City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 4.4% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $104,400 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI and $1,105 in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $999 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to South Bend, IN ($111,310 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,792 in South Bend | $104,393 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$999/yr.
82 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$999/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | South Bend, IN | Real change, Milwaukee → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $58,180 | $60,736 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $95,500 | $99,695 (−19.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $77,940 | $81,364 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $93,540 | $97,649 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.