2026
Moving from Wisconsin?
Where you keep the most after tax and rent. The comparison starts in Milwaukee, WI, the largest metro in Wisconsin on this site. One adult, one bedroom, $80,000 held the same in every city. State income tax there is $3,142 a year, and $1,971 a month is left after tax and rent.
No state income tax
The strongest leftover metro in each state that does not tax wages. The tax change is versus Wisconsin on $80,000.
- Anchorage, AK
$1,705/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Sebring, FL
$2,422/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Carson City, NV
$2,130/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Manchester, NH
$1,539/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Sioux Falls, SD
$2,549/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Morristown, TN
$2,592/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Lubbock, TX
$2,695/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Spokane, WA
$2,287/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
- Cheyenne, WY
$2,358/mo left · state tax −$3,142/yr
Where people from Wisconsin moved
IRS migration, 2022-2023. Outflows from metros in Wisconsin to metros in other states, summed. The move link starts in the city that sent the most returns on that route.
| Destination | Returns | People | State tax change | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILfrom Milwaukee | 4,447 | 6,195 | +$681/yr | $1,417/mo |
| Minneapolis, MNfrom Madison | 2,283 | 2,998 | +$835/yr | $1,737/mo |
| Phoenix, AZfrom Milwaukee | 1,326 | 2,170 | −$1,507/yr | $1,954/mo |
| Dallas, TXfrom Milwaukee | 661 | 1,256 | −$3,142/yr | $2,130/mo |
| Rockford, ILfrom Janesville | 593 | 1,012 | +$681/yr | $2,187/mo |
| Denver, COfrom Milwaukee | 553 | 687 | −$264/yr | $1,587/mo |
| New York, NYfrom Madison | 450 | 496 | +$653/yr | -$349/mo |
| Seattle, WAfrom Madison | 419 | 534 | −$3,142/yr | $1,500/mo |
| Los Angeles, CAfrom Milwaukee | 401 | 526 | +$325/yr | $428/mo |
| Houston, TXfrom Milwaukee | 375 | 686 | −$3,142/yr | $2,251/mo |
Where the paycheck goes furthest
Top 25 metros outside Wisconsin by monthly leftover on $80,000. Versus Milwaukee.
| Rank | Metro | Left over | Vs Milwaukee | State tax change | Paid to move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames, IA | $2,706/mo | +$735/mo | −$657/yr | — |
| 2 | Fargo, ND | $2,705/mo | +$734/mo | −$2,812/yr | — |
| 3 | Lubbock, TX | $2,695/mo | +$724/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 4 | Wichita Falls, TX | $2,685/mo | +$714/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 5 | McAllen, TX | $2,679/mo | +$708/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 6 | Longview, TX | $2,672/mo | +$701/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 7 | Amarillo, TX | $2,652/mo | +$681/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 8 | Grand Forks, ND | $2,646/mo | +$675/mo | −$2,812/yr | — |
| 9 | Davenport, IA | $2,636/mo | +$665/mo | −$657/yr | — |
| 10 | Texarkana, TX | $2,635/mo | +$664/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 11 | Waterloo, IA | $2,625/mo | +$654/mo | −$657/yr | — |
| 12 | Dubuque, IA | $2,621/mo | +$650/mo | −$657/yr | — |
| 13 | Cape Girardeau, MO | $2,618/mo | +$647/mo | −$309/yr | — |
| 14 | Jefferson City, MO | $2,610/mo | +$639/mo | −$309/yr | — |
| 15 | Killeen, TX | $2,606/mo | +$635/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 16 | Laredo, TX | $2,603/mo | +$632/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 17 | Iowa City, IA | $2,601/mo | +$630/mo | −$657/yr | — |
| 18 | Morristown, TN | $2,592/mo | +$621/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 19 | Sherman, TX | $2,589/mo | +$618/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 20 | St. Joseph, MO | $2,584/mo | +$613/mo | −$309/yr | — |
| 21 | Eagle Pass, TX | $2,576/mo | +$605/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 22 | Alexandria, LA | $2,573/mo | +$602/mo | −$1,117/yr | — |
| 23 | El Paso, TX | $2,564/mo | +$593/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 24 | Beaumont, TX | $2,555/mo | +$584/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
| 25 | Sioux Falls, SD | $2,549/mo | +$578/mo | −$3,142/yr | — |
Staying in Wisconsin
State income tax does not change. Rent still does. Compared with Milwaukee.
- Wausau · $2,468/mo · +$497 vs Milwaukee
- La Crosse · $2,339/mo · +$368 vs Milwaukee
- Green Bay · $2,334/mo · +$363 vs Milwaukee
- Eau Claire · $2,312/mo · +$341 vs Milwaukee
- Fond du Lac · $2,307/mo · +$336 vs Milwaukee
Moving from another state
- Alabama
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- Ohio
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- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Cities that pay you to moveTake-home by jobMilwaukee paycheck
Questions
Where do people from Wisconsin move?
Among metros on this site, the largest IRS flow out of Wisconsin in 2022-2023 is to Chicago, IL: 4,447 tax returns, about 6,195 people. The link uses the Milwaukee corridor, which sent the most of those returns.
How does state income tax change when you leave Wisconsin?
On $80,000 for a single filer, Wisconsin state income tax is $3,142 a year. The change column is the destination's state income tax minus that figure. A negative number is a smaller state tax bill. Local wage taxes are not in that column. They are in the leftover figure.
Where does a paycheck from Wisconsin go furthest?
At $80,000 held flat, one adult in a one-bedroom keeps $2,706 a month in Ames, IA, +$735 versus Milwaukee.