Uprootmap
Rochester vs Wausau
Rochester and Wausau
Photo: Wikideas1 / Wikimedia, CC0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Wausau are under the US rate in this release, 1.5 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Rochester to Wausau
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Rochester to Wausau above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,330 in Rochester and $748 in Wausau. Rochester has a state tax on wages. Wausau has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Wausau is 96% of the national level for the same work, against 106% in Rochester.
Wausau averages 190 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 17°F. Rochester is 195 sunny days, 80°F in July, 15°F in January. Commutes average 19 minutes in Wausau and 21 in Rochester.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Rochester → Wausau pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Rochester and Wausau changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 171 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,700–$3,200
- Container or pod
- $1,150–$2,150
- Rent a truck
- $450–$850
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Dig into Wausau
Questions
Is Wausau cheaper than Rochester after tax and rent?
Yes. Wausau leaves about $482 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,330 in Rochester and $748 in Wausau.
Does Wausau have state income tax?
Wausau is in Wisconsin, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Rochester to Wausau?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.