City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 1.6% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $101,600 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Milwaukee, WI ($110,865 → $111,310), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,643 in Milwaukee | $98,383 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,119/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
64 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Cincinnati → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $64,548 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $78,098 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $93,606 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $111,310 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $131,535 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,480 | $60,486 (−6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $123,730 | $121,730 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $80,290 | $78,992 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $97,360 | $95,786 (+14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.