Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Milwaukee?

Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,050 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Milwaukee?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.

Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Milwaukee?

Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Milwaukee under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Juneau vs Milwaukee Cost of Living 2026

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

$1,050/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Juneau, AK versus $1,050 in Milwaukee, WI. Overall, Milwaukee, WI is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI — about 48% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Juneau, AK

Milwaukee, WI

Rent

Studio

$993

$841

+15% in Juneau, AK

1 Bedroom

$1,257

$849

+32% in Juneau, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,647

$1,031

+37% in Juneau, AK

3 Bedroom

$1,949

$1,193

+39% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$432,500

$172,000

+60% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$100,513

$51,888

+48% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$51,160

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.8 yr

32.2 yr

+7.6 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

64.4%

41.5%

+22.9 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

26.6%

+13.9 pp in Juneau, AK

Avg Commute

15.8 min

22.4 min

+6.6 min in Milwaukee, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

515.6

1,452.3

+182% in Milwaukee, WI

Property Crime

2,113.1

2,772.2

+31% 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

42.1°F

47.9°F

+5.8°F in Milwaukee, WI

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

34.8 in

+27.5 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.85/gal

+26% in Juneau, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs MCTS (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

19.6

+31% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$18.17

+5% in Milwaukee, WI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Juneau, AK

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Juneau, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Milwaukee, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Juneau, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Milwaukee, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Juneau, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / WI)

None

+5.0 pp in WI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Juneau vs Milwaukee — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Milwaukee?: Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,050 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Milwaukee?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Milwaukee?: Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no 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).