City comparison
Madison, WI vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 7.7% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $107,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,357 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Madison, WI to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,745 in Minneapolis | $92,812 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,357/yr.
46 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,357/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Madison → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $79,730 | $73,999 (+16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $130,920 | $121,509 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $86,500 | $80,282 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $103,040 | $95,633 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.