Is North Dakota or Wisconsin a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, North Dakota ranks higher overall. North Dakota is #7 and Wisconsin is #20 out of 50 states. North Dakota wins 8 of 11 categories, while Wisconsin wins 3.

How does North Dakota compare to Wisconsin in cost of living?

North Dakota has a cost of living index of 89, while Wisconsin's is 93 (100 = national average). North Dakota is more affordable.

Which state is safer, North Dakota or Wisconsin?

North Dakota has 267 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 295 in Wisconsin. North Dakota has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in North Dakota vs Wisconsin?

North Dakota's median household income is $72,583, compared to $72,458 in Wisconsin.

North Dakota vs Wisconsin: Side-by-Side (2026)

North Dakota

#7·Midwest

76.6Composite Score

VSNorth Dakota leads

Wisconsin

#20·Midwest

65.2Composite Score

8ND wins

3WI wins

Category Overlay

North DakotaWisconsin

Category Scores

💰 EconomyND +11.5

67.7

56.2

🛡️ SafetyWI +7.4

62.5

69.9

🏥 HealthND +14.3

65.3

51.0

🎓 EducationND +16.3

81.6

65.3

💼 Fiscal HealthND +6.2

69.8

63.6

📈 GrowthND +10.0

53.7

43.7

🏠 AffordabilityND +11.3

84.7

73.4

🌿 EnvironmentWI +2.1

38.5

40.6

🏞️ Outdoor AccessND +15.2

39.1

23.9

🚇 TransportationWI +4.2

50.3

54.5

🎭 LivabilityND +7.8

47.3

39.5

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	North Dakota	Wisconsin	Winner
Population	783,926	5,910,955	WI
Median Income	$72,583	$72,458	ND
Unemployment	2.2%	3%	ND
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	267	295	ND
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	89	93	ND
HS Graduation Rate	89%	90%	WI
Life Expectancy	79 yr	78.4 yr	ND
Pop Growth	+0.8%	+0.4%	ND

North Dakota vs Wisconsin: How Do They Compare?

North Dakota ranks #7 overall with a composite score of 76.6, earning a A grade. Wisconsin sits at #20 with 65.2 and a B grade. North Dakota has the edge overall, winning 8 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, North Dakota has 2.2% unemployment and a $72,583 median income, while Wisconsin reports 3% unemployment and $72,458 median income.

For safety, North Dakota's violent crime rate is 267 per 100K compared to 295 in Wisconsin. Cost of living favors North Dakota with an index of 89 vs 93.

Explore These States

North Dakota Full Profile76.6 Wisconsin Full Profile65.2 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023