Uprootmap
Wausau vs Rochester
Wausau and Rochester
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 Rochester are under the US rate in this release, 2.2 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Wausau to Rochester
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Wausau to Rochester above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $748 in Wausau and $1,330 in Rochester. Wausau has a state tax on wages. Rochester has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Rochester is 106% of the national level for the same work, against 96% in Wausau.
Rochester averages 195 sunny days, with July highs around 80°F and January nights around 15°F. Wausau is 190 sunny days, 81°F in July, 17°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Rochester and 19 in Wausau.
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 Wausau → Rochester 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 Wausau and Rochester 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 Rochester
Questions
Is Rochester cheaper than Wausau after tax and rent?
No. Rochester leaves about $482 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $748 in Wausau and $1,330 in Rochester.
Does Rochester have state income tax?
Rochester is in Minnesota, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Wausau to Rochester?
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.