City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charlotte, NC (97.3) and Milwaukee, WI (96.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charlotte, NC goes as far as $99,600 in Milwaukee, WI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Milwaukee, WI ($108,810 → $111,310), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,578 in Milwaukee | $100,424 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
70 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Charlotte → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $64,548 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $78,098 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $93,606 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $111,310 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $131,535 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,480 | $61,741 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $123,730 | $124,255 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $80,290 | $80,630 (−13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $97,360 | $97,773 (+7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.