City comparison
Madison, WI vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 5.5% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $105,500 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Madison, WI to Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +5.5%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,750 in Memphis | $105,541 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
86 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
52 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 Madison, WI to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Memphis, TN | Real change, Madison → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $61,510 | $64,919 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $125,580 | $132,539 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $76,960 | $81,225 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $81,500 | $86,016 (−15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.