Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Wisconsin, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In Wisconsin, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 24.9% less likely to be obese
In Wisconsin, 37.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
be 17.4% more likely to have diabetes
In Wisconsin, 9.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In California, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 41.6% more money
Wisconsin has a GDP per capita of $59,333 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 70.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Wisconsin, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
be 14.7% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Wisconsin, 10.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In California, however, that number is 11.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 76.2% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Wisconsin has a violent crime rate of 286 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 91.2% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Wisconsin has a property crime rate of 1,204 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 27.3% more money
The median household income in Wisconsin is $75,670 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 2.8 times more for a home
The median home value in Wisconsin is $247,400 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 87.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Wisconsin is $1,045 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 17.8% less likely to own your home
In Wisconsin, 67.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 28.0% less likely to smoke
In Wisconsin, 16.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 12.1% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Wisconsin, 22.3% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 4.7 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Wisconsin, 2.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 6.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Wisconsin takes 22.2 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 30.8% more likely to be uninsured
In Wisconsin, 5.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in Wisconsin is 40.1 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.3 times more densely populated
Wisconsin has a population density of 42.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 44.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Wisconsin, 7.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In California, that number is 10.4% as of 2021.
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.
