Moving from Wisconsin to Colorado
Moving to Colorado on the same salary cuts your real buying power by 8.7%; you'd need about $83,500 to break even. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in CO: $83,500
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $83,500 in Colorado to match $75,000 in Wisconsin ($8,500 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $75,000 | Wisconsin | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,670 | $7,670 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,738 | $5,738 |
| State income tax | $2,944 | $2,592 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $330 |
| Take-home pay | $58,649 | $58,671 |
Key facts: Wisconsin to Colorado
- Median rent
- $1,142 → $1,822/mo
- Median home value
- $294,700 → $574,600
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 94.1 → 103.1
- Road distance
- ≈ 1,030 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average → Among the highest
What changes when you move to Colorado
- State taxes are similar: the difference is under $250 a year at $75,000.
- BEA's housing price index is 61% higher in Colorado. Median rent goes from $1,142 to $1,822 a month and the median home value from $294,700 to $574,600.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $2,828 in Colorado vs $3,680 in Wisconsin.
- The average home electric bill is $101 a month in Colorado vs $111 in Wisconsin (EIA 2024), about $124 a year less.
- Prices for everyday goods are 5% higher (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 2.9% in Colorado vs 5% in Wisconsin, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from Wisconsin to Colorado
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 2,103 households (2,869 people) filed their taxes in Colorado after filing in Wisconsin the year before. That makes Colorado the #8 destination for people leaving Wisconsin. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $76,448. Going the other way, 1,771 households moved from Colorado to Wisconsin, a net gain of 332 households for Colorado.
Five-year trend
Moves from Wisconsin to Colorado peaked in 2021–22 at 2,206 households, then fell 5% by 2022–23. That is still up 6% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Wisconsin to Colorado
Moving cost: $750–$10,200
Moving about 1,030 miles from Wisconsin to Colorado costs roughly $750 – $10,200, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $750 – $3,100 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,580 – $3,870 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $2,560 – $10,200 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 103 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Wisconsin to Colorado
Car shipping: $890–$1,320
Shipping a sedan from Wisconsin to Colorado on an open carrier costs about $890–$1,320, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 1,030 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Wisconsin vs Colorado take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in CO | Take-home change | Take-home in WI | Take-home in CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $55,300 | -$135 | $40,778 | $40,643 |
| $75,000 | $83,500 | +$22 | $58,649 | $58,671 |
| $100,000 | $110,500 | +$296 | $74,752 | $75,048 |
| $150,000 | $164,800 | +$758 | $106,482 | $107,239 |
| $250,000 | $274,300 | +$1,506 | $170,573 | $172,079 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
Cost of living: Wisconsin vs Colorado
| Measure | Wisconsin | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 94.1 | 103.1 |
| Housing price index | 79.3 | 127.4 |
| Utilities price index | 89.9 | 85.0 |
| Goods price index | 94.3 | 98.7 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,142 | $1,822 |
| Median home value | $294,700 | $574,600 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $3,680 | $2,828 |
| Electricity (residential) | 19.56¢/kWh | 17.13¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 5% | 2.9% |
| Median household income | $77,488 | $97,113 |
Renting and buying: Wisconsin vs Colorado
| Measure | Wisconsin | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $45,680 | $72,880 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $1,961 | $3,466 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $84,055 | $148,554 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,128 | $2,253 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $17,963 | $20,978 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Colorado for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Wisconsin vs Colorado
On a $75,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $41,754 a year in Wisconsin and $49,625 in Colorado if you rent: $7,871 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $51,585 and $69,356 ($17,771 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | WI | CO | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $75,000, single filer | $16,351 | $16,329 | -$22 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,330 | $1,207 | -$123 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $922 | $1,453 | +$531 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,115 | $2,088 | -$27 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,332 | $6,684 | -$648 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $13,704 | $21,864 | +$8,160 |
| Total if you rent | $41,754 | $49,625 | +$7,871 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $18,727 | $36,514 | +$17,787 |
| Property tax median home | $3,680 | $2,828 | -$852 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,128 | $2,253 | +$1,125 |
| Total if you buy | $51,585 | $69,356 | +$17,771 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $17,963 a year in Wisconsin and $20,978 in Colorado (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in Colorado cities: Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley.
After you arrive in Colorado
- Colorado new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Wisconsin and Colorado.
- How Colorado taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Colorado to live like I do in Wisconsin?
A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin works out to about $83,500 in Colorado once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $110,500.
Will I pay less tax in Colorado than in Wisconsin?
Yes, about $22 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $75,000 salary (21.8% of pay in Wisconsin vs 21.8% in Colorado). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Wisconsin to Colorado?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 1,030 miles, expect roughly $750–$3,100 with a rental truck, $1,580–$3,870 with a moving container, or $2,560–$10,200 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Wisconsin to Colorado?
Moves from Wisconsin to Colorado peaked in 2021–22 at 2,206 households, then fell 5% by 2022–23. That is still up 6% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Wisconsin to Colorado?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 2,103 households (2,869 people) moved from Wisconsin to Colorado, making Colorado the #8 destination for people leaving Wisconsin. 1,771 households moved the other way.
Is Colorado cheaper than Wisconsin?
Overall prices in Colorado are 9.6% higher than Wisconsin (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,822 vs $1,142 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Wisconsin actually move
- WI to Minnesota 8,321 households
- WI to Illinois 8,111 households
- WI to Florida 5,044 households
- WI to Texas 3,710 households
- WI to California 2,645 households
- WI to Arizona 2,415 households
- WI to Michigan 2,334 households
- WI to North Carolina 1,541 households