Wisconsin · 264th largest metro area

Buying a home in Kenosha, Wisconsin

In Kenosha, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $225,200, Kenosha County's effective property tax rate is 1.57%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $3,605 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,186 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2020-2024, Census Vintage 2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Kenosha home costs, fact by fact

About Kenosha

Kenosha is the first-named place in the Kenosha, WI metro area, which ranks 264th in the country.

Reading the Kenosha figures

Kenosha stands out on price within Wisconsin: owners put the typical home at $225,200, well under the statewide $316,500 and under Madison's $372,900. Green Bay reports a lower $207,200, and Milwaukee lower still at $184,000, so Kenosha sits between those two cities and Madison. The county side adds weight. Kenosha County's 1.57% effective rate on a median county value of $265,500 means a median tax bill of $4,179 a year, a recurring cost a buyer should weigh next to the mortgage.

Renters pay a median of $1,186 monthly, while HUD's benchmark for the Kenosha area is $1,441. Madison's rent of $1,413 is higher than Kenosha's, while Green Bay is lower on rent, with $932, and Milwaukee sits lower too, with $1,059. In 2025 HMDA data, 1,341 mortgages recorded show closing-loan charges centred on $3,605, and the central spread spread from $2,613 to $6,069. Owners occupy 58.7% of homes in the city, a share close to Green Bay's 57.9% and well above Milwaukee's 41.8%.

Calculate for Wisconsin

If you buy

Wisconsin state transfer tax

Real estate transfer fee (Wis. Stat. 77.22): $0.30 per $100 of value or fraction of $100 ($3 per $1,000). Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$316,500
State transfer tax$949.50
Share of the price0.3% of the price
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Wisconsin median value of owner-occupied homes, $316,500 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: Divide the value (full price including any lien) by $100, round up to the next whole unit, multiply by $0.30. The county keeps 20% and sends 80% to the state. Who pays: By statute the fee is imposed on the grantor, the seller; the purchase contract may say otherwise. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Wisconsin transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Wisconsin state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Questions about buying a home in Kenosha

How much is property tax in Kenosha?

Homeowners in Kenosha County pay a median $4,179 a year in property tax, 1.57% of the county median home value of $265,500 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Kenosha?

Home-purchase mortgages in Kenosha County carried median total loan costs of $3,605 in 2025; half of the 1,341 loans fell between $2,613 and $6,069 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in Kenosha?

Wisconsin charges a real estate transfer fee of 30 cents per $100 of value, or $3 per $1,000, and the law puts it on the grantor, the seller. On a $207,900 sale it is $623.70, collected by the register of deeds at recording.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kenosha?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Kenosha ($225,200) equals 15.8 years of the median gross rent ($1,186 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

Wisconsin rules that apply in Kenosha

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Sources

Wisconsin · All states · Federal guides