What it's like to live in West Bend
West Bend is a small city in Wisconsin with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below 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. West Bend deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 54" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How West Bend compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to West Bend
Based on West Bend's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,152
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,040 a year
- 49% of West Bend renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$52,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $26,310
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,076/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,076 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $263,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $263,100 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 48% below US
171 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 974/100k · West Bend Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 14°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 21% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to 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 (79 miles away).
Bottom line
West Bend's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,076/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near West Bend
All Wisconsin guides →Moving to Cedarburg →
13 mi away · pop. 12,605
Rent $1,116/mo · Income $84,896
Compare with West Bend →Moving to Richfield →
13 mi away · pop. 11,755
Rent $1,388/mo · Income $143,963
Compare with West Bend →Not sure West Bend is the one?
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