Why does down payment vary across Wisconsin?

Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.

Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.

Can I find lower-down options?

Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.

Buyer authority WI

Estimated owner-finance down payment by city in Wisconsin.

Down payments scale with home prices but flex by financing type. This ranks Wisconsin cities by an estimated typical down payment on an owner-financed or low-down deal (12% of estimated median home value). This is a modeled directional comparison, not a survey of actual closings.

Last updated September 2026

Wisconsin ranking

50 cities ranked. Click any row for the matching local page.

#	City	Est. typical down payment	Score
1	Thiensville	$52,000	51	View →
2	Brookfield	$48,500	55	View →
3	Hudson	$46,400	57	View →
4	Oconomowoc	$46,100	58	View →
5	Muskego	$45,700	58	View →
6	Delafield	$45,400	58	View →
7	New Berlin	$45,200	59	View →
8	Franklin	$44,900	59	View →
9	Middleton	$45,000	59	View →
10	Hartland	$44,800	59	View →
11	Verona	$44,200	60	View →
12	Menomonee Falls	$43,100	61	View →
13	Greenville	$42,700	61	View →
14	Sun Prairie	$42,200	62	View →
15	Pewaukee	$42,400	62	View →
16	Waunakee	$42,200	62	View →
17	Pleasant Prairie	$41,900	62	View →
18	Mukwonago	$41,200	63	View →
19	Cedarburg	$41,300	63	View →
20	Oregon	$41,400	63	View →
21	Cottage Grove	$41,200	63	View →
22	Germantown	$40,700	64	View →
23	Waterford	$40,400	64	View →
24	Mc Farland	$40,300	64	View →
25	Appleton	$39,800	65	View →
26	Waukesha	$39,600	65	View →
27	De Pere	$39,800	65	View →
28	Oak Creek	$39,100	65	View →
29	Sussex	$39,600	65	View →
30	Grafton	$39,500	65	View →
31	De Forest	$39,800	65	View →
32	Neenah	$39,000	66	View →
33	Lodi	$38,900	66	View →
34	Hortonville	$38,400	66	View →
35	Madison	$36,800	68	View →
36	West Bend	$37,100	68	View →
37	Lake Geneva	$35,600	69	View →
38	Mount Horeb	$36,100	69	View →
39	Salem	$35,900	69	View →
40	Kewaskum	$35,800	69	View →
41	Slinger	$35,900	69	View →
42	Green Bay	$34,800	70	View →
43	Burlington	$35,400	70	View →
44	Kaukauna	$35,300	70	View →
45	Onalaska	$35,200	70	View →
46	Hartford	$35,000	70	View →
47	Mosinee	$34,700	70	View →
48	Greendale	$35,300	70	View →
49	Port Washington	$35,200	70	View →
50	East Troy	$35,200	70	View →

Methodology

Estimated down = 12% of estimated median home value (representative of owner-financed and low-down deals). Conventional loans typically require 20%; FHA can be 3.5%. Use as a directional comparison.

FAQ

Why does down payment vary across Wisconsin?: Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.
Is 12% realistic?: Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.
Can I find lower-down options?: Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.