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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Wisconsin's value. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Milwaukee at index 92, where median rent of $1,398/month saves renters $5,964/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Milwaukee — cost index 92, 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 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match Wisconsin's value. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Milwaukee at index 92, where median rent of $1,398/month saves renters $5,964/year versus the national median.
Here's Milwaukee by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 92. Rent: $1,398/month. Income: $51,888/year. Home price: $216,278. Population: 561,385. The strongest category is Housing at 81; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,964 per year vs. the national median. Not many cities can claim this. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. And broadly, milwaukee (index 92, rent $1,398); Madison (index 105, rent $1,649). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).
Forget what you've heard — the data paints a different picture. 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.
The counter-argument is worth hearing: Wisconsin — dairy state stability with surprisingly low costs. The 2 cities we track here average a cost index of 99 and median income of $64,436. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,524/month, which is $371 less than the national median.
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
Real talk: What does daily life actually cost in Milwaukee? Start with the 32% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 81) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $51,888 and homes at $216,278 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
The way we see it, Here's Madison by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 105. Rent: $1,649/month — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — . Income: $76,983/year. Home price: $415,530. Population: 280,305. The strongest category is Utilities at 97; the most expensive is Housing at 113. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,952 per year vs. the national median. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
Cities are ranked by overall cost of living index in ascending order. This index weights housing (Zillow ZORI rent data) most heavily, with food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare sub-indices providing a composite picture. A score of 80 means overall costs are 20% below the national median. 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 92 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 92 and rent of $1,398/mo, while Madison (ranked #2) has a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,649/mo — a 13-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.