What it's like to live in Hobart
Hobart is a small city in Wisconsin with rent below the national average, county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hobart deals with cold, harsh winters, heavy snowfall, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 61" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Hobart compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hobart
Based on Hobart's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,556
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,120 a year
- 35% of Hobart renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$82,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $41,400
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,278/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,278 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $414,000. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $414,000 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Brown County is 2.9%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Brown County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 90% below US
33 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 211/100k · Hobart-Lawrence Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 26% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 13°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 41% above US
51% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ice Age National Scenic Trail (78 miles away).
Bottom line
Hobart's strongest points are rent below the national average and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and heavy snowfall. A year of median rent ($1,278/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Hobart
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