Moving to Alabama from Wisconsin

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Wisconsin to Alabama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Wisconsin to Alabama, you would find that Alabama is 11.2% cheaper than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly $67,243 in Alabama to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Montgomery averages 76°F vs 56°F in Madison, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Wisconsin to Alabama.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $67,243

To maintain the same standard of living in Alabama

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.2% less

Groceries

pay 1.9% more

Transportation

pay 5.2% less

Housing

pay 6.4% less

Childcare

pay 41.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.2% less

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Wisconsin to Alabama.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WI
286
AL
397
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WI
1204
AL
1671

Wisconsin performs better than Alabama across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

WI
5.2%
AL
9.0%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WI
37.8%
AL
39.6%

Wisconsin performs better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

WI
$247,400
AL
$195,100
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WI
$1,045
AL
$963

Alabama performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

WI
89.5%
AL
85.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WI
22 min
AL
25 min

Wisconsin performs better than Alabama across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WI
3.0%
AL
2.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WI
$59,333
AL
$49,225

Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Alabama leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

WI
22%
AL
18%

Wisconsin performs better than Alabama 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Montgomery Rain: 53.1 in/yr (1348 mm)
76° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madison Montgomery
Jan–Mar 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) 63°/40°F (17°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) 84°/60°F (29°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) 90°/69°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 69°/45°F (21°/7°C)
View all months
Month Madison Montgomery
Jan 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
Feb 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C)
Mar 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) 70°/45°F (20.9°/7.4°C)
Apr 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) 77°/52°F (24.8°/10.9°C)
May 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) 84°/61°F (28.9°/15.9°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) 90°/68°F (32.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 92°/71°F (33.4°/21.9°C)
Aug 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) 92°/71°F (33.3°/21.7°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) 87°/65°F (30.7°/18.4°C)
Oct 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C)
Nov 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) 69°/44°F (20.6°/6.6°C)
Dec 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) 60°/37°F (15.3°/3.0°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Alabama than Wisconsin?

Yes — Alabama is on average about 10% cheaper than Wisconsin. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Alabama?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,811 in Alabama on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Alabama safe?

Wisconsin performs better than Alabama across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Alabama compared to Wisconsin?

Wisconsin performs better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Montgomery is 76°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Montgomery receives around 53.1 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.

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