City comparison
Appleton, WI is about 100 miles (175 km) from Racine, WI in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 150 miles, or about 2 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Appleton, WI to Racine, WI takes about 13 min, covering roughly 100 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Racine has a population of 77,453, vs 75,133 in Appleton — about the same size. By land area, Appleton covers about 25 sq mi vs 15 sq mi for Racine.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Appleton | Racine | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $913/mo | $967/mo | 5.9% higher in Racine |
| Median home value | $192,200 | $147,000 | 30.7% higher in Appleton |
| Median household income | $75,469 | $52,766 | 43.0% higher in Appleton |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.7 | 90.2 | 0.6% higher in Appleton |
| Transportation index | 99.2 | 99.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 99.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Appleton, you'd need $109,695 in Racine to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Appleton, WI is about 8.8% cheaper overall than Racine, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% higher in Racine than in Appleton. If you earn $80,000 in Appleton, you'd need about $87,756 in Racine to keep the same standard of living.