City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lancaster, PA (98.3) and Madison, WI (97.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lancaster, PA goes as far as $99,000 in Madison, WI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Lancaster, PA to Madison, WI ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (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
| Lancaster, PA | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,013 in Madison | $100,997 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
72 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Lancaster, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Madison, WI | Real change, Lancaster → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $63,690 | $64,325 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $130,630 | $131,932 (+26.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $81,130 | $81,939 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $101,190 | $102,199 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.