City comparison
Madison, WI vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 5.4% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $105,400 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Madison, WI to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,414 in Philadelphia | $94,864 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
53 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
86 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Madison → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $104,110 | $132,560 | $125,752 (+20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $133,040 | $126,207 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $85,990 | $81,574 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $101,180 | $95,984 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.