City comparison
Madison, WI vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Madison, WI (97.3) and Virginia Beach, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Madison, WI goes as far as $100,700 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,016 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Madison, WI to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,672 in Virginia Beach | $99,332 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,016/yr.
67 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,016/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Madison → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $63,380 | $62,957 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $129,090 | $128,228 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $79,450 | $78,919 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $89,450 | $88,853 (−12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.