Moving to Minnesota from Wisconsin

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Wisconsin to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 1.2% more expensive than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly $76,913 in Minnesota to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $76,913

To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.4% more

Groceries

pay 10.8% more

Transportation

pay 8.4% more

Housing

pay 3.6% more

Childcare

pay 26.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 10.8% 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 Minnesota compared to Wisconsin.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WI
286
MN
257
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WI
1204
MN
1675

Wisconsin generally does better on safety, though Minnesota leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

WI
5.2%
MN
4.5%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WI
37.8%
MN
33.9%

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

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

WI
$247,400
MN
$305,500
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WI
$1,045
MN
$1,235

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WI
89.5%
MN
91.0%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WI
22 min
MN
23 min

Wisconsin generally does better on infrastructure, though Minnesota leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WI
3.0%
MN
4.3%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WI
$59,333
MN
$68,478

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

WI
77.7 yrs
MN
79.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

WI
22%
MN
26%

Minnesota performs significantly 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Saint PaulRain: 28.5 in/yr (724 mm)
56°/38°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsMadisonSaint Paul
Jan–Mar33°/17°F (1°/-8°C)32°/16°F (0°/-9°C)
Apr–Jun68°/46°F (20°/8°C)69°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep78°/57°F (25°/14°C)79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
Oct–Dec44°/28°F (7°/-2°C)43°/27°F (6°/-3°C)
View all months
MonthMadisonSaint Paul
Jan26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C)25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C)
Feb31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C)30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C)
Mar43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C)42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C)
Apr57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C)
May68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C)
Jun78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C)79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C)
Jul82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C)
Aug79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C)81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C)
Sep72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C)72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C)
Oct59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C)59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C)
Nov44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C)42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C)
Dec30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C)28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Minnesota than Wisconsin?

On average Minnesota is around 3% pricier than Wisconsin, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?

Budget about $19,228 for 3 months in Minnesota (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Minnesota safe?

Wisconsin generally does better on safety, though Minnesota leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Minnesota compared to Wisconsin?

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

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

The average high temperature in Saint Paul is 56°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Saint Paul receives around 28.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.

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