City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 3.5% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $103,500 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI.
- 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 −5.2% moving from Detroit, MI to Milwaukee, WI ($117,402 → $111,310), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,649 in Milwaukee | $103,467 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,119/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
80 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
58 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Detroit → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,548 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $78,098 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,606 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,310 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,535 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $108,990 | $101,550 | $105,071 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $123,730 | $128,020 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $80,290 | $83,074 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $97,360 | $100,736 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.