City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Janesville, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Janesville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

65,813
Residents
$71,664
Median income
$209,700
Median home
$1,246
Median rent (state)

Janesville - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Janesville places in the 52nd percentile for household income and the 32nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

52nd
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
40th
percentile, median rent
32nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Janesville, WI

Janesville is a small city in Wisconsin, home to 65,813 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $71,664 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.5%. Home values in Janesville run a median of $209,700, and the median resident age is 40.0 years. Educational attainment runs 26.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 302 residential building permits were authorized in Janesville (Stable), down 3% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1985.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: the state registers 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,246 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Janesville report an average commute of 19.5 minutes, with 79.6% driving alone and 8.6% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 86.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

65,813 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$71,664 /yr

Poverty 6.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Janesville compare to other US cities?

Here's how Janesville stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 52% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 40% pricier than other cities
Safety 32% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Wisconsin, Janesville ranks #173 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Janesville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

52ndIncome percentile
32ndSafety percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income · 32nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Janesville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Janesville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 47 Avg. percentile National median
Janesville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Janesville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$209,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Janesville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Janesville, WI Janesville, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Janesville, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Janesville, WI median $71,664/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Janesville, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Janesville, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
65,813
Median Income
$71,664
Median Home Value
$209,700
Median Age
40.0
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Labor force participation
62.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1985.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
143.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1841.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
25
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
65,500 residents66,000 residents66,500 residents67,000 residents67,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 65,652 residents 66,929 residents ▲ +1.9%
Janesville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
302
housing units authorized
Single-Family
65
detached homes
Multifamily
237
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 312
2020 271
2021 308
2022 205
2023 82
2024 302

Permit volume decreased 3% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.5 minutes
Drive Alone
79.6%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
8.6%
Other
1.3%

Based on 32,613 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Janesville sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,246/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Oshkosh
66,247 people
Eau Claire
69,274 people
Waukesha
70,779 people
West Allis
59,588 people
Appleton
74,873 people
Racine
77,155 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Janesville's 65,813 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ames, IA
66,112 people
Victoria, TX
65,514 people
Malden, MA
65,509 people
Dundalk, MD
65,441 people
Novi, MI
66,224 people
Castro Valley, CA
65,389 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Janesville's $71,664 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Merriam, KS
$71,665 median income
Taylor, TX
$71,665 median income
Akiak, AK
$71,667 median income
Dietrich, ID
$71,667 median income
Pulaski, IA
$71,667 median income
Woodburn, KY
$71,667 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Janesville, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Janesville, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.2% White 86.8% Black or African American 3.2% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.4% Two or more races 5.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Janesville compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Janesville (this city) 65,813 $71,664
Oshkosh 66,247 $61,929
Eau Claire 69,274 $65,369
Waukesha 70,779 $81,651
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Janesville, WI?

What is the population of Janesville, WI? +

The population of Janesville, WI stands at 65,813 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Janesville, WI? +

The median household income in Janesville is $71,664 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Janesville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Janesville; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Janesville, WI safe? +

Janesville has a total crime rate of 1985.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Janesville, WI? +

The median home value in Janesville is $209,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.