Median rent is 11% lower in Cleveland ($945/mo vs $1,059/mo). Buying is cheaper in Cleveland, where the median home runs $102,000 versus $184,000. Households earn more in Milwaukee ($54,234 vs $40,801 a year).
City A
Cleveland, OH
City B
Milwaukee, WI
How much would you need to earn in Milwaukee, WI to maintain your standard of living from Cleveland, OH?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Cleveland
Ohio
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Cleveland at $945/mo compared to $1,059/mo in Milwaukee (11% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Milwaukee: the median home is $184,000 versus $102,000 in Cleveland — 45% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Cleveland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Milwaukee
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Milwaukee (avg AQI 22.0) but not yet for Cleveland.
Pick Milwaukee if you prioritize higher median household income ($54,234/yr).
Pick Cleveland if you prioritize cheaper rent ($945/mo median).
Is Cleveland cheaper than Milwaukee?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Cleveland vs Milwaukee?
Median rent is $945/mo in Cleveland, OH and $1,059/mo in Milwaukee, WI. Cleveland, OH has the lower rent by about 11%.
Which has higher salaries — Cleveland or Milwaukee?
Median household income is $40,801 in Cleveland, OH and $54,234 in Milwaukee, WI. Milwaukee, WI has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Cleveland or Milwaukee?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Milwaukee to match my Cleveland income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
