City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 5.4% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $105,400 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Fresno, CA to Milwaukee, WI ($106,973 → $111,310), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,889 in Milwaukee | $105,386 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
86 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Fresno → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $64,548 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $78,098 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $93,606 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $111,310 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $131,535 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $61,480 | $64,791 (−17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $123,730 | $130,394 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $80,290 | $84,614 (+7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $97,360 | $102,604 (−18.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.