City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 3.0% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $103,000 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV and $1,482 in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Madison, WI ($108,719 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Las Vegas, NV | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,078 in Madison | $103,010 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
78 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Madison, WI | Real change, Las Vegas → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $63,690 | $65,607 (+0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $130,630 | $134,562 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $81,130 | $83,572 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $101,190 | $104,235 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.