City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 5.2% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $105,200 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN and $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Memphis, TN to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Memphis, TN | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,162 in Milwaukee | $95,092 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
53 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Memphis, TN to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Memphis → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $61,480 | $58,462 (−5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $123,730 | $117,657 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $80,290 | $76,349 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $97,360 | $92,581 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.