Head to head
Indianapolis, IN vs Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $193/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $5,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Indianapolis is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Indianapolis65 | Milwaukee64 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,913 | $3,720 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,028 | $9,373 |
| Salary for comfort | $73,000/yr | $67,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,473 | $1,338 |
| Median home value | $207,000 | $172,000 |
| Median household income | $62,995 | $51,888 |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Housing score | 67 | 60 |
| Jobs score | 71 | 52 |
| Safety score | 23 | 41 |
| Climate score | 92 | 70 |
| Amenities score | 48 | 65 |
| Population | 882K | 569.8K |
| Summer high / winter low | 85° / 21° | 80° / 16° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Indianapolis, IN
Milwaukee, WI