Moving to Wisconsin from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Massachusetts to Wisconsin — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Massachusetts to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 10.9% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $59,018 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Massachusetts to Wisconsin.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $59,018
To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 11.4% less
Groceries
pay 13.3% less
Transportation
pay 7.8% less
Housing
pay 27.7% less
Childcare
pay 1.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.7% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Massachusetts to Wisconsin.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in violent 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
Massachusetts performs better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Wisconsin performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Massachusetts 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
Massachusetts 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
Massachusetts performs better than Wisconsin 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 | Boston | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Massachusetts?
Yes — Wisconsin is on average about 21% cheaper than Massachusetts. 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 $14,754 in Wisconsin on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Wisconsin safe?
Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts performs better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
