City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 7.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $107,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $467 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Milwaukee, WI ($121,785 → $111,310), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,774 in Milwaukee | $107,789 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$467/yr.
93 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$467/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Baltimore → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,548 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $78,098 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,606 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,310 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,535 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $61,480 | $66,268 (−13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $123,730 | $133,367 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $80,290 | $86,543 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $97,360 | $104,943 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.