Moving to Texas from Wisconsin
What to Expect
Considering a move from Wisconsin to Texas? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Wisconsin to Texas, you would find that Texas is 1.2% cheaper than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly $75,043 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Austin averages 79°F vs 56°F in Madison, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Wisconsin and Texas.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $75,043
To maintain the same standard of living in Texas
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.8% more
Groceries
pay 2.3% less
Transportation
pay 6.0% more
Housing
pay 14.2% more
Childcare
pay 32.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.1% less
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 Texas compared to Wisconsin.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Wisconsin performs better than Texas across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Wisconsin performs better than Texas across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Wisconsin generally does better on infrastructure, though Texas leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
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 Texas leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Wisconsin performs better than Texas 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madison | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) | 65°/40°F (18°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 93°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madison | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) | 61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) | 64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C) |
| Mar | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) | 71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C) |
| Apr | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) | 79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C) |
| May | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) | 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) | 91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) | 94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) | 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) | 90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) | 81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C) |
| Nov | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) | 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C) |
| Dec | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) | 62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Texas than Wisconsin?
Texas and Wisconsin are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Texas?
Budget about $18,761 for 3 months in Texas (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Texas safe?
Wisconsin performs better than Texas across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Texas compared to Wisconsin?
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Texas compared to Wisconsin?
The average high temperature in Austin is 79°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Austin receives around 36.2 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.
