City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 2.6% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $102,600 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Jacksonville, FL to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- 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
| Jacksonville, FL | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,440 in Milwaukee | $102,627 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/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 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
77 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, FL to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Jacksonville → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $61,480 | $63,095 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $123,730 | $126,981 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $80,290 | $82,400 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $97,360 | $99,918 (+19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.