City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 8.9% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $108,900 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $648 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Madison, WI ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,949 in Madison | $91,786 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$648/yr.
43 Weak offer
Madison, WI → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$648/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Madison, WI | Real change, Columbus → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −13.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −13.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −13.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −13.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −13.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $63,690 | $58,459 (−4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $130,630 | $119,900 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $81,130 | $74,466 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $101,190 | $92,878 (+12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.