City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Crestview, FL (97.0) and Madison, WI (97.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Crestview, FL goes as far as $100,300 in Madison, WI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Crestview, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Crestview, FL to Madison, WI changes real buying power by −0.3%, purely from prices.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (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
| Crestview, FL | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,264 in Madison | $99,737 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
68 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Crestview, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Crestview, FL to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Madison, WI | Real change, Crestview → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,330 | $63,690 | $63,522 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $130,630 | $130,286 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $81,130 | $80,917 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | $101,190 | $100,924 (+24.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.