City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 4.1% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $104,100 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $385 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Salt Lake City, UT ($111,310 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,055 in Salt Lake City | $96,103 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$385/yr.
57 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$385/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Milwaukee → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $61,722 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $74,678 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $89,508 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $106,437 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $125,776 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $77,920 | $74,883 (+21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $129,600 | $124,549 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $82,100 | $78,900 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $85,890 | $82,543 (−15.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.