City comparison
Madison, WI vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Madison, WI (97.3) and Provo, UT (98.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Madison, WI goes as far as $101,000 in Provo, UT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $385 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Provo, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Madison, WI to Provo, UT changes real buying power by −1.0%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,971 in Provo | $99,038 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$385/yr.
66 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$385/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Provo, UT | Real change, Madison → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $62,930 | $62,325 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $131,210 | $129,948 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $75,700 | $74,972 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $81,780 | $80,993 (−20.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.