City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 4.4% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $104,400 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Greensboro, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Greensboro, NC to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (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
| Greensboro, NC | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,385 in Milwaukee | $95,799 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
56 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC 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 Greensboro, NC to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Greensboro → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $61,480 | $58,897 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $123,730 | $118,533 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $80,290 | $76,917 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $97,360 | $93,270 (+12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.