Side-by-side state comparison

Minnesota vs Wisconsin Paycheck Comparison (2026)

Enter a salary below to see the take-home pay difference between Minnesota and Wisconsin for 2026, broken down line by line.

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Annual Salary

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Filing Status

Location A

State

Location B

State

Wisconsin takes home more

+$1,252

more per year vs. Minnesota · $104/mo · $48/paycheck

5-Year Difference

$6,260

Tax Component

Minnesota

Wisconsinwinner

Gross Salary$100,000$100,000

Federal Tax$13,170$13,170

Social Security$6,200$6,200

Medicare$1,450$1,450

State Tax$5,277$4,465

Local / City Tax$0$0

State Payroll Deductions$440$0

Annual Take-Home$73,463$74,715

Effective Tax Rate26.54%25.28%

This estimate is for planning purposes only and does not constitute tax or financial advice. Actual paycheck withholding depends on your employer's payroll system, custom W-4 elections, additional income, and personal tax situation. For specific tax-planning decisions, consult a licensed CPA or tax professional.

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Minnesota's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) employee contribution is included in the Minnesota side of these headline numbers.

Both states' minimal local-tax overhead means the state-only headline numbers are essentially the complete state-and-local picture for residents of either state.

Quick answer

Wisconsin pulls ahead of Minnesota at $100,000 single by approximately $1,252 per year, roughly $104 per month. Minnesota runs a progressive bracket schedule topping at 9.85%, with Minnesota PFML as a per-paycheck deduction. Wisconsin runs a progressive schedule topping at 7.65%, with no state-administered employee payroll programs.

Minnesota and Wisconsin are neighboring Upper Midwest states with progressive income taxes at meaningfully different top rates. Minnesota runs a progressive bracket schedule topping at 9.85%, among the higher-burden progressive states in the country, with Minnesota PFML as a per-paycheck deduction. Wisconsin runs a progressive bracket schedule topping at 7.65%, sitting modestly below Minnesota's top rate, with no state-administered employee payroll programs at the wage level. The Twin Cities anchor Minnesota's economy with a deep medical-and-finance cluster (Mayo Clinic, UnitedHealth Group, US Bank, Target headquarters, 3M, General Mills, Cargill, Best Buy). Wisconsin splits its economic identity between Milwaukee (Harley-Davidson, GE Healthcare, Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation), Madison (Epic Systems, University of Wisconsin), and Green Bay (Packers, paper-and-packaging legacy). At $100,000 single, a Minnesota resident takes home $73,463 versus a Wisconsin resident's $74,715, a gap of $1,252 per year with Wisconsin in front. The dollar spread widens at higher salaries as Minnesota's marginal rate climbs through upper brackets, with the gap reaching its widest point at $250k single.

At $100,000 single filer, take-home difference

Moving from Minnesota to Wisconsin saves approximately $1,252 per year at $100,000 single.

Computed from the tax engine with 2026 federal brackets, FICA, and state tax. Standard deduction, no pre-tax contributions.

How the state tax structures compare

Feature	Minnesota	Wisconsin
State structure	Progressive 5.35 to 9.85 percent	Progressive 3.5 to 7.65 percent
Taxes wages?	Yes	Yes

Take-home at four common salary points

Single filer, 2026 brackets, standard deduction, no pre-tax contributions. Delta is Wisconsin take-home minus Minnesota take-home.

Salary	Minnesota	Wisconsin	Delta
$50,000	$40,258	$40,747	+$489
$100,000	$73,463	$74,715	+$1,252
$150,000	$104,189	$106,445	+$2,256
$250,000	$164,945	$170,536	+$5,591

What this comparison includes

This comparison computes 2026 take-home pay in Minnesota and Wisconsin side by side, using 2026 federal brackets after the standard deduction, FICA contributions (Social Security up to the annual wage base, Medicare on all wages, plus the Additional Medicare Tax above the filing-status threshold), and each state's income tax schedule along with any state-administered payroll programs and supported local layers. It excludes employer-side payroll taxes, custom W-4 elections, supplemental-wage handling for bonuses or equity vesting, and income from sources other than W-2 wages. City-level taxes are layered only on the dedicated metro pages; this comparison covers state-and-typical-local figures only, so a worker considering a specific metro should follow the relevant city link in the See also section.

Minnesota vs Wisconsin FAQ

How much more is take-home in Wisconsin than Minnesota at $100,000?

At $100,000 single, a Wisconsin resident keeps approximately $1,252 more per year than a Minnesota resident, roughly $104 per month. Minnesota's progressive state line of $5,277 sits above Wisconsin's $4,465 at this salary, plus Minnesota's PFML payroll line. Federal income tax and FICA are identical at the same gross.

Does the MN vs WI gap grow with salary?

Yes, the spread widens dramatically with salary. At $250k single the gap reaches $5,590; at $150k $2,255; at $50k it starts at $489. Minnesota's progressive top of 9.85% climbs steeply through upper brackets, while Wisconsin's top of 7.65% runs lower across the schedule. Minnesota's PFML payroll line layers on top.

Does this comparison include local taxes?

The state-only view is essentially complete here. Minnesota has no broad city or county wage tax outside Minneapolis-area local fees. Wisconsin has no city or county wage tax of any kind. The state lines shown capture nearly the full state-and-local picture for residents of both states, plus Minnesota's PFML payroll line.

How does married filing jointly, head of household, or filing separately change the MN vs WI gap?

Married filing jointly widens federal brackets and doubles the federal standard deduction, easing the federal load on both sides. Both states widen their MFJ brackets at roughly double the single thresholds, softening each state line. Minnesota publishes a distinct HoH schedule per Minn. Stat. ch. 290 and uses MFJ-halved brackets for MFS. Wisconsin puts heads of household on its Single rate schedule but gives them a larger standard deduction, and publishes a separate, narrower schedule for filing separately. Minnesota's PFML payroll line applies per worker across all four statuses.

What about cost-of-living differences between Minnesota and Wisconsin?

Twin Cities housing has climbed steadily over the past decade but remains below most coastal US metros on a price-per-square-foot basis. Milwaukee and Madison run modestly below the Twin Cities (Madison's UW gravity keeps it close); Green Bay and the rural Wisconsin balance run lower still. Property tax favors Wisconsin in many comparable county pairs. Match metro to metro.

How does MN vs WI compare to other progressive-vs-progressive pairs?

Among progressive-vs-progressive Midwest pairs, MN/WI produces a wider absolute spread than most because of Minnesota's higher top bracket. Massachusetts vs North Carolina (Group D3) takes two flat-rate states for a different region's contrast. Connecticut vs New Jersey (Group D2) puts two progressive Northeast states side by side at much higher top rates than the Upper Midwest pair.

How This Page Is Reviewed

The Minnesota vs Wisconsin comparison is reviewed against primary federal and state sources before each major tax-year update. Source links below are the references used to validate brackets, wage bases, and supported local taxes.

Reviewed by

PaycheckCalc Research Desk

Last reviewed

2026-07-12

Primary sources