Places › Wisconsin › Beloit

Living in Beloit, WI

Small city in Wisconsin

Beloit is a small city in Wisconsin, home to about 37,000 people, with 520,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Beloit a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $222k and rents for $1,600 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 78°F
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi

👎 Cons

  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Fewer graduates: 18% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Higher taxes: about $1,734 state income tax per resident, 1.87% property tax
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Beloit ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
37,000
520,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
28°F / 78°F
Average daily highs · 36″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$222k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,600/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
94
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,734
State income tax per resident · 1.87% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
4 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 14 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
18%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MKE
64 mi away

Living in Beloit: common questions

What is the cost of living in Beloit?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $222k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,600 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 94, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Beloit?

Wisconsin collects about $1,734 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.87% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Beloit safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Beloit?

Public schools in Beloit test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 14 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Beloit?

Beloit has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 28°F and summer days around 78°F, with roughly 36″ of snow a year.

Does Beloit get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.04 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Beloit?

The nearest major airport is MKE, about 64 mi away.

How Beloit scores

Each bar compares Beloit with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesBelow average
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Beloit

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Janesville, WISmall city53 $297k$1,600/moSafe Saginaw, MISmall city47 $155k$1,440/moVery safe Fremont, NESmall city51 $261k$1,360/moVery safe Owatonna, MNSmall city54 $272k$1,550/moVery safe Youngstown, OHSmall city53 $77k$1,270/moNo crime data Pekin, ILSmall city45 $153k$1,350/moSafe

Nearby

Janesville, WISmall city · 11 mi away53 $297k$1,600/moSafe Rockford, ILMid-size city · 18 mi away42 $192k$1,560/moHigher crime Woodstock, ILSuburb · 33 mi away61 $330k$2,290/moVery safe Fitchburg, WISuburb · 38 mi away58 $477k$2,240/moSafe Huntley, ILSuburb · 39 mi away63 $412k$2,290/moVery safe McHenry, ILSuburb · 39 mi away58 $322k$2,290/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Wisconsin.

Is Beloit right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.