Wisconsin
Among the top 25% of US states for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 67% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 49% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 75% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 55% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 69% of US states
- top 8% for unemployment
- top 12% for amenities nearby
- bottom 12% for property tax rate
Wisconsin is a U.S. state with about 5,882,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and C for weather. Standout strengths include unemployment, amenities nearby, and sales tax. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and property tax rate.
Official websitewisconsin.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$74k51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 78% of US states
Home Value$234k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$985better than 65% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 57% of US states
Property Tax Rate1.65%better than 12% of US states
Income Tax7.60%better than 20% of US states
Sales Tax5.70%better than 84% of US states
Estimated total tax burden14.71%better than 18% of US states
Unemployment3.4%better than 92% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)20°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation35.3 in29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall46.6 inbetter than 25% of US states
Sunny Days203 daysbetter than 20% of US states
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 63% of US states
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 76% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.6better than 59% of US states
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 46% of US states
School Quality63.3better than 56% of US states
Violent Crime823/100kbetter than 84% of US states
Property Crime1335/100kbetter than 74% of US states
Community
Population5,882,12863rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.275th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2822nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0173rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)79.9%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.1%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.3%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.8%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 78% of US states
Walkability8.7/20better than 49% of US states
Airport Distance70 mibetter than 33% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.8%better than 43% of US states
Amenities Nearby7.18better than 88% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 49% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wisconsin an affordable place to live?
- Wisconsin is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 78% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wisconsin?
- The median home value in Wisconsin is $234k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wisconsin?
- Median household income in Wisconsin is $74k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wisconsin?
- Median gross rent in Wisconsin is $985 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wisconsin safe?
- Wisconsin is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 823/100k (better than 84%). Property crime is 1335/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wisconsin?
- Wisconsin averages 72°F in July and 20°F in January, with 35.3 in of annual precipitation and about 203 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wisconsin?
- Public-school quality in Wisconsin is about average, scoring better than 56% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wisconsin?
- The average one-way commute in Wisconsin is 22 min.
Best places to live in Wisconsin
Top cities in Wisconsin
Counties in Wisconsin
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)