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Cost of living, pay and housing

44.99° N · 91.86° W · GEOID 5578980

Tainter Lake

Dunn County, Wisconsin · part of the Menomonie, WI metro

Computed by Citytistics from 13 public sources · Data bundle checked 2026-11-14 · How we calculate

Limited data population under 5,000

WisconsinTainter Lake, WITainter LakeTainter Lake

The short answer

Tainter Lake is home to 2,609 people. Median household income is $105,781 a year and median rent is $1,069 a month, 12.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $299,800, about 2.8x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,069
22% below the median place
Median household income
$105,781
32% above the median place
Median home value
$299,800
6% below the median place
Unemployment
4.4%
10% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Tainter Lake

  • The median rent takes only 12.1% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 95% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • 2% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 95% of places its size.
  • 88% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 87% of places its size.
  • 17% of homes stand vacant, more than in 81% of places its size.
01

Moving to Tainter Lake

Dunn County gains about 1.0 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in2,000
Moved out1,965
Net+35

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Eau Claire County, WI395354+41
Chippewa County, WI192211−19
St. Croix County, WI176142+34
Pierce County, WI8682+4
Barron County, WI8671+15
Pepin County, WI4749−2
Ramsey County, MN3146−15
Hennepin County, MN52

Within Wisconsin, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within WisconsinOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$56K
Leavers$54K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Dunn County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
9.2% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.4% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Dunn County report $55,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $54,200.
Income you would need
$42,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,069 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,774 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $299,800.
Getting to work
26 minutes each way on average; 12.4% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Fort Wright, KY matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
9.2%
60% above the median place
Income of households moving out5
$54,228
23% below the median place
Income of households moving in5
$55,776
21% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureTainter LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure9.2%60% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.4%19% above
Net movers per 1,000 people5County figure1.0above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in5County figure$55,77621% below
Income of households moving out5County figure$54,22823% below
02

What it costs to live here

Rent to income is 12.1%, 41% below the median place.

Tainter Lake12.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$42,760
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
12.1%
41% below the median place
Home price to income
2.8x
26% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
12%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$93,200
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Tainter Lake, $1,069 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Tainter Lake.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Tainter Lake? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
17.3%
144% above the median place
Homeownership1
88.2%
33% above the median place
Property tax rate1
1.4%
54% above the median place
All 14 cost and housing measures
MeasureTainter LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,06922% below
Rent to income112.1%41% below
Property tax rate11.4%54% above
Home price to income12.8x26% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,04235% below
Property tax paid (median)1$4,20629% above
Median home value1$299,8006% below
Home prices, 1-year change3County figure4.9%54% above
Home prices, 5-year change3County figure62.4%21% above
Homeownership188.2%33% above
Renters paying 30%+149.4%2% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,7745% below
Vacant homes117.3%144% above
Median year built119860% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$105,781
32% above the median place
Income per person1
$48,237
20% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Poverty rate8.4% −22%
Mean commute26 min +6%
Works from home12.4% −0%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureTainter LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$105,78132% above
Income per person1$48,23720% above
Unemployment1County figure4.4%10% below
Average annual pay4County figure$55,09616% below
Pay growth, 1 year4County figure4.1%11% above
Jobs4County figure18,15588% below
Poverty rate18.4%22% below
Mean commute126 min6% above
Works from home112.4%0% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 2.0%, 77% below the median place.

Born abroad1
2.0%
77% below the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
42.0%
31% above the median place
Household size1
2.7
7% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband91.2% −1%
High school or higher93.4% +1%
Median age38.6 −1%
All 8 people measures
MeasureTainter LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population12,6096646th largest
Median age138.61% below
Bachelor's or higher142.0%31% above
High school or higher193.4%1% above
Household size12.77% above
Born abroad12.0%77% below
No health insurance1County figure4.9%23% below
Homes with broadband191.2%1% below
05

Life in Tainter Lake

8 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents38.3 3.8×
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k19.2 +72%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars18.2 −13%
Shops24.8 −18%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.3 +29%
Doctors' offices and clinics10.3 −49%
Child care centers1.5 −35%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k6
10.3
49% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k6
1.5
35% below the median place
Shops per 10k6
24.8
18% below the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureTainter LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools9County figure1789% above
Public school students9County figure5,84819% above
Students per teacher9County figure14.28% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k6County figure18.213% below
Shops per 10k6County figure24.818% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k6County figure5.329% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k6County figure10.349% below
Child care centers per 10k6County figure1.535% below
Parks per 10k738.3277% above
Playgrounds per 10k70.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k70.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k719.272% above
Libraries per 10k70.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails70.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi70.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings8County figure838% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Hurricane risk is 0.0, below the median place (median 70.7).

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Tainter Lake. Larger places are fetched first.

Hurricane risk11
0.0
below the median place (median 70.7)
January average low10
5°F
80% below the median place
Average temperature10
44°F
20% below the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureTainter LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high10County figure82°F6% below
January average low10County figure5°F80% below
Average temperature10County figure44°F20% below
Annual precipitation10County figure34.0 in22% below
Natural hazard risk11County figure48.847% below
Hurricane risk11County figure0.0below (median 70.7)
Tornado risk11County figure68.316% below
Wildfire risk11County figure11.981% below
Heat wave risk11County figure54.839% below
08

Tainter Lake in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 12% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 12% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,069/mo (2024)$1,330/mo$1,090 to $1,620/mo+3.7%
Median household income$105,781 (2024)$134,000$113,000 to $158,500+4.0%
Median home value$299,800 (2024)$434,000$315,000 to $598,000+6.4%

The median home would be worth 3.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Tainter Lake

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Fort Wright, KY$1,142$105,024Compare
Morrisville, PA$1,044$99,526Compare
Antioch, IL$1,129$108,899Compare
Brandon, SD$976$110,806Compare
Brandon, SDAntioch, ILMorrisville, PAFort Wright, KYTainter Lake, WITainter LakeFort WrightMorrisvilleBrandonTainter LakeFort WrightAntiochBrandon

Common questions

Is Tainter Lake a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median rent takes only 12.1% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 95% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. 2% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 95% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 98 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Tainter Lake expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 12.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $299,800.

What salary do you need to live in Tainter Lake?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $42,760 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Tainter Lake?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Fort Wright, KY, Morrisville, PA, Antioch, IL and Brandon, SD.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  4. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  5. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  6. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  7. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  8. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  9. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  10. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  11. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Tainter Lake with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Tainter Lake itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/tainter-lake-wisconsin

Citytistics. “Tainter Lake, Wisconsin.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/tainter-lake-wisconsin/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.