Moving to Wisconsin from Georgia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Georgia to Wisconsin — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Georgia to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 5.5% more expensive than Georgia. A $75,000 salary in Georgia would need to be roughly $71,801 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madison averages 56°F vs 72°F in Atlanta, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Georgia to Wisconsin.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $71,801

To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 1.5% more

Groceries

pay 0.8% less

Transportation

pay 6.1% less

Housing

pay 16.3% less

Childcare

pay 56.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 1.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Georgia to Wisconsin.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

GA
343
WI
286
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

GA
1779
WI
1204

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Georgia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

GA
11.8%
WI
5.2%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

GA
37.0%
WI
37.8%

Georgia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

GA
$272,900
WI
$247,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

GA
$1,306
WI
$1,045

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Georgia across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

GA
89.5%
WI
89.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

GA
28 min
WI
22 min

Georgia generally does better on infrastructure, though Wisconsin leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GA
3.3%
WI
3.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

GA
$61,706
WI
$59,333

Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Georgia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

GA
75.6 yrs
WI
77.7 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

GA
22%
WI
22%

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Georgia across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Atlanta Rain: 49.7 in/yr (1263 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madison Rain: 34.5 in/yr (876 mm)
56° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Atlanta Madison
Jan–Mar 58°/39°F (14°/4°C) 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 68°/46°F (20°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) 78°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 64°/45°F (17°/7°C) 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Atlanta Madison
Jan 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.3°C) 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C)
Feb 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.2°C) 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C)
Mar 65°/44°F (18.1°/6.7°C) 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C)
Apr 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.8°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
May 80°/60°F (26.6°/15.7°C) 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.1°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.7°/21.8°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Aug 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C)
Sep 82°/65°F (27.9°/18.2°C) 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C)
Oct 73°/54°F (22.6°/12.2°C) 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C)
Nov 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.9°C) 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C)
Dec 54°/36°F (12.2°/2.5°C) 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Georgia?

Yes — Wisconsin is on average about 4% cheaper than Georgia. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,950 in Wisconsin on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Wisconsin safe?

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Georgia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Georgia?

Georgia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Georgia?

The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 72°F in Atlanta. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Atlanta gets 49.7 in.

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