Kenosha vs Phoenix
The short version
- Kenosha is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Phoenix area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $225,200 in Kenosha and $420,700 in Phoenix.
- Households earn more in Phoenix ($81,332 vs $71,239 median).
- Phoenix has the warmer winter: January highs of 68°F vs 31°F.
- Kenosha gets far more snow: 36 inches a year vs 0.
- Phoenix has more scorching days: 173 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 7.
- Phoenix is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs -0.8%.
Side by side
| Kenosha, WI | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 99,239 | 1,665,481 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.8% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 3,414 | 3,213 |
| Median age | 37.1 | 34.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $71,239 | $81,332 |
| Median home value | $225,200 | $420,700 |
| Home value to income | 3.2× | 5.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,186 | $1,582 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 101.1 | 103.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 95.8 | 121.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,800 | $77,500 |
| Homeowners | 59% | 57% |
| Top state income tax | 7.65% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 5.72% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.6 | 25.6 |
| Work from home | 10% | 19% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 5% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 13.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 17° | 68° / 46° |
| July high / low | 80° / 64° | 107° / 85° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 7 in |
| Snowfall per year | 36 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 7 | 173 |
| Nights below freezing | 122 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 85.0 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | n/a | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +8.4% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +54.4% | +35.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Kenosha: May to September. Phoenix: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Kenosha weather by month and Phoenix weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,800 in Kenosha and $77,500 in Phoenix. Moving from Kenosha to Phoenix, you would need about $76,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Kenosha and Phoenix
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Kenosha and Phoenix.
Which would you pick?
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