Moving to Wisconsin from Ohio
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ohio to Wisconsin? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ohio to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 11.6% more expensive than Ohio. A $75,000 salary in Ohio would need to be roughly $80,913 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madison averages 56°F vs 76°F in Columbus, making it significantly cooler. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ohio and Wisconsin. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $80,913 To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 6.5% more Groceries pay 5.5% more Transportation pay 10.0% less Housing pay 3.5% more Childcare pay 55.8% more Entertainment and Sports pay 10.2% more Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. The numbers behind daily life in Wisconsin compared to Ohio. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Ohio generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Wisconsin performs significantly better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Ohio generally does better on what about housing?, though Wisconsin leads in homeownership rate. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Wisconsin performs significantly better than Ohio across all infrastructure metrics. 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 Ohio leads in gdp per capita. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Wisconsin performs significantly better than Ohio 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: On average Wisconsin is around 8% pricier than Ohio, with notable variation by city. Budget about $20,228 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. Ohio generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate. Wisconsin performs significantly better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 76°F in Columbus. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Columbus gets 46.8 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Columbus Madison Jan–Mar 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) Apr–Jun 84°/62°F (29°/16°C) 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) Jul–Sep 90°/71°F (32°/21°C) 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) Oct–Dec 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) View all months
Month Columbus Madison Jan 58°/37°F (14.2°/2.7°C) 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) Feb 62°/40°F (16.7°/4.5°C) 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) Mar 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) Apr 77°/53°F (24.8°/11.4°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) May 84°/62°F (28.9°/16.6°C) 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) Jun 90°/70°F (32.2°/20.9°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) Jul 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) Aug 91°/72°F (33.0°/22.4°C) 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) Sep 86°/67°F (30.2°/19.3°C) 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) Oct 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.1°C) 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) Nov 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) Dec 59°/39°F (15.2°/3.8°C) 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Ohio?
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What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Ohio?
