Moving from Madison to Milwaukee
Your paycheck buys about the same in Milwaukee as in Madison. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Milwaukee: $89,600
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $89,600 in Milwaukee, WI to match $90,000 in Madison, WI ($400 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Wisconsin, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Wisconsin, its principal state. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
Madison vs Milwaukee: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,437 → $1,177/mo
- Median home value
- $415,500 → $331,100
- Median household income
- $89,714 → $77,919
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 97.3 → 96.9
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (87.8 → 90.5 of 100)
Madison vs Milwaukee cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Madison, WI | Milwaukee, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 97.3 | 96.9 |
| Median rent | $1,437 | $1,177 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $57,480 | $47,080 |
| Median home value | $415,500 | $331,100 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,857 | $2,252 |
| Income needed to buy | $122,459 | $96,535 |
| Median property tax | $5,977 | $4,240 |
| State income tax on $90,000 | $3,834 | $3,834 |
| Metro population | 707,606 | 1,574,452 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $90,000, rounded from Madison's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Madison vs Milwaukee
This fixed budget example uses $90,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On a $90,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $49,289 a year in Madison and $46,169 in Milwaukee if you rent: $3,120 less after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $67,781 and $60,522 ($7,259 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | MadisonBefore | MilwaukeeAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $90,000, single filer | $21,689 | $21,689 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $922 | $922 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,102 | $2,102 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,332 | $7,332 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $17,244 | $14,124 | -$3,120 |
| Total if you rent | $49,289 | $46,169 | -$3,120 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $27,184 | $21,662 | -$5,522 |
| Property tax median home | $5,977 | $4,240 | -$1,737 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,128 | $1,128 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,447 | $1,447 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $67,781 | $60,522 | -$7,259 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $18,604 a year in Madison and $18,604 in Milwaukee (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Who moves from Madison to Milwaukee
About 1,308 households (1,697 people) moved from the Madison metro area to the Milwaukee metro area in 2022–2023, making Milwaukee the #1 destination for people leaving Madison among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,347 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $65,723.
Cost to move from Madison to Milwaukee
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 90 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Madison vs Milwaukee
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 87.8 for the Madison area and 90.5 for the Milwaukee area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $385 vs $357 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Milwaukee cheaper than Madison?
Overall prices in the Milwaukee area are 0.4% lower than in Madison (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,177 vs $1,437 a month, and the median home is $331,100 vs $415,500.
What salary do I need in Milwaukee to match $100,000 in Madison?
About $99,500 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Both are in Wisconsin, so state income tax is the same. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
How much does it cost to move from Madison to Milwaukee?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 90 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Madison to Milwaukee?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,308 households (1,697 people) moved from the Madison metro area to the Milwaukee metro area, and 1,347 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Madison move
- Chicago 995 households
- Minneapolis 601 households
- Denver 257 households
- Seattle 256 households
- New York 228 households
- San Francisco 187 households
- Dallas 187 households
- Los Angeles 178 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.