Fitchburg vs Janesville
Fitchburg, Wisconsin versus Janesville, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fitchburg and Janesville score about the same overall (47 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fitchburg | Janesville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $87k | $69k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $45k |
| Home Value | $378k | $187k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $993 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.88% | 1.86% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.63% | 14.54% |
| Unemployment | 1.4% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 21°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2 in | 37.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5 in | 36.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 97 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.3 | 34.4 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.4 | 55.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1145/100k | 857/100k |
| Property Crime | 1349/100k | 1966/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,826 | 65,669 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 39.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.22 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.18 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+11 |
| White (%) | 64.6% | 86.2% |
| Black (%) | 7.4% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 14.0% | 5.4% |
| Asian (%) | 8.5% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 11.4/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 59 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.4% | 87.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 97.90 | 25.43 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fitchburg or Janesville more affordable?
- Janesville has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Fitchburg's $50k and Janesville's $45k. Median rent is $1k in Fitchburg versus $993 in Janesville.
- Is Fitchburg or Janesville safer?
- Janesville has the lower violent crime rate. Fitchburg reports 1145/100k and Janesville reports 857/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fitchburg or Janesville?
- The median home value is $378k in Fitchburg and $187k in Janesville, so homes are more affordable in Janesville.