City comparison
Milwaukee, WI is about 20 miles (40 km) from Racine, WI in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 31 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Milwaukee, WI to Racine, WI takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Milwaukee has a population of 573,299, vs 77,453 in Racine — about 7.4× larger by population. By land area, Milwaukee covers about 96 sq mi vs 15 sq mi for Racine.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Milwaukee | Racine | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $982/mo | $967/mo | 1.6% higher in Milwaukee |
| Median home value | $157,800 | $147,000 | 7.3% higher in Milwaukee |
| Median household income | $49,733 | $52,766 | 6.1% higher in Racine |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.6 | 90.2 | 1.6% higher in Milwaukee |
| Transportation index | 99.2 | 99.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 99.4 | ≈ 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 Milwaukee, you'd need $97,782 in Racine to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Racine, WI is about 2.2% cheaper overall than Milwaukee, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 5% higher in Milwaukee than in Racine. If you earn $80,000 in Milwaukee, you'd need about $78,226 in Racine to keep the same standard of living.