Moving to Wisconsin from Oklahoma

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Oklahoma to Wisconsin? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Oklahoma to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 5.5% more expensive than Oklahoma. A $75,000 salary in Oklahoma would need to be roughly $79,468 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madison averages 56°F vs 71°F in Oklahoma City, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $79,468

To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 5.9% more

Groceries

pay 3.2% more

Transportation

pay 4.6% less

Housing

pay 0.6% more

Childcare

pay 30.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Oklahoma.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OK
407
WI
286
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OK
2112
WI
1204

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

OK
12.7%
WI
5.2%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OK
40.3%
WI
37.8%

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

OK
$185,900
WI
$247,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

OK
$980
WI
$1,045

Oklahoma generally does better on what about housing?, though Wisconsin leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

OK
87.4%
WI
89.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

OK
22 min
WI
22 min

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

OK
3.8%
WI
3.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

OK
$51,007
WI
$59,333

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

OK
74.1 yrs
WI
77.7 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

OK
18%
WI
22%

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Oklahoma 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.

Oklahoma City Rain: 32.4 in/yr (823 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madison Rain: 34.5 in/yr (876 mm)
56° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oklahoma City Madison
Jan–Mar 55°/33°F (13°/0°C) 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 80°/58°F (26°/14°C) 68°/46°F (20°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/69°F (32°/20°C) 78°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/39°F (16°/4°C) 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Oklahoma City Madison
Jan 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.5°C) 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C)
Feb 53°/31°F (11.9°/-0.6°C) 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C)
Mar 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C) 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C)
Apr 71°/48°F (21.5°/9.1°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
May 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.7°C) 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)
Jun 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.4°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C)
Jul 93°/72°F (34.0°/22.2°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Aug 92°/71°F (33.6°/21.5°C) 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C)
Sep 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.1°C) 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C)
Oct 72°/50°F (22.4°/10.1°C) 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C)
Nov 60°/39°F (15.6°/3.9°C) 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C)
Dec 49°/29°F (9.7°/-1.6°C) 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Oklahoma?

On average Wisconsin is around 6% pricier than Oklahoma, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?

Budget about $19,867 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 Oklahoma across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Oklahoma?

Wisconsin performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Oklahoma?

The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 71°F in Oklahoma City. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Oklahoma City gets 32.4 in.

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