United States
Cost of living in Wisconsin
Cost of living in Wisconsin stands at 94.1, or 6 percent below the US average of 100, placing it 32nd among 51 jurisdictions. The income tax is progressive with a top rate of 7.65 percent, which is the highest of any state in this group and notable for a state in the affordable tier. However, 2025 legislation expanded the 4.4 percent bracket to cover single-filer income up to $50,480, substantially reducing the tax burden for middle earners compared to prior years. The state sales tax is 5 percent, with no state-level local additions, giving Wisconsin one of the cleaner sales tax structures in the Midwest. The price level of 94.1 reflects a state where housing outside Madison and Milwaukee is genuinely inexpensive, wages in manufacturing and healthcare are competitive, and everyday goods cost less than in coastal or Sun Belt growth markets.
Price level
94.1
US = 100
National rank
32nd
of 51, dearest first
Income tax
7.65%
top rate
Sales tax
5%
state base rate
What your salary is worth in Wisconsin
Because prices here sit at 94.1 against the national 100, the same paycheck stretches differently than it would elsewhere. These figures hold buying power constant: the salary listed is what you would need in Wisconsin to live as you would on the reference amount in another place.
| Same lifestyle as | $60,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| US average | $56,460 | $94,100 |
| California (dearest) | $51,003 | $85,005 |
| Arkansas (cheapest) | $64,971 | $108,285 |
Compare Wisconsin with anywhere in the US
To live the same in California you need
$82,349
to match $70,000 in Wisconsin
Price level, US = 100
The equivalent salary keeps your purchasing power constant: it is your pay scaled by the ratio of the two price levels. Regional Price Parities measure what a fixed basket of goods and services costs locally. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.
Wisconsin in context
Wisconsin's affordability is anchored primarily in housing. Small and mid-size cities such as Green Bay, Appleton, Eau Claire, and Wausau consistently show median home prices well below $250,000, making homeownership accessible on single moderate incomes. Madison, as a state capital and university city, and Milwaukee's closer suburbs carry higher prices that pull the statewide metric up slightly. The progressive income tax structure means that lower and middle earners pay rates of 3.5 percent or 4.4 percent on most of their income, despite the 7.65 percent headline rate. Wisconsin's 5 percent sales tax with no mandatory local additions keeps consumption costs predictable. The state suits mid-career professionals, families seeking affordable homeownership, and retirees who can tolerate cold winters in exchange for a cost structure that extends purchasing power considerably beyond what an equivalent income would achieve in Illinois or Minnesota.
The closest state above Wisconsin on price is North Carolina at 94.3. Just below sits South Carolina at 93.7.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wisconsin expensive to live in?
Wisconsin sits at a price level of 94.1 where the US average is 100, so a typical basket of goods and services costs about 6% less than the national norm. That ranks it 32nd most expensive of 51 states. Housing is usually the largest single driver of the gap.
What salary do you need in Wisconsin?
To match the buying power of $60,000 earned at the US average, you would need about $56,460 in Wisconsin. The figure scales with the price level: a place dearer than average needs more, a cheaper one needs less. Your own number also depends on housing choice and household size.
How much tax does Wisconsin charge?
Wisconsin applies a top state income-tax rate of 7.65% and a base state sales tax of 5%. Single-filer brackets. 2025 Wisconsin Act 15 expanded the 4.4% bracket so it now ends at $50,480 (up from $29,370) for single filers. Wisconsin uses a sliding-scale standard deduction that phases down as income rises; the maximum for single filers (2025) is about $13,560 and reaches $0 at higher incomes. State sales tax base rate 5.0%. Local jurisdictions can add their own sales tax on top.
Cost of living in other states
Price levels are Regional Price Parities from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (SARPP, MARPP), 2024 (public domain). State tax figures are the latest published rates from state revenue departments. All figures are estimates for general comparison and not financial advice; your own costs depend on housing, household size and lifestyle.