City comparison
Madison, WI vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 3.8% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $103,800 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,489 in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Madison, WI to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,831 in Reno | $96,310 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
57 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Reno, NV | Real change, Madison → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $62,430 | $60,127 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $125,710 | $121,072 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $82,370 | $79,331 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $107,520 | $103,553 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.