City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Milwaukee, WI (96.9) and Richmond, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI goes as far as $101,000 in Richmond, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,016 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Richmond, VA ($111,310 → $111,183), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,950 in Richmond | $99,059 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,016/yr.
66 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,016/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Richmond, VA | Real change, Milwaukee → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $64,475 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $78,009 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $93,499 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $111,183 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $131,385 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $61,290 | $60,713 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $132,120 | $130,877 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $84,220 | $83,427 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $93,580 | $92,699 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.