City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 14.6% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $114,600 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.5% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Seattle, WA ($111,310 → $119,630), while prices change by +14.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.3% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,645 in Seattle | $87,226 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Seattle, WA | Real change, Milwaukee → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $69,373 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $83,935 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $100,602 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $119,630 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $141,367 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $102,920 | $89,773 (+46.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $167,280 | $145,912 (+17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $99,370 | $86,677 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $128,260 | $111,876 (+14.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.