City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 5.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $105,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Philadelphia, PA ($111,310 → $117,284), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,794 in Philadelphia | $94,523 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
52 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Milwaukee → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $68,013 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $82,289 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $98,630 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $117,284 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $138,595 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $78,570 | $74,267 (+20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $133,040 | $125,753 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $85,990 | $81,280 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $101,180 | $95,638 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.