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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Look, the numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Wisconsin beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Milwaukee stands out at 82 on the index, with rent of $1,398/month and household income of $51,888. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data (your mileage may vary — literally). Below t…
#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
Look, the numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Wisconsin beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Milwaukee stands out at 82 on the index, with rent of $1,398/month and household income of $51,888. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data (your mileage may vary — literally). Below the radar, but not for long.
Tax burden isn't just income tax. 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.
The numbers for Milwaukee are straightforward: 82 on the cost index, $1,398/month rent, $51,888 income. And with some exceptions, not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious.
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.
The surface-level take is fine. The deeper take is better. 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. The data here speaks for itself.
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). And for the typical household, 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. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. This is the kind of number that should get your attention.
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
Look, Why Madison ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 96 on the cost index, residents save roughly 15% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,649/month while the median household pulls in $76,983/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 96, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $415,530 — $51,840 below the national median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
| 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 |
Total tax burden = state income tax rate + combined sales tax rate + effective property tax rate. We rank cities from lowest combined burden to highest. Keep in mind property tax and sales tax are local-level, so two cities in the same state can differ meaningfully. 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.
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.