City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 4.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $104,800 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,001 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Eugene, OR to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (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
| Eugene, OR | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,440 in Milwaukee | $104,777 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,001/yr.
84 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,001/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Eugene → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $61,480 | $64,417 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $123,730 | $129,641 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $80,290 | $84,126 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $97,360 | $102,011 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.