City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 2.0% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $102,000 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Madison, WI ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,010 in Madison | $98,030 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
63 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Madison, WI | Real change, Cincinnati → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $63,690 | $62,435 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $130,630 | $128,056 (+5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $81,130 | $79,531 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $101,190 | $99,196 (+18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.