Michigan and Wisconsin at a glance
Moving between Michigan and Wisconsin changes more than the scenery. On a $60,000 salary, Michigan leaves $27,496 a year after taxes, rent, food, energy and gasoline; Wisconsin leaves $28,910.
Wisconsin comes out ahead by $1,414 a year ($118 a month). The calculation starts from the same gross pay in both states, subtracts federal tax, Social Security and Medicare, then each state's own income tax, and then the population-weighted cost of a one-bedroom rental, groceries, home energy and gasoline across 10,077,761 people in 83 counties in Michigan and 5,914,872 people in 72 counties in Wisconsin.
Taxes: what each paycheck loses
Federal income tax ($5,072) and FICA ($4,590) on $60,000 are the same on both sides of the border. State income tax takes $2,304 in Michigan and $2,028 in Wisconsin, which leaves take-home pay of $48,035 and $48,311.
At $100,000
At $100,000 take-home pay is $74,898 in Michigan and $74,753 in Wisconsin, a difference of $144. The gap does not widen much with income because the two states tax at similar rates.
Living costs
One-bedroom rent averages $1,101 a month in Michigan and $1,020 in Wisconsin, so Wisconsin is $81 a month cheaper for housing. Food costs $3,436 a year in both, because the USDA Thrifty Food Plan is a national figure; home energy $2,455 and $2,209, and gasoline $1,436 and $1,518. Together the basics cost $20,539 a year in Michigan and $19,401 in Wisconsin.
What the Census adds
Median household income is $72,875 in Michigan and $77,485 in Wisconsin. Homeowners pay a median of $2,904 a year in property tax in Michigan and $3,792 in Wisconsin. Commuters travel 24.2 minutes each way on average in Michigan and 22.2 in Wisconsin.
Method
Taxes use the 2025 rules for a single filer with wage income only and the standard deduction. Housing and living costs are county figures from HUD (one-bedroom Fair Market Rent), the USDA Thrifty Food Plan and state energy prices from the Energy Information Administration, averaged across each state's counties and weighted by population, so large counties count more. Local income taxes are not included. Counties differ widely inside every state, so use the county pages for a specific place.