City comparison
Columbus, 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 1.9% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $101,900 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Madison, WI ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,904 in Madison | $98,131 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
63 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Madison, WI | Real change, Columbus → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $63,690 | $62,500 (−20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $130,630 | $128,189 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $81,130 | $79,614 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $101,190 | $99,299 (+18.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.