The typical owner-occupied home in Portage is worth about $204,900, 23% below the Wisconsin median of $266,500 and 38% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,331 a year in property taxes, about 1.63% of their home's value, higher than the Wisconsin rate of 1.42%. The median household earns $64,722 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (3.4 times for Wisconsin). 59% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 62% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Portage at a glance
| Portage | Wisconsin | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $204,900 | $266,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,331 | $3,792 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.63% | 1.42% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $64,722 | $77,485 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 59% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 62% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,497 | $1,689 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.8% | 19.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,008 | $1,087 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.3% | 27.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1962 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 7.1% | 10.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 10,236 | 5,914,872 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Portage
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Portage home of $204,900 with 20% down costs about $1,466 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,808, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $62,846 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Portage household income of $64,722; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $211,000.
The median rent here is $1,008 a month, so owning the median home costs about $458 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $40,980 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $163,920 |
| Principal and interest | $1,103 |
| Property taxes (1.63% a year) | $278 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $85 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,466 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,172 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $201,189 |
| Principal and interest | $1,353 |
| Property taxes (1.63% a year) | $278 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $85 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $91 |
| Total per month | $1,808 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Portage
What is the median home value in Portage?
About $204,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Portage?
Homeowners pay a median $3,331 a year, which is about 1.63% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Portage?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,466 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $62,846 a year.
More about Portage
- Mortgage Refinance in Portage
- Debt Relief in Portage
- Home Equity Loans in Portage
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data