City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Milwaukee, WI (96.9) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI goes as far as $99,000 in York, PA.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to York, PA ($111,310 → $121,785), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.5% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,033 in York | $100,976 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
72 Strong offer
York, PA → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | York, PA | Real change, Milwaukee → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $70,623 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $85,447 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $102,415 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $121,785 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $143,913 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | York, PA | York pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $79,730 | $80,508 (+31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $114,600 | $115,719 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $75,160 | $75,894 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $96,210 | $97,149 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.