City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 8.1% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $108,100 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $816 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Montgomery, AL ($111,310 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,516 in Montgomery | $108,090 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$816/yr.
94 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$816/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Milwaukee → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $59,610 | $64,432 (+4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $110,620 | $119,569 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $75,040 | $81,111 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $79,570 | $86,007 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.