What it's like to live in Oconomowoc
Oconomowoc is a small city in Wisconsin with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Oconomowoc deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 40" per year
How Oconomowoc compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Oconomowoc
Based on Oconomowoc's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,602
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,040 a year
- 55% of Oconomowoc renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$78,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,450
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,301/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,301 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $394,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $394,500 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Waukesha 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.
Waukesha County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 79% below US
68 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 459/100k · Oconomowoc Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 14°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 5.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 34% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ice Age National Scenic Trail (81 miles away).
Bottom line
Oconomowoc's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,301/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 dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Oconomowoc
All Wisconsin guides →Moving to Pewaukee →
13 mi away · pop. 16,211
Rent $1,622/mo · Income $108,350
Compare with Oconomowoc →Moving to Watertown →
13 mi away · pop. 22,774
Rent $1,052/mo · Income $70,107
Compare with Oconomowoc →Moving to Waukesha →
14 mi away · pop. 71,233
Rent $1,219/mo · Income $83,837
Compare with Oconomowoc →Not sure Oconomowoc is the one?
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