City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 2.3% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $102,300 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 21% in Jacksonville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Jacksonville, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Jacksonville, FL to Madison, WI changes real buying power by +2.3%, purely from prices.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (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
| Jacksonville, FL | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,792 in Madison | $102,258 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
76 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Jacksonville, FL to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Madison, WI | Real change, Jacksonville → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $63,690 | $65,128 (+6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $130,630 | $133,580 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $81,130 | $82,962 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $101,190 | $103,475 (+23.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.