Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Illinois instead of Wisconsin, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years less
In Wisconsin, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Illinois, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 15.2% more likely to have diabetes
In Wisconsin, 9.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 10.6% as of 2022.
Economy
make 19.1% more money
Wisconsin has a GDP per capita of $59,333 as of 2024, while in Illinois, the GDP per capita is $70,691 as of 2024.
be 60.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Wisconsin, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Illinois, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
be 11.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Wisconsin, 10.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Illinois, however, that number is 11.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 40.9% 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 Illinois, that number is 1,697 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 17.4% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Wisconsin is $1,045 as of 2023, while in Illinois, it is $1,227 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 14.3% less likely to smoke
In Wisconsin, 16.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 13.8% as of 2022.
be 14.3% 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 Illinois, that number is 25.5% as of 2023.
be 2.6 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 Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
commute 5.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Wisconsin takes 22.2 minutes as of 2023. In Illinois, it takes 28.1 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 Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.1 times more densely populated
Wisconsin has a population density of 42.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 87.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 30.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Wisconsin, 7.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Illinois, that number is 9.4% 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.
