City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 3.1% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $103,100 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,919 in WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Madison, WI ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,998 in Madison | $103,095 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
78 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Madison, WI | Real change, Detroit → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $63,690 | $65,661 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $130,630 | $134,673 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $81,130 | $83,641 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $101,190 | $104,322 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.