Head to head
Kansas City, MO vs Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $99/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $3,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Kansas City 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 | Kansas City69 | Milwaukee64 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,819 | $3,720 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,719 | $9,373 |
| Salary for comfort | $70,500/yr | $67,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,358 | $1,338 |
| Median home value | $227,000 | $172,000 |
| Median household income | $67,449 | $51,888 |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 4.8% |
| Housing score | 79 | 60 |
| Jobs score | 84 | 52 |
| Safety score | 16 | 41 |
| Climate score | 96 | 70 |
| Amenities score | 54 | 65 |
| Population | 508.2K | 569.8K |
| Summer high / winter low | 90° / 22° | 80° / 16° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Kansas City, MO
Milwaukee, WI