City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 3.2% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $103,200 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Kennewick, WA to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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
| Kennewick, WA | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,860 in Milwaukee | $103,241 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
79 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kennewick, WA 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 Kennewick, WA to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Kennewick → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $61,480 | $63,473 (−36.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $123,730 | $127,740 (−0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $80,290 | $82,892 (−11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $97,360 | $100,516 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.