Moving to Wisconsin from Nebraska
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Nebraska to Wisconsin — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Nebraska to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 7.4% more expensive than Nebraska. A $75,000 salary in Nebraska would need to be roughly $75,336 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Nebraska to Wisconsin.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $75,336
To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 0.9% less
Groceries
pay 0.2% less
Transportation
pay 0.5% more
Housing
pay 2.8% less
Childcare
pay 57.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.6% 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 Nebraska to Wisconsin.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Nebraska 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
Nebraska 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
Nebraska generally does better on what about housing?, though Wisconsin leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Nebraska performs better than Wisconsin across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Nebraska generally does better on employment & economy, though Wisconsin leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Nebraska generally does better on family life, though Wisconsin leads in bachelor's degree or higher.
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 | Lincoln | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/20°F (6°/-7°C) | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/28°F (11°/-2°C) | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lincoln | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/14°F (1.9°/-10.1°C) | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/18°F (4.5°/-7.8°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) |
| Mar | 52°/28°F (11.3°/-2.3°C) | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) |
| Apr | 64°/39°F (17.9°/3.8°C) | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) |
| May | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.3°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (29.0°/16.1°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) |
| Jul | 89°/66°F (31.7°/18.9°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.4°/17.7°C) | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) |
| Sep | 79°/53°F (25.9°/11.9°C) | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/41°F (18.8°/4.8°C) | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 50°/28°F (10.2°/-2.4°C) | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) |
| Dec | 37°/16°F (2.9°/-8.7°C) | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Nebraska?
Costs in Wisconsin and Nebraska are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,834 in Wisconsin on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Wisconsin safe?
Nebraska generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Nebraska?
Nebraska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Nebraska?
The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 63°F in Lincoln. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lincoln gets 28.9 in.
