City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 4.5% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $104,500 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 $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- Both are in WI, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,919 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Green Bay, WI to Madison, WI changes real buying power by −4.3%, purely from prices.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,513 in Madison | $95,682 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
55 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
83 Strong 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 Green Bay, WI to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Madison, WI | Real change, Green Bay → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $63,690 | $60,940 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $130,630 | $124,989 (+21.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $81,130 | $77,627 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $101,190 | $96,820 (+14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.