Measured against area pay, Carson costs less to live in than 53% of U.S. towns
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Stevens Point-Plover, WI micro area ($76K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
The grade compares costs with what households across the Stevens Point-area micro earn ($76K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 4.5 years of area income, and 60% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $990a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 4.5 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$76K, Stevens Point-area income
- 14%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 15%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What stands out about housing in Carson
What’s behind Carson’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Carson is more affordable than 53% of U.S. towns. Property tax pulls the grade down most; rent holds it up.
A typical home costs 4.5 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Carson’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $64K short of a typical Carson home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $990 a month here, $1,190 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Carson’s typical property tax (1.28% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $990
Renters already here pay a median of $859, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Wausau, WI MSA): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
High tax bills, but a low tax rate
The median bill is $4,412 (Wisconsin: $3,792), because homes cost more. As a share of value it’s 1.28% a year, against 1.42% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Carson vs. its neighbors
Zillow publishes no value for Carson. Eau Pleine and Hull and Linwood and Rudolph and Sherry have no Zillow value, so they are in the table only.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, latest | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson | B− | — | $345K | 1.28% | $990 |
| Hull | B | — | $284K | 1.25% | $1,090 |
| Junction City | – | $355K | $145K | 1.31% | $970 |
| Linwood | B− | — | $270K | 1.09% | $1,030 |
| Sherry | – | — | $173K | 1.36% | $970 |
| Rudolph | B+ | — | $201K | 1.24% | $970 |
| Eau Pleine | B+ | — | $296K | 1.14% | $970 |
“—” under Zillow: Zillow publishes no value for that town, so it’s left blank rather than mixed with Census figures. “—” under Cost: not graded (too little Census data, or under 1,000 residents).
Questions about the cost of living in Carson
Is Carson expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Carson costs less than 53% of U.S. towns: a B− for cost of living. The typical home costs 4.5 years of the median household income of the Stevens Point-Plover, WI micro area ($76K).
How much is rent in Carson?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $990 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $859 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Carson?
The median bill is $4,412 a year, 1.28% of the median home value (Wisconsin: $3,792, 1.42%), from the Census 2020–24.
Neighbors talk housing
What Carson buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.