City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 1.5% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $101,500 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $272 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Boise City, ID to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.1% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,522 in Milwaukee | $101,500 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$272/yr.
73 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$272/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Boise City → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,480 | $62,402 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $123,730 | $125,586 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $80,290 | $81,494 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $97,360 | $98,820 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.