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Wisconsin

R+1  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 93

B

7.65%

Income Tax

295

Violent Crime / 100K

78.1

Life Expectancy

$285K

Median Home

$1,250

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

75/100
255075100TAXES61SAFETY72HEALTH86SCHOOLS80AFFORDABLE82LONGEVITY67

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Taxes

Income Tax

7.65% top

Property Tax

~$4,304/yr on median home

1.51% / yr

Sales Tax

5.43% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

93

Median Home Price

$285,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,200/mo

Home Insurance

Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$1,100/yr

Flood Insurance

$550/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

295 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

1,787 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

9 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

Top tier

#8 of 50

Life Expectancy

78.1 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Not Expanded

Uninsured Rate

Well below national avg

5.7%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#11 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,250/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$135/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$470/mo

Road Quality Rank

#11 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

75+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Regional airport — connections via hub

No

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

70% urban

Restaurant Density

440/100K

Religious Congregations

185/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

4 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

6 venues

Craft Breweries

3.7/100K residents — Solid scene

220 breweries

Craft Distilleries

Strong spirits scene

50 distilleries

Live Music

Milwaukee beer capital heritage (Miller, Pabst roots); Summerfest (world's largest music festival by attendance); Madison House of Blues

World-class

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,290

Traffic Fatality Rate

9 / 100K

Broadband Access

83% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

1849 near-total ban being challenged in courts; access uncertain

Limited

LGBTQ+ Protections

Moderate

Marijuana

Illegal

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Illegal

Casino Gambling

Tribal casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

23 tribal casinos. Sports betting bills have stalled due to tribal opposition to commercial expansion.

Yes

Age of Consent

18

Sex Education

No state sex ed mandate

Abstinence-plus

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Circle S Ranch (Hartford) · Wisconsin Badger Naturists

Clubs only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

34

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

blizzardtornadoflood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+1

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

Shall-issue

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Hunting & Outdoors

Public Land17% of state
Resident Deer License$24
Deer Archery SeasonSep 14 – Jan 6
CrossbowFull season

Wisconsin has one of the highest deer harvest totals in the nation. Long archery season from mid-September through early January.

Wisconsin DNR — Official Season Dates ↗

Finding nearby venues...

From r/hunting

Recently the Wisconsin Sentinel Journal had an opinion ...

The elk hunt is a lottery system. 25000 applications per year on average for a total of 2 elk tags. 515 elk in total in WI. It's $10 per app...

reddit.com ↗

1st public land deer, 1st buck, & 1st archery season ...

Report 1st public land deer, Wisconsin's largest bull elk illegally shot. Shooting on public land during hunting season...

reddit.com ↗

Elk in Central Wisconsin : r/Hunting

Wisconsin got it's first elk season with 5 whole tags being distributed elk have been reintroduced to Wisconsin, there's two herds now. larg...

reddit.com ↗

Wisconsin question : r/Hunting

You get two tags when you buy a license. 1. A buck tag for a deer with at least one 3" or longer antler. 2. A doe tag for the county you cho...

reddit.com ↗

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Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1% job growth · 3.2% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

ManufacturingHealthcareAgriculture

Tech Jobs

#26 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#13 of 50

Remote Work

18% of workers

Median Household Income

$75,670

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

7.9%

LLC Formation Fee

$130 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

$25/yr

Business Climate Rank

#31 of 50

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Below avg (-0.16 vs national avg)

$3.14/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks legal since 2022

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 22°F

Harsh

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

81°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

32" / yr

Tornado Risk

Low

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Low

Natural Hazards

21LOW danger
Mosquito density: legendaryLyme disease zonePolar vortex wintersDeer tick density HIGH

Venomous Snakes

Low

Spider Hazard

Low

Hurricane Risk

Minimal

Tornado Risk

Moderate

Wildfire Risk

Low

Earthquake Risk

Minimal

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.6% of state population are veterans

77/100

Property Tax Exemption

Disabled vet property tax credit

Partial

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Good

Notable Benefits

Military retirement fully exempt since 2022

Explore Wisconsin counties

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Trending in Wisconsin

The Democratic field for Wisconsin governor has been static for months. That could all change this week. - Wisconsin Watch

Wisconsin Watch · Jun 8

Meet the candidates running for Wisconsin lieutenant governor in 2026 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · Jun 8

Not Enough: Wisconsin’s Housing Outlook - The Monroe Times

The Monroe Times · Jun 8

Keeping manufactured homes affordable in Wisconsin - Spectrum News

Spectrum News · Jun 8

Wisconsin’s crowded governor’s race remains crowded after filing deadline - WPR

WPR · Jun 2

What Residents Say

what are the pros and cons about living in wisconsin?

And you can find houses for under 130k that arent complete piles o crud with taxes under 2500 a year at times....

reddit.com ↗

Moving from Florida to Wisconsin?

My husband and I have a 5-year goal to move to Wisconsin from Florida before our son starts high school. We just simply cannot afford to live in Florida ......

reddit.com ↗

Should I move from Illinois to Wisconsin for a better quality ...

better state, lower cost of living, Wisconsin state statutes limit schools ability to raise property taxes compared to Illinois. Cost of living ......

reddit.com ↗

California vs Wisconsin expenses?

Excluding housing and property tax, Aside from house prices, the main things that are noticeably cheaper are restaurants, electricity/gas, and ......

reddit.com ↗

Living in SE Wisconsin vs Northern IL?

Being raised in Wisconsin I have a deeply intrenched dislike for the state of Illinois generally speaking. However my family is relocating back to the ......

reddit.com ↗

First Home Dilemma: WI or IL for Commute & Job Security

home/mortgage costs and property tax. Taxes are generally lower and a buck stretches a bit more in WI....

reddit.com ↗

Considering moving from Texas to Wisconsin after military ...

Military retirement is not subject to Wisconsin income tax. The cost of living index is 97 vs a national average of 100. The annual income ......

reddit.com ↗

Cost of Living in Wisconsin : r/relocating

The north in general is very expensive per square foot. Less inventory as well since builders are making product where population is moving (south)....

reddit.com ↗

WI or IL? : r/wisconsin

Wisconsin has a sliding state income tax. The lowest rate is 3.5% and the highest is 7.65%. You have to make more than $304,000 to fall into the ......

reddit.com ↗

Living in this area of Wisconsin, pros and cons?

Hello I’ve posted on here before but I think my wife and I have narrowed down to this area to move to. I will be a firefighter in the south Minneapolis ......

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Wisconsin tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable