City comparison
Madison, WI vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 2.3% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $102,300 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Madison, WI to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,740 in St. Louis | $102,313 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$157/yr.
76 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$157/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Madison → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $60,650 | $62,053 (−2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $129,030 | $132,014 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $78,880 | $80,704 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $83,180 | $85,104 (−15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.