City comparison
Cleveland, 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 3.2% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $103,200 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Milwaukee, WI ($111,138 → $111,310), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,209 in Milwaukee | $96,891 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
59 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Cleveland → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,548 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $78,098 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,606 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $111,310 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,535 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $61,480 | $59,568 (−22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $123,730 | $119,883 (+7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $80,290 | $77,794 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $97,360 | $94,333 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.