City comparison
Madison, WI vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Madison, WI (97.3) and Reading, PA (97.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Madison, WI goes as far as $99,800 in Reading, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Madison, WI to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,767 in Reading | $100,234 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
69 Fair offer
Reading, PA → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Reading, PA | Real change, Madison → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $79,860 | $80,047 (+25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $120,920 | $121,203 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $75,550 | $75,727 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $98,470 | $98,700 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.