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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
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
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Milwaukee | 7.65% | 5.44% | 1.51% | $37,481 |
2Madison | 7.65% | 5.44% | 1.51% | $37,481 |
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.
Milwaukee comes in at #1. Rent is $1,398 — and that's before you even look at taxes — a month. Household income is $51,888. The cost of living index is 82. That alone makes it worth considering.
Tax burden isn't just income tax. And for the typical household, we combine three layers: state income tax (7.65% in Milwaukee), combined state+local sales tax (5.44%), and effective property tax (1.51%). At 7.65% state income tax, the real differentiator becomes sales and property tax rates. On a $75,000 salary, the estimated take-home in #1 Milwaukee is $51,972/year. Quietly competitive.
No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Now apply that to an actual budget: 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.
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
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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes). Solidly above average.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
What does daily life actually cost in Madison? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 96) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 99) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $76,983 — for better or worse — and homes at $415,530 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
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.