Moving to Wisconsin from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to Wisconsin? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 1.7% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly $73,131 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Illinois and Wisconsin.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $73,131
To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 1.7% more
Groceries
pay 0.7% less
Transportation
pay 8.8% less
Housing
pay 9.9% less
Childcare
pay 20.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.2% less
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
The numbers behind daily life in Wisconsin compared to Illinois.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Wisconsin performs significantly better than Illinois across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Illinois generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Wisconsin performs significantly better than Illinois across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Illinois generally does better on infrastructure, though Wisconsin leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Wisconsin leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Illinois generally does better on family life, though Wisconsin leads in life expectancy.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Illinois?
Wisconsin and Illinois are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?
Budget about $18,283 for 3 months in Wisconsin (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Wisconsin safe?
Wisconsin performs significantly better than Illinois across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Illinois?
Illinois generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
