City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Gainesville, FL (96.7) and Milwaukee, WI (96.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Gainesville, FL goes as far as $100,200 in Milwaukee, WI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Gainesville, FL to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Gainesville, FL | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,211 in Milwaukee | $99,790 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,119/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 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
68 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL 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 Gainesville, FL to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Gainesville → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $61,480 | $61,351 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $123,730 | $123,470 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $80,290 | $80,121 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $97,360 | $97,155 (+18.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.