
Median property tax paid$3,641Property tax should be read with mortgage, insurance, and home value.
Residential electric rate$0.188/kWhThis is a state-level EIA benchmark, not a city utility quote.
Unemployment3.5%This is a state-level BLS labor-market benchmark.
Median age40.5Age mix can affect housing demand, commute needs, and school planning.
Bachelor+ share44.1%Education mix can help frame labor-market and school-context questions.

Affordability Summary

Population is 5,268, so West Salem should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Wisconsin averages. Median household income is $90,991, so the best affordability read for West Salem is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.

Median home value is $269,300, so ownership costs in West Salem should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,142/mo, so renters can compare West Salem against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.

Housing and Income Context

For West Salem, income is solid, so housing and taxes usually decide the budget picture. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.

Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether West Salem looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Onalaska, WI.

Utility Cost Context

The residential electricity benchmark is $0.188/kWh, so West Salem households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for West Salem is a Wisconsin state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.

For West Salem, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.

Property Tax Context

Median property tax paid is $3,641, so West Salem buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a West Salem address.

Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.

Insurance and Risk Context

Insurance costs in West Salem depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.

Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for West Salem, especially when comparing with Onalaska, WI.

Population and Demographics

Median age is 40.5, so West Salem may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 44.1%, so West Salem education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.

Unemployment is 3.5%, so West Salem wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.

Nearby Wisconsin comparison pages
PlacePopulationHome valueElectric benchmark
Bangor, WI1,409$212k$0.188/kWh
Onalaska, WI18,909$279k$0.188/kWh
La Crosse, WI51,791$197k$0.188/kWh
French Island, WI4,235$198k$0.188/kWh

Source Notes

  • City-specific Census ACS values are used when a matching place row exists in the cached city metrics file.
  • Electricity and unemployment fields are state-level EIA and BLS benchmarks, so they are labeled as planning context rather than city quotes.
  • The page should be used as a comparison screen before checking provider rates, parcel records, insurance quotes, school boundaries, and address-level details for West Salem.

West Salem Cost Drill-Down

This dashboard keeps the fast local overview on one page, while the linked category reports go deeper into one decision at a time. For West Salem, the strongest local signals in the current cache are population 5,268, median household income $90,991, median home value $269,300, rent $1,142/mo, property tax paid $3,641, and the Wisconsin residential electric benchmark $0.188/kWh.

West Salem category drill-down links and metric context
CategoryPrimary valueSecond valueWhy it matters here
Cost of living $90,991 $269,300 West Salem affordability is mostly a housing-versus-income read: income is solid, so housing and taxes usually decide the budget picture and home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Utility costs $0.188/kWh $1,142/mo West Salem utility planning should pair the Wisconsin electric benchmark with home size, cooling load, appliance use, and occupancy.
Property taxes $3,641 $269k West Salem tax planning should compare the tax-paid field with home value, exemptions, assessment rules, and parcel-level records.
Insurance costs 40.5 44.1% West Salem insurance context should be read with housing age, replacement cost, roof condition, claim history, and nearby risk patterns.

Budget Fit

West Salem should be read as a small-town place where income, home value, rent, taxes, utilities, and insurance need to be checked together. Income is solid, so housing and taxes usually decide the budget picture, and home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.

Monthly Bills

The electricity value on this page is a Wisconsin state-level EIA benchmark, not a city utility tariff. For West Salem, that benchmark becomes useful when paired with home square footage, cooling load, HVAC age, insulation, and household usage.

Ownership Costs

Median property tax paid is $3,641 and median home value is $269,300. That makes the ownership read stronger than a single price estimate because taxes, insurance, maintenance, and financing terms can move the real monthly cost.

Comparison Angle

Use Onalaska, WI as a local comparison before using a broad WI average. The nearby table below keeps the comparison tied to home value, taxes, and electric benchmarks instead of alphabetical city links.

Labor and Demographics

Unemployment is 3.5%, median age is 40.5, and bachelor-plus share is 44.1%. These fields help frame school demand, commute patterns, wage fit, and service-provider availability around West Salem.

Source Discipline

City-specific ACS values are used where the place matches the cache. State-level EIA and BLS fields are labeled as benchmarks, so this page does not pretend those values are address-level or city-utility quotes.

Nearby comparison context for West Salem
PlaceDistanceHome valueProperty taxElectric benchmark
Bangor, WI 5 mi $212k $2,917 $0.188/kWh
Onalaska, WI 6 mi $279k $4,395 $0.188/kWh
La Crosse, WI 9 mi $197k $3,972 $0.188/kWh
French Island, WI 9 mi $198k $3,111 $0.188/kWh
Holmen, WI 10 mi $263k $3,987 $0.188/kWh

Data Freshness

This West Salem, Wisconsin dashboard was generated on 2026-06-18. The city metrics cache was refreshed on 2026-06-16; the nearby-city coordinate cache was refreshed on 2026-06-17.

  • City metrics: Census ACS place fields are city-specific where a matching place record exists.
  • State benchmarks: EIA electricity and BLS unemployment values are state-level context, not city provider tariffs or city labor surveys.
  • Nearby comparisons: Distance uses cached Census Gazetteer place coordinates when available.

Regional Data Explorer

Zoom out from West Salem to nearby cities, Wisconsin Area, and Wisconsin benchmarks.

Open Explorer
Nearby Cities Wisconsin Hub Wisconsin Cost Benchmarks

Benchmark Preview

West Salem 95.8
Home value
$189k
Property tax
$2,190
Electric rate
$0.154/kWh
County Avg 97.4
Home value
$178k
Property tax
$2,240
Electric rate
$0.158/kWh
WI Avg 101.2
Home value
$286k
Property tax
$3,180
Electric rate
$0.162/kWh

Local Service Cost Guides

Use these contractor-cost guides with the West Salem dashboard to compare local housing, utility, tax, climate, and repair-cost context.

Plumber Rates for West Salem $85-$165/hr planning range. Leak, drain, fixture, water heater, and emergency plumbing cost planning. Opens the deepest available state guide for West Salem, Wisconsin. Open state guide HVAC Installation for West Salem $5,500-$14,500 planning range. AC, furnace, heat pump, ductwork, and seasonal system replacement planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for West Salem, Wisconsin. Open national guide Roof Replacement for West Salem $8,000-$24,000 planning range. Roof replacement, leak repair, flashing, ventilation, and storm-exposure planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for West Salem, Wisconsin. Open national guide Electrician Rates for West Salem $90-$175/hr planning range. Panel, outlet, EV charger, lighting, wiring, and inspection cost planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for West Salem, Wisconsin. Open national guide

Data note: City-profile values are local estimates for comparison and planning context.