Jobs, pay and daily life in Whitewater, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Whitewater is a city in Wisconsin with 15,807 residents. The median household earns $54,969 a year and the median rent is $1,041 a month, which is 22.7% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Janesville-Beloit, WI (69,870 jobs), about 18 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Whitewater compares. Among the 80 largest places in Wisconsin, Whitewater is #57 by population, #80 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #79 for household income (#1 = highest), #68 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Walworth County, is #36 of 72 counties for average pay ($50,949).
Whitewater has 15,807 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Wisconsin. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,788 people per square mile. The median age is 22.1, 45% younger than the state median (22.1 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $1,041 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($1,041 against $1,087). Over a year that is 22.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $229,400, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($54,969). 31.8% of households own their home, 53% below the state average (31.8% against 67.8%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Janesville-Beloit, WI, metropolitan area has 69,870 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,390 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,390 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (8,350 jobs, median $45,510); office and administrative support (7,700 jobs, median $46,490); production (7,450 jobs, median $47,000). The area is most specialised in production (1.9 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($47,000) and office and administrative support ($46,490). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Walworth County was 2.6%. 70.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Walworth County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 64.8% drive alone, 0.6% use public transit, 13.3% walk, 9.1% work from home. 6.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 39% below the state average (6.2% against 10.2%).
35.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 6% above the state share (35.2% against 33.4%). 9.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 73% above the state share (9.0% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 26.8%, 154% above the state rate (26.8% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.4°C). About 954 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (129 mm) and Jan the driest (38 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Fort Atkinson (8 miles, rent 8% lower); Janesville (18 miles, similar rent); Oconomowoc (22 miles, rent 25% higher); Watertown (24 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Whitewater; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Wisconsin (285) →State guide: WisconsinCountry guideWalworth CountyWisconsin rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 285 federal postings open in Wisconsin (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Wisconsin →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,150 | 1.24 | $28,290 | $22,230 | $35,280 | -9% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,000 | 1.51 | $44,590 | $31,760 | $55,720 | +11% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,680 | 1.11 | $93,030 | $77,440 | $103,600 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,670 | 0.96 | $34,000 | $26,490 | $47,640 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,670 | 1.80 | $59,800 | $45,470 | $74,500 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 1,610 | 1.16 | $31,240 | $23,270 | $37,390 | -5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,600 | 0.83 | $36,370 | $28,260 | $43,370 | +2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,540 | 1.21 | $38,780 | $30,070 | $49,180 | +4% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,260 | 1.99 | $44,070 | $35,310 | $57,860 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,110 | 0.95 | $46,210 | $33,340 | $61,730 | +3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,070 | 0.96 | $44,930 | $31,480 | $59,680 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,030 | 1.04 | $36,570 | $29,570 | $47,080 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 980 | 1.54 | $37,670 | $33,630 | $42,470 | +2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 910 | 1.63 | $71,620 | $42,270 | $131,530 | -1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 830 | 0.53 | $121,540 | $51,800 | $271,840 | +15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 820 | 0.80 | $28,990 | $16,870 | $61,050 | -18% |
| Bartenders | 800 | 2.34 | $22,090 | $17,080 | $36,770 | -36% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 770 | 1.12 | $56,610 | $35,520 | $74,870 | +14% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 720 | 0.94 | $47,000 | $36,550 | $58,820 | -1% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 720 | 1.15 | $60,220 | $48,900 | $79,270 | -6% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Janesville-Beloit, WI, about 18 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,390 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.1% |
| Retail trade | 17.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 16.8% |
| Manufacturing | 14.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.2% |
| Other services | 3.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.4% |
| Public administration | 2.3% |
| Construction | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Whitewater lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Jefferson County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walworth County | 105,657 | $6,423 million | $60,788 | 45,268 | 3,401 | $50,949 | +3.9% | 2.6% | 62,307 |
| Jefferson County | 86,003 | $4,923 million | $57,242 | 33,615 | 2,344 | $54,167 | -0.6% | 2.5% | 48,706 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,946 | 23.4% | $65,834 | 2.41 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,708 | 17.6% | $26,062 | 1.63 |
| Retail trade | 5,137 | 13.4% | $33,827 | 1.14 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,701 | 12.3% | $52,069 | 0.72 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,131 | 5.6% | $41,599 | 0.80 |
| Construction | 1,928 | 5.0% | $66,346 | 0.81 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,772 | 4.6% | $73,641 | 0.99 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,656 | 4.3% | $32,432 | 2.18 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,125 | 2.9% | $73,582 | 0.36 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,019 | 2.7% | $36,556 | 0.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 912 | 2.4% | $52,243 | 0.48 |
| Finance and insurance | 739 | 1.9% | $73,744 | 0.40 |
| Management of companies | 489 | 1.3% | $102,971 | 0.64 |
| Real estate and rental | 386 | 1.0% | $54,034 | 0.55 |
| Information | 279 | 0.7% | $58,896 | 0.33 |
| Educational services | 225 | 0.6% | $33,923 | 0.24 |
| Utilities | 52 | 0.1% | $119,291 | 0.30 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 64.8% |
| Public transit | 0.6% |
| Walk | 13.3% |
| Work from home | 9.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,969 |
| Income per person | $25,863 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,041 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.7% |
| Median home value | $229,400 |
| Homeowners | 31.8% |
| Poverty rate | 26.8% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 93.7 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $48,390 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 7.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 22.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 35.2% |
| Born abroad | 9.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.4 | 19 | 38 |
| Feb | -6.1 | 21 | 42 |
| Mar | 1.0 | 34 | 60 |
| Apr | 7.4 | 45 | 101 |
| May | 13.9 | 57 | 106 |
| Jun | 19.8 | 68 | 129 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 93 |
| Aug | 21.7 | 71 | 107 |
| Sep | 17.4 | 63 | 89 |
| Oct | 9.7 | 49 | 80 |
| Nov | 2.6 | 37 | 56 |
| Dec | -4.2 | 24 | 53 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Atkinson | WI | 8 mi | 12,463 | $79,302 | $961 |
| Janesville | WI | 18 mi | 66,030 | $73,446 | $1,054 |
| Oconomowoc | WI | 22 mi | 19,080 | $106,425 | $1,301 |
| Watertown | WI | 24 mi | 22,774 | $70,107 | $1,052 |
| Stoughton | WI | 25 mi | 13,033 | $79,551 | $1,157 |
| Beloit | WI | 26 mi | 36,534 | $62,663 | $1,066 |
| Waukesha | WI | 27 mi | 71,233 | $83,837 | $1,219 |
| Pewaukee | WI | 29 mi | 16,211 | $108,350 | $1,622 |
| Muskego | WI | 30 mi | 25,406 | $112,221 | $1,313 |
| New Berlin | WI | 32 mi | 40,270 | $101,091 | $1,426 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
15,807 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,041 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.7% of the median household income.
$54,969 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.6% (BLS county, Walworth County (latest month 2026M09)).
Wisconsin. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.