City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | La Crosse | Milwaukee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $941/mo | $982/mo | 4.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $183,300 | $157,800 | 16.2% higher in A |
| Median household income | $51,836 | $49,733 | 4.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.6 | 94.5 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.2 | 91.6 | 1.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.3 | 99.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in La Crosse, you'd need $110,233 in Milwaukee to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
La Crosse, WI is about 9.3% cheaper overall than Milwaukee, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 22% lower in La Crosse than in Milwaukee. If you earn $80,000 in La Crosse, you'd need about $88,186 in Milwaukee to keep the same standard of living.