City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 4.2% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $104,200 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $537 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Louisville, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Louisville, KY to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| Louisville, KY | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,150 in Milwaukee | $96,015 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$537/yr.
56 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$537/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Louisville, KY 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 Louisville, KY to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Louisville → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $61,480 | $59,030 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $123,730 | $118,799 (+7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $80,290 | $77,090 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $97,360 | $93,480 (+10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.