City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 1.0% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $101,000 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,016 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.0% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Virginia Beach, VA ($111,310 → $108,019), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,036 in Virginia Beach | $98,975 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/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 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,016/yr.
66 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,016/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Milwaukee → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $62,640 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $75,788 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $90,838 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $108,019 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $127,646 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $63,380 | $62,730 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $129,090 | $127,767 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $79,450 | $78,636 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $89,450 | $88,533 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.