City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 7.4% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $107,400 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.5% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Modesto, CA ($111,310 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.3% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,398 in Modesto | $93,112 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
47 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Modesto, CA | Real change, Milwaukee → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $77,161 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $93,358 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $111,896 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $133,060 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $157,236 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $101,640 | $94,639 (+53.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $119,770 | $111,520 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $83,560 | $77,804 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $132,590 | $123,457 (+26.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.