Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Milwaukee-Waukesha (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,261 | $1,060 | -$201 | -15.9% |
| Food & Groceries | $321 | $364 | +$43 | +13.4% |
| Transportation | $1,015 | $951 | -$64 | -6.3% |
| Healthcare | $422 | $457 | +$35 | +8.3% |
| Other Necessities | $480 | $405 | -$75 | -15.6% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $2,104 | +$369 | +21.3% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Milwaukee-Waukesha Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $119,600 | $125,490 | +$5,890 (+4.9%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,830 | $97,360 | -$2,470 (-2.5%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $99,510 | $100,350 | +$840 (+0.8%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,090 | $80,290 | -$4,800 (-5.6%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,440 | $123,730 | -$5,710 (-4.4%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,180 | $77,800 | +$18,620 (+31.5%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $166,910 | $156,100 | -$10,810 (-6.5%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $63,180 | $72,680 | +$9,500 (+15.0%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $46,630 | $49,180 | +$2,550 (+5.5%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,880 | $144,560 | +$8,680 (+6.4%) | View Dossier |
| WelderSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $57,940 | $59,390 | +$1,450 (+2.5%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $103,530 | $119,170 | +$15,640 (+15.1%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Relocation FAQs
About $93,600. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 100.5 in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $93,600. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 100.5 in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 6.4% lower in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI than in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.