City comparison
Madison, WI vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Madison, WI (97.3) and Milwaukee, WI (96.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Madison, WI goes as far as $99,600 in Milwaukee, WI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- Both are in WI, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,919 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Madison, WI to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,640 in Milwaukee | $100,361 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
70 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Madison → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $61,480 | $61,702 (−3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $123,730 | $124,177 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $80,290 | $80,580 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $97,360 | $97,712 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.