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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real talk: the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And from what we can tell, you get the picture. On a $100K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 2 cities …
#1 Ranked: Milwaukee — cost index 82, rent $1,398/mo, income $51,888
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Real talk: the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And from what we can tell, you get the picture. On a $100K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 2 cities in Wisconsin using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Milwaukee comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
Real talk: on a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. And as far as the data shows, milwaukee ($1,398/mo, 17%), Madison ($1,649/mo, 20%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $67,647 to $67,647/year across these top picks.
Look, Milwaukee comes in at #1. And broadly, rent is $1,398 — we had to double-check this one — a month. Household income is $51,888. The cost of living index is 82. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. That's about what we'd expect given the state context (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes). Hard to argue with that.
In plain English: the surface-level take is fine. The deeper take is better. That alone makes it worth considering. 2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
In plain English: What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And for many people, 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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Milwaukee | 7.65% | 5.44% | 1.51% | $67,647 |
2Madison | 7.65% | 5.44% | 1.51% | $67,647 |
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
Real talk: the numbers for Milwaukee are straightforward: 82 on the cost index, $1,398/month rent, $51,888 income. And from what we can tell, standard stuff, really. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Not the most exciting stat, but it matters.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
Madison is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,649/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. Moving on. The cost index is 96. Income sits at $76,983. Fairly typical for a city this size.
Milwaukee ranks #1 in Wisconsin for this analysis with a cost index of 82 and median income of $51,888.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Milwaukee, rent would consume about 17% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 7.65% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Milwaukee is approximately $67,647/year ($5,637/month). After median rent of $1,398/month, you'd have roughly $50,871/year for all other expenses.
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.