City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 1.1% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $101,100 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $272 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Madison, WI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Boise City, ID to Madison, WI changes real buying power by +1.1%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,878 in Madison | $101,135 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$272/yr.
72 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$272/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Madison, WI | Real change, Boise City → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $63,690 | $64,413 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $130,630 | $132,112 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $81,130 | $82,051 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $101,190 | $102,338 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.