Moving to New Jersey from Wisconsin

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Wisconsin to New Jersey, you would find that New Jersey is 23.9% more expensive than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly $96,895 in New Jersey to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Wisconsin and New Jersey.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $96,895

To maintain the same standard of living in New Jersey

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 11.2% more

Groceries

pay 29.4% more

Transportation

pay 37.5% more

Housing

pay 42.8% more

Childcare

pay 3.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 24.6% 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 New Jersey compared to Wisconsin.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WI
286
NJ
215
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WI
1204
NJ
1481

Wisconsin generally does better on safety, though New Jersey 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%
NJ
7.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WI
37.8%
NJ
30.0%

Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Jersey leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

WI
$247,400
NJ
$427,600
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WI
$1,045
NJ
$1,653

Wisconsin performs better than New Jersey across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WI
89.5%
NJ
91.9%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WI
22 min
NJ
31 min

Wisconsin generally does better on infrastructure, though New Jersey 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%
NJ
4.5%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WI
$59,333
NJ
$70,788

New Jersey 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
NJ
77.5 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

WI
22%
NJ
29%

Wisconsin generally does better on family life, though New Jersey 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

TrentonRain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63°/44°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsMadisonTrenton
Jan–Mar33°/17°F (1°/-8°C)44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun68°/46°F (20°/8°C)71°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep78°/57°F (25°/14°C)82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec44°/28°F (7°/-2°C)54°/36°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
MonthMadisonTrenton
Jan26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C)39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C)
Feb31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C)42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C)
Mar43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C)51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C)
Apr57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C)
May68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C)
Jun78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C)81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C)
Jul82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C)
Aug79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C)84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C)
Sep72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C)76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C)
Oct59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C)65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C)
Nov44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C)54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C)
Dec30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C)43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in New Jersey than Wisconsin?

On average New Jersey is around 29% pricier than Wisconsin, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to New Jersey?

Budget about $24,224 for 3 months in New Jersey (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is New Jersey safe?

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

How is healthcare in New Jersey compared to Wisconsin?

Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Jersey leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in New Jersey compared to Wisconsin?

The average high temperature in Trenton is 63°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Trenton receives around 46.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.

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