Janesville, WI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Wisconsin·Janesville

Rock County · Janesville-Beloit · population 66,428

First-time buyersInvestors
Janesville, WI
Image: Wikipedia · Janesville, Wisconsin
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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77
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Janesville stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.0% in the last year. averaging 7.6% annual growth over 5 years. rents up 11.4% in the last year.

Median home $292,557
1-year +6.0%
5-yr CAGR +7.6%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$293k$124k$184k$244k$304k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
78/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,270/mo$908$1,127$1,346202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent126131100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 19.2
Lean buy

At a 19.2 price-to-rent ratio, Janesville is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
79 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
77 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
51 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
82 · w10%
Long thesis

Janesville has averaged 7.6% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+6.0% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Janesville's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Janesville

Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 66,428. It anchors the Janesville-Beloit metro area. The median home value in Janesville is $292,557 as of 2026-04, up 6.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Janesville average $1,270 per month, up 11.4% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 77 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 6.0% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.6% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 11.4% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 11.4% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Janesville (Wikipedia)

Janesville is a city in and the county seat of Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 65,615 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 66,428 in 2024, making it the tenth-most populous city in Wisconsin. The Janesville–Beloit Metropolitan statistical area, consisting solely of Rock County, has an estimated 165,461 residents in the 2024 estimate. It is located along the Rock River in southern Wisconsin.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorKevin Lahner
Area35.246 sq mi
Elevation850 ft
Established1835
NicknameWisconsin's Park Place, Bower City
Densityauto/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Rock County right now.

NWS active alerts (WI)Wisconsin Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Rock County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Janesville

Oshkosh, WI72 · RisingDe Pere, WI74 · RisingNeenah, WI72 · RisingWaukesha, WI73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Janesville

ToolCan I afford Janesville?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Janesville rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Janesville to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolJanesville cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
27° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
188
~52% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
47″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Janesville listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Janesville-Beloit area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$72,500
Wisconsin state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareDairy/Food

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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