Moving to Virginia from Wisconsin
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Wisconsin to Virginia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Wisconsin to Virginia, you would find that Virginia is 13.0% more expensive than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly $89,071 in Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Richmond averages 70°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 Virginia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $89,071
To maintain the same standard of living in Virginia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 10.9% more
Groceries
pay 25.1% more
Transportation
pay 18.1% more
Housing
pay 24.3% more
Childcare
pay 3.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.7% more
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 Virginia.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Wisconsin generally does better on safety, though Virginia leads in violent crime rate.
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 Virginia 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 Virginia 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 Virginia 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
Virginia generally does better on employment & economy, though Wisconsin leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Wisconsin generally does better on family life, though Virginia 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madison | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) | 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madison | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) | 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) |
| Feb | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) | 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) |
| Mar | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) | 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) |
| Apr | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) | 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) |
| May | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) | 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) | 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) |
| Aug | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) | 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) |
| Oct | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) | 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) |
| Nov | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) | 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) |
| Dec | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) | 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Virginia than Wisconsin?
No — Virginia is on average about 19% more expensive than Wisconsin. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Virginia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $22,268 in Virginia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Virginia safe?
Wisconsin generally does better on safety, though Virginia leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Virginia compared to Wisconsin?
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Virginia leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Virginia compared to Wisconsin?
The average high temperature in Richmond is 70°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Richmond receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.
