City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 3.6% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $103,600 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Madison, WI ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,582 in Madison | $96,542 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,482/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 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
58 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Madison, WI | Real change, Cleveland → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $63,690 | $61,488 (−19.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $130,630 | $126,113 (+13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $81,130 | $78,325 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $101,190 | $97,691 (+16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.