City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 1.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $101,900 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Milwaukee, WI to St. Louis, MO ($111,310 → $109,137), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,093 in St. Louis | $101,945 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$157/yr.
75 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$157/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Milwaukee → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $63,288 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $76,573 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $91,779 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $109,137 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $128,967 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $60,650 | $61,829 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $129,030 | $131,539 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $78,880 | $80,414 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $83,180 | $84,797 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.