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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 111. Leading the pack: Milwaukee at index 82, where median rent of $1,398/month saves renters $5,964/year versus the national median.
#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
Dollar for dollar, few states match Wisconsin's value. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Milwaukee at index 82, where median rent of $1,398/month saves renters $5,964/year versus the national median.
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.
A closer look at Milwaukee: the cost index of 82 — make of that what you will — breaks down to a Housing index of 82 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,398/month — 26% below the national median — while household income sits at $51,888, meaning locals spend about 32% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
The housing sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 89 (the top-10 average here) means housing costs are about 11% below the national median. Milwaukee leads at 82, followed by Madison (96) and Madison (96). Note: a low housing index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below (that's pre-tax, of course).
Now, stack that against what people actually earn here: The 2 cities we track in Wisconsin paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 89. Median rent: $1,524/month. Household income: $64,436. Wisconsin is known for dairy state stability with surprisingly low costs — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Milwaukee leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
Dive into Milwaukee's numbers: cost index 82 (29 points below national average), rent $1,398/month, income $51,888, and a home price of $216,278. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 82, while Healthcare runs 96. As a major city with 561,385 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
Here's Madison by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And with some exceptions, cost index: 96. Rent: $1,649/month. Income: $76,983/year. Home price: $415,530. Population: 280,305. The strongest category is Housing at 96; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,952 per year vs. the national median. At this level, the city practically pays for your move.
Cities are ranked by their housing cost sub-index within Wisconsin. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. 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.
Milwaukee, WI has the lowest housing index at 82, compared to the national average of 100.
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.