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Living in Wisconsin · 2026

Is $26,000 enough to live in Wisconsin?

Single adult · WI · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$1,829

Avg monthly expenses

$2,178

Avg monthly surplus

$-349

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Wisconsin

Gross salary$26,000
Federal income tax− $1,050
State income tax− $1,015
Social Security− $1,612
Medicare− $377
Annual take-home$21,946
Effective tax rate15.59%

How $26,000 feels in Wisconsin cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Milwaukee

COL index: 1.00× national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,250
Food
$431
Transport
$175
Utilities
$165
Healthcare
$200
Total: $2,221/mo
Surplus: $-392/mo
Rent burden: 68.3% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Milwaukee analysis →

Madison

COL index: 1.16× national avg

Not recommended
Rent (1BR)
$1,550
Food
$475
Transport
$203
Utilities
$191
Healthcare
$232
Total: $2,651/mo
Surplus: $-822/mo
Rent burden: 84.8% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Madison analysis →

Green Bay

COL index: 0.93× national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,100
Food
$405
Transport
$163
Utilities
$153
Healthcare
$186
Total: $2,007/mo
Surplus: $-178/mo
Rent burden: 60.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Green Bay analysis →

Kenosha

COL index: 0.98× national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,200
Food
$431
Transport
$172
Utilities
$162
Healthcare
$196
Total: $2,161/mo
Surplus: $-332/mo
Rent burden: 65.6% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Kenosha analysis →

Racine

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,150
Food
$418
Transport
$166
Utilities
$157
Healthcare
$190
Total: $2,081/mo
Surplus: $-252/mo
Rent burden: 62.9% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Racine analysis →

Appleton

COL index: 0.91× national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,050
Food
$405
Transport
$159
Utilities
$150
Healthcare
$182
Total: $1,946/mo
Surplus: $-117/mo
Rent burden: 57.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Appleton analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,829 ($21,948/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$915

per month

  • ›Rent / mortgage
  • ›Groceries
  • ›Utilities
  • ›Insurance
  • ›Minimum debt payments
  • ›Transportation
Wants30%

$549

per month

  • ›Dining out
  • ›Streaming services
  • ›Gym
  • ›Hobbies
  • ›Travel
  • ›Shopping
Savings20%

$366

per month

  • ›Emergency fund
  • ›401(k) / IRA
  • ›Investments
  • ›Down payment fund
  • ›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$10,974

Wants / year

$6,584

Savings / year

$4,390

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Milwaukee

Rent alone would take 68% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $50,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $26,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $392, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Milwaukee is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 1.00). $26,000 here is roughly equivalent to $48,100 in San Francisco or $22,880 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$26,000 is 41% below the Wisconsin individual median of $43,900. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$43,900

-41%

State household median

$75,768

-66%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)
Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$26,000 vs. Wisconsin income benchmarks

Individual median (Wisconsin)

$43,900

-41% vs. this salary

Household median (Wisconsin)

$75,768

-66% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Wisconsin

$40,000$60,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$300,000
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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.