City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 16.7% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $116,700 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Los Angeles, CA than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Los Angeles, CA to Madison, WI ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
- 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
| Los Angeles, CA | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,666 in Madison | $116,733 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
100 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.3%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
24 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | Madison, WI | Real change, Los Angeles → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $63,690 | $74,347 (−27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $130,630 | $152,488 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $81,130 | $94,705 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $101,190 | $118,122 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.