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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Wisconsin is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Milwaukee leads at an index of 82 with rent at just $1,398/month — 26% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Milwaukee — cost index 82, rent $1,398/mo, income $51,888
Milwaukee rent up 3% over the past year
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Wisconsin is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Milwaukee leads at an index of 82 with rent at just $1,398/month — 26% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Milwaukee rent up 3% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Milwaukee has increased from $1,360 to $1,398/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. That kind of value just doesn't show up in expensive metros.
Why Milwaukee ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 82 on the cost index, residents save roughly 29% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,398/month while the median household pulls in $51,888/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 82, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $216,278 — $251,092 below the national median.
Rent data is sourced from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks the median rent across all active listings — not just new leases. This gives a more representative and stable signal than asking prices alone. Milwaukee: $1,398/mo, Madison: $1,649/mo. The cheapest city here is $497 under the national median — that's $5,964/year in savings on rent alone.
Worth a deeper look. The definition of value.
And there's one more thing: Across Wisconsin, the average cost of living index is 89 — 22 points below the national median. Known for dairy state stability with surprisingly low costs, the state offers 2 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,524/month. That's $371 less than the national average of $1,895. If two cities have the same income, this cost gap is the tiebreaker.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
The #1 spot goes to Milwaukee, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,398/month — saving renters $5,964 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 82, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. The 32% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
Why Madison ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 96 on the cost index, residents save roughly 15% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,649/month while the median household pulls in $76,983/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 96, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $415,530 — $51,840 below the national median.
Cities are ranked by median 1-bedroom rent in ascending order using Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI). We include all tracked cities in Wisconsin with verified rent data, giving you a complete picture of the rental landscape from cheapest to most expensive. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Milwaukee ranks #1 in Wisconsin for this analysis with a cost index of 82 and median income of $51,888.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Milwaukee (ranked #1) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,398/mo, while Madison (ranked #2) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,649/mo — a 14-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Milwaukee is $1,398/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $497 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Milwaukee is $216,278, which is 4.2× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Wisconsin has a 7.65% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 5.44%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.51%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.