City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 5.0% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $105,000 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Madison, WI ($106,955 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,981 in Madison | $95,255 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
54 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Madison, WI | Real change, Corpus Christi → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $63,690 | $60,668 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $130,630 | $124,432 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $81,130 | $77,281 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $101,190 | $96,389 (+16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.