City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 4.2% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $104,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Reno, NV ($111,310 → $106,855), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,206 in Reno | $95,964 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
56 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Reno, NV | Real change, Milwaukee → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $61,965 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $74,972 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $89,859 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $106,855 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $126,271 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $62,430 | $59,910 (−2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $125,710 | $120,636 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $82,370 | $79,045 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $107,520 | $103,180 (+6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.