Housing

Spend time at any backyard cook out this summer and the conversation will eventually turn to the high cost of housing. Indeed, according to the Zillow Home Value Index, the median value for homes in Wisconsin increased by 85% over the past eight years, or 8.0% annually, moving from $167,693 in 2016 to $311,591 in June of this year. Zillow estimated home values in Dane County increased by 77% overall, or 7.4% annually, over the same period, increasing to $438,450 from $247,251.

More than 100 people gathered on March 7, 2024, for Wood County’s first Housing Summit held at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids. The Summit, planned by members of the Wood County Housing Task Force, was a direct response to the calls for action and conversation surrounding affordable and accessible housing throughout the County and Central Wisconsin.

Unlike many other countries, owning one’s home is part of the American Dream. Between 1965 and 2023 the average rate of homeownership was 65.3% with a low of 62.9% in 1965 to a peak of 69.2% in the latter half of 2004.

Join us for the Fourth Annual Virtual Wisconsin Rural Economic Summit as we explore the latest economic research and data related to rural Wisconsin communities.

In August 2022, the federal government enacted the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest clean energy investment the United States government has made. It provides many new tax credits, rebates, and discounts to help homeowners make energy efficiency improvements and save on their utility bills.

New York City began enforcing its restrictions on vacation rentals last week. Hosts must be registered with the city and stay on site during guests’ stays. These restrictions might shrink the number of vacation rentals in the country’s biggest city, but the picture is different in small towns across the U.S.