Moving to Wisconsin from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Wisconsin? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 12.6% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $82,118 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Wisconsin.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $82,118
To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.1% more
Groceries
pay 7.7% more
Transportation
pay 15.5% more
Housing
pay 7.7% more
Childcare
pay 56.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.4% 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 Iowa.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.
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
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Iowa performs better than Wisconsin across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Iowa generally does better on infrastructure, though Wisconsin leads in internet access.
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
Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Wisconsin performs significantly better than Iowa 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Iowa?
On average Wisconsin is around 9% pricier than Iowa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?
Budget about $20,530 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?
Iowa generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Iowa?
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
