Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

vs
Milwaukee

Wisconsin

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,030 in Milwaukee, WI. Overall, Milwaukee, WI is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI — about 29% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Milwaukee, WI

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$841
+23% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$849
+28% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,031
+27% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,193
+34% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$172,000
+38% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$51,888
+29% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$51,160
+1% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
32.2 yr
+1.4 yr in Arlington, TX
Homeownership
54.8%
41.5%
+13.3 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
26.6%
+6.5 pp in Arlington, TX
Avg Commute
26.7 min
22.4 min
+4.3 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
492.4
1,452.3
+195% in Milwaukee, WI
Property Crime
2,433.5
2,772.2
+14% in Milwaukee, WI

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
47.9°F
+17.5°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
34.8 in
+4.8 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.35/gal
+10% in Milwaukee, WI

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
$2.25

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs MCTS (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
18.8
+15% in Milwaukee, WI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$9.48
+61% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.14
+1% in Arlington, TX
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.79
+4% in Milwaukee, WI
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Milwaukee, WI
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.97
+6% in Milwaukee, WI
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.15
+13% in Milwaukee, WI
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.63
+3% in Milwaukee, WI

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / WI)
6.25%
5%
+1.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.65%
+7.7 pp in WI

Arlington vs Milwaukee — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Milwaukee?
Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Arlington, TX's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Milwaukee?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Milwaukee?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Milwaukee under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).