City comparison
Fond du Lac, WI is about 50 miles (90 km) from Waukesha, WI in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 70 miles, or about 1 h 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 Fond du Lac, WI to Waukesha, WI takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 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.
Waukesha has a population of 70,945, vs 44,527 in Fond du Lac — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Waukesha covers about 26 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Fond du Lac.
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 | Fond du Lac | Waukesha | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $868/mo | $1,115/mo | 28.5% higher in Waukesha |
| Median home value | $148,500 | $267,200 | 79.9% higher in Waukesha |
| Median household income | $58,675 | $77,558 | 32.2% higher in Waukesha |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.2 | 91.6 | ≈ equal (Waukesha slightly higher) |
| 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 Fond du Lac, you'd need $114,564 in Waukesha to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Fond du Lac, WI is about 12.7% cheaper overall than Waukesha, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 43% higher in Waukesha than in Fond du Lac. If you earn $80,000 in Fond du Lac, you'd need about $91,651 in Waukesha to keep the same standard of living.