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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. It's fine. Not great, not bad. 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. Worth a deeper look.
#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. It's fine. Not great, not bad. 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. Worth a deeper look.
At $1,398/month for rent and a cost index of 82, Milwaukee is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. Income is $51,888. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. A real contender.
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
Here's Milwaukee by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 82. Rent: $1,398/month. Income: $51,888/year. Home price: $216,278. Population: 561,385. The strongest category is Housing at 82; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,964 per year vs. the national median. That adds up much faster than people realize.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
So, Madison. Cost index of 96, rent at $1,649/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $76,983, which is below the national median. Moving on.
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.