Milwaukee vs Phoenix
The short version
- Milwaukee is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Phoenix area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $184,000 in Milwaukee and $420,700 in Phoenix.
- Households earn more in Phoenix ($81,332 vs $54,234 median).
- Phoenix has the warmer winter: January highs of 68°F vs 31°F.
- Milwaukee gets far more snow: 49 inches a year vs 0.
- Phoenix has more scorching days: 173 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 9.
- Phoenix is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs -2.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Milwaukee (22 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 562,407 | 1,665,481 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.7% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 5,848 | 3,213 |
| Median age | 32.4 | 34.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,234 | $81,332 |
| Median home value | $184,000 | $420,700 |
| Home value to income | 3.4× | 5.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,059 | $1,582 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 96.9 | 103.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 97.1 | 121.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,700 | $77,500 |
| Homeowners | 42% | 57% |
| Top state income tax | 7.65% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 5.72% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 25.6 |
| Work from home | 13% | 19% |
| Take public transit | 5% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.2% | 5% |
| Poverty rate | 22.8% | 13.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 17° | 68° / 46° |
| July high / low | 82° / 65° | 107° / 85° |
| Precipitation per year | 35 in | 7 in |
| Snowfall per year | 49 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 9 | 173 |
| Nights below freezing | 123 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.4 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 60% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +51.9% | +35.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Milwaukee: May to September. Phoenix: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Milwaukee weather by month and Phoenix weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $72,700 in Milwaukee and $77,500 in Phoenix. Moving from Milwaukee to Phoenix, you would need about $79,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Milwaukee and Phoenix
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Milwaukee and Phoenix.
Which would you pick?
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