Residential comparison · 13 facts
Madison, WI vs Milwaukee, WI
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Madison needs about $79,500 in Milwaukee to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Milwaukee, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Madison.
A few differences
- Madison is lower on property tax rate (1.9% vs 2.2%).
- Madison is lower on sales tax (5.5% vs 5.9%).
- Milwaukee is lower on groceries index (97 vs 101).
Madison vs Milwaukee · facet by facet
| Facet | Madison, WI | Milwaukee, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $420,000 | $210,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,750/mo | $1,400/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| State & local income tax | 3.17% | 3.17% |
| Sales tax | 5.5% | 5.9% |
| Cost of living index | 101 | 91 |
| Groceries index | 101 | 97 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $52,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 4% |
| Crime index | 35/100 | 56/100 |
| School rating | 7.5/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Madison, WI · Milwaukee, WI
Questions & answers
- Is Madison cheaper than Milwaukee?
- Milwaukee has the lower day-to-day cost index (91 vs 101 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Milwaukee equals $85,000 in Madison?
- A household earning $85,000 in Madison needs about $79,500 in Milwaukee to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Milwaukee lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Madison.