Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Wisconsin instead of Illinois, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In Illinois, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Wisconsin, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 13.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Illinois, 10.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Wisconsin, that number is 9.2% as of 2022.
Economy
be 37.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Illinois, 4.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Wisconsin, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.
be 10.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Illinois, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Wisconsin, however, that number is 10.2% as of 2023.
make 16.1% less money
Illinois has a GDP per capita of $70,691 as of 2024, while in Wisconsin, the GDP per capita is $59,333 as of 2024.
Safety
be 29.0% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Illinois has a property crime rate of 1,697 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Wisconsin, that number is 1,204 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 14.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Illinois is $1,227 as of 2023, while in Wisconsin, it is $1,045 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Illinois takes 28.1 minutes as of 2023. In Wisconsin, it takes 22.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 23.5% less likely to be uninsured
In Illinois, 6.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Wisconsin, that number is 5.2% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.2 years older on average
The median age in Illinois is 38.9 years as of 2023. In Wisconsin, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 51.9% less densely populated
Illinois has a population density of 87.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Wisconsin, that number is 42.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 23.4% less likely to be food insecure
In Illinois, 9.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Wisconsin, that number is 7.2% as of 2021.
be 16.7% more likely to smoke
In Illinois, 13.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Wisconsin, that number is 16.1% as of 2022.
be 12.5% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Illinois, 25.5% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Wisconsin, that number is 22.3% as of 2023.
be 61.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Illinois, 6.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Wisconsin, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
