City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Milwaukee, WI (96.9) and Rochester, NY (97.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI goes as far as $100,100 in Rochester, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $940 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Rochester, NY ($111,310 → $107,182), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,101 in Rochester | $99,899 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$940/yr.
68 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$940/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Rochester, NY | Real change, Milwaukee → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $62,155 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $75,202 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $90,135 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $107,182 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $126,657 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $62,840 | $62,777 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $122,770 | $122,646 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $80,890 | $80,808 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $86,570 | $86,483 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.