City comparison
Akron, OH vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 3.8% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $103,800 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Akron, OH to Milwaukee, WI ($111,138 → $111,310), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,820 in Milwaukee | $96,320 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
57 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Akron → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,548 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $78,098 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,606 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $111,310 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,535 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $61,480 | $59,218 (−24.6%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $123,730 | $119,177 (+13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $80,290 | $77,336 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $97,360 | $93,777 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.