City comparison
Milwaukee, 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 8.1% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $108,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,357 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Minneapolis, MN ($111,310 → $116,038), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,134 in Minneapolis | $92,478 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/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 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,357/yr.
45 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,357/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Milwaukee → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $67,290 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $81,415 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $97,582 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $116,038 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $137,123 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $79,730 | $73,732 (+19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $130,920 | $121,072 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $86,500 | $79,993 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $103,040 | $95,289 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.