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Property Tax Calculator for Appleton, WI
Local data pre-filled
Property taxes in Appleton run approximately 2.00% of assessed value. On the median home of $343,140, that's roughly $6,863/year ($572/mo). This is above the national average rate of 1.10%.
✓ Calculator below is pre-filled with Appleton local data
Data as of · Sources: Zillow, Census ACS, Tax Foundation, Freddie Mac
Wisconsin Financial Snapshot (2026) — Property Tax Calculator
Home value, monthly carrying cost, property tax, and insurance are the four levers for the property tax calculator in Wisconsin.
How the Property Tax Calculator Math Works Under Wisconsin Law
Every real-estate number on this page runs through the same core identity: the monthly principal-and-interest payment on a fully amortizing fixed-rate loan is M = P · r / (1 − (1+r)^(−n)), where P is the loan principal, r is the monthly rate (annual rate / 12), and n is the term in months. For a typical Wisconsin buyer in 2026, P starts from an $295,000 median home value (Zillow ZHVI)[1], minus a standard 20% down payment.
On top of P&I the calculator adds the two Wisconsin-specific carrying costs: property tax at the state effective rate of 1.85%[2] and homeowners insurance at roughly $1,100/year (NAIC state average)[3]. The Freddie Mac PMMS national average 30-year fixed rate (6.30% (Freddie Mac PMMS · week of ))[4] drives the payment curve — Wisconsin rate quotes can move a few basis points around that number depending on lender, loan size, and credit band.
Calc-specific note: Effective rate × assessed value = annual bill. Intra-state county variance can swing ±30% around Wisconsin's headline rate.
Worked example — Wisconsin
On Wisconsin's $295,000 median home, the 1.85% effective rate produces a $5,458 annual bill — roughly $455/month added to PITI. County variance within Wisconsin can push this ±30% depending on mill levies and homestead exemptions.
Local context: Appleton, WI
Housing economics in Appleton, WI. The median home value runs 4.2% below the U.S. baseline for Appleton, WI is $343,140 per Zillow's home-value index. Median rent runs $1,238 a month per Zillow ZORI, cheaper than the national $1,850 baseline. Effective property tax sits at 2.00% of assessed value, meaningfully higher than the 0.99% national average tracked by the Tax Foundation.
Income and tax climate. Wisconsin's top marginal state income tax bracket lands at 7.65% — compared to the volume-weighted national average around 4-5%. BEA's Regional Price Parity scores Appleton, WI at 88.0 (national = 100), meaning a dollar in Appleton, WI buys 114¢ — more goods and services than the same dollar nationally.
Local context as of 2026-04-19.
Appleton versus the U.S. baseline
| Metric | Appleton, WI | U.S. baseline | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value[zillow] | $343,140 | $358,000 | -4.2% |
| Median monthly rent[zillow] | $1,238 | $1,850 | -33.1% |
| Property tax (effective)[tax-foundation] | 2.00% | 0.99% | 102.0% |
| State top marginal income tax[tax-foundation] | 7.65% | ~4.08% (volume-weighted) | 3.6 pp |
| State cost-of-living index[bea-rpp] | 88.0 | 100.0 | -12.0 pts |
How to use the Property Tax Calculator
Walk through using the Property Tax Calculator with Appleton, WI-specific defaults pre-loaded from primary sources.
- Enter your Appleton numbersFill in the property tax inputs. Defaults reflect Appleton, WI 2026: median home $343,140, median rent $1,238/mo, 2.00% effective property tax.
- Apply the local 2026 inputsThe median home value in Appleton is $343,140 (Zillow ZHVI), with median monthly rent running $1,238/mo.
- Compare against Appleton contextMonthly PITI on the $343,140 median home in Appleton is ~$2,575/mo — vs a $1,238/mo median rent.
How Wisconsin Compares to Neighboring States
| State | Median home | Top inc tax | Prop tax rate | RPP (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin (this page) | $295,000 | 7.65% | 1.85% | 93.2 |
| check Illinois | $275,000 | 4.95% | 2.23% | 98.8 |
| Iowa | $215,000 | 3.80% | 1.50% | 88.8 |
| Michigan | $245,000 | 4.25% | 1.58% | 94.3 |
| Minnesota side-by-side | $335,000 | 9.85% | 1.12% | 98.3 |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].
What Changes Your Result in Wisconsin
- Down payment size:Wisconsin's typical down payment is 10.0%according to NAR survey data. Every 5% shift changes the monthly P&I by roughly 5–6% of the headline payment.
- First-time buyer programs:Wisconsin runs state-level first-time buyer programs (DPA, MCC) that can cut effective down payment costs by $5,000–$15,000 for qualifying buyers. See programs block below.
- County-level property tax variance:The state effective rate shown in the snapshot is a statewide weighted average. Within Wisconsin, county rates can swing ±30% around the median, especially in border counties with differing school-district mill levies.
Related Calculations for Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Mortgage Payment Calculator — property tax is a line in the PITI payment.
- home appreciation costs in Wisconsin — appreciating basis raises future tax bills.
How Appleton Compares to the National Average
Understanding how Appleton stacks up helps you calibrate your financial planning.
| Metric | Appleton, WI | US Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $343,140 | $420,800 | -18.5% |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,238 | $1,713 | -27.7% |
| Median Household Income | $83,919 | $74,580 | +12.5% |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.00% | 1.10% | +81.8% |
| Cost of Living Index | 88 | 100 | -12.0% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, NAR (2024–2025). Green = favorable for residents; red = less favorable.
Appleton Financial Snapshot
- Population (Metro)
- 240,000
- Unemployment
- 3.0%
- Avg Commute
- 19 min
- Median Age
- 35.8
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 23.1x
- Annual Property Tax
- $6,863
More Financial Calculators for Appleton, WI
Frequently Asked Questions — Appleton
- Can median-income households afford the median home in Appleton?
- With a ~$2,575 monthly PITI and $83,919 median income, housing would consume ~36.8% of gross annual income. Qualifying under the 28% DTI rule requires ~$110,357 in annual income. Educational reference only.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Appleton?
- Appleton's price-to-rent ratio (23.1x) tilts toward renting — above 20x, buying is generally expensive relative to renting.
- What is the annual property tax bill on the median home in Appleton?
- Approximately $6,863/yr at the 2.00% effective rate on the $343,140 median home. The national average effective rate is 1.07%.
- What share of median income goes to rent in Appleton?
- The $1,238/mo median rent represents 17.7% of the $83,919 median household income. The recommended housing cost threshold is 30%; Appleton falls within that guideline. Educational reference only.
- How much does commuting cost in Appleton?
- Average commute time in Appleton is 19 minutes per ACS. Estimated annual commute cost runs about $3,310. Educational reference only.
- How does the cost of living in Appleton compare to the national average?
- Appleton's BEA RPP index is 88, 12% below the national baseline of 100. For a household earning the national median income of $77,540, this translates to ~$9,305/yr in purchasing power difference. Educational reference only.
- What is the median home price in Appleton, WI?
- The median home price in Appleton is $343,140 as of 2025–2026.
- What is the average rent in Appleton?
- The median monthly rent in Appleton, WI is $1,238.
- Does the property tax replace professional advice?
- No. This calculator gives educational estimates using public Appleton data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for decisions with material consequences.
How we compute this — methodology
The Appleton page uses local median home price ($343,140), median rent ($1,238/mo), and property tax rate (2.00%) alongside the calculator's client-side formula. Calculations run in your browser — no inputs are sent to a server.
Known limits: ZIP-level variance within Appleton can be substantial — the figures shown are city-wide medians. For a precise property tax quote, consult your county assessor.
Sources
- Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index), city-level. zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for median household income and population. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.
- CalcFi state financial context — tips + first-time homebuyer programs compiled from each state's Housing Finance Authority (HFA) public pages. See
src/data/state-financial-context.ts. - Tax Foundation — state property tax effective rates and state/local sales tax rates. taxfoundation.org.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rate averages used by mortgage-related calculators. freddiemac.com/pmms.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] with the URL and the correct figure.
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National reference: Property Tax Calculator