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

All states·Wisconsin·Oshkosh

Winnebago County · Oshkosh-Neenah · population 67,242

First-time buyersInvestors
Oshkosh, WI
Image: Wikipedia · Oshkosh, Wisconsin
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
72
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Oshkosh stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.5% in the last year. averaging 7.0% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $255,819
1-year +5.5%
5-yr CAGR +7.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$256k$117k$167k$216k$266k201620182020202220242026

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
82/100
Excellent for remote work
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
$1,154/mo$839$1,052$1,265202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent133129100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.5
Lean buy

At a 18.5 price-to-rent ratio, Oshkosh 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
77 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
74 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
48 · w16%
Rent YoY
60 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
77 · w10%
Long thesis

Oshkosh has averaged 7.0% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+5.5% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Oshkosh'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 Oshkosh

Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 67,242. It anchors the Oshkosh-Neenah metro area. The median home value in Oshkosh is $255,819 as of 2026-04, up 5.5% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Oshkosh average $1,154 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.2%). The composite momentum score is 72 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +5.5% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Oshkosh (Wikipedia)

Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, adjacent to the much less populous Town of Oshkosh in the north. The population was 66,816 at the 2020 census, making it the ninth-most populous city in Wisconsin. The Oshkosh metropolitan statistical area, consisting solely of Winnebago County, had 171,730 residents. Oshkosh is included in the greater Fox Cities region of Wisconsin.

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

City facts

MayorMatt Mugerauer
Area28.03 sq mi
Elevation790 ft
NicknameSawdust City
Motto"On the water"
Density2472.7/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 Winnebago County right now.

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

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

Neighborhoods of Oshkosh

8 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Northshore$386,216+7.3%
2Millers Bay$298,835+6.8%
3Lumber River$252,283-1.7%
4Algoma Park$244,318+4.2%
5Menominee South$214,961+0.5%
6Stevens Park$210,544+7.8%
7Marina District$197,572+1.3%
8River East$175,020+3.1%

Cities like Oshkosh

Waukesha, WI73 · RisingJanesville, WI77 · RisingNeenah, WI72 · RisingKenosha, WI72 · Rising

Run the numbers for Oshkosh

ToolCan I afford Oshkosh?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Oshkosh rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Oshkosh to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolOshkosh 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 Oshkosh 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 Oshkosh-Neenah 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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