Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K 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. Milw…
#1 Ranked: Milwaukee — cost index 82, rent $1,398/mo, income $51,888
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K 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.
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. And more often than not, 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.
It checks most boxes — but the healthcare costs are the asterisk. In Milwaukee, the healthcare index sits at 96 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
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.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
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.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
At $1,398/month — for better or worse — 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. You get the picture. Income is $51,888. That alone makes it worth considering.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
The #2 spot goes to Madison, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,649/month — saving renters $2,952 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 96, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Milwaukee | 7.65% | 5.44% | 1.51% | $98,008 |
2Madison | 7.65% | 5.44% | 1.51% | $98,008 |
Milwaukee ranks #1 in Wisconsin for this analysis with a cost index of 82 and median income of $51,888.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Milwaukee, rent would consume about 11% 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 $150K in Milwaukee is approximately $98,008/year ($8,167/month). After median rent of $1,398/month, you'd have roughly $81,232/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.