Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek Milwaukee-Waukesha

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 92.7 → 96.9
Rent Delta: +$65/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - 4% higher cost of living
  • - $65/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek to Milwaukee-Waukesha shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.7 to 96.9 (100 = US average), so a Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek salary needs to be multiplied by 1.05 to hold the same purchasing power in Milwaukee-Waukesha. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,273/month in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek to $1,338/month in Milwaukee-Waukesha - a higher monthly bill of $65, or $780/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $68,046 in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek versus $71,499 in Milwaukee-Waukesha - a raw gap of $3,453 higher. The Milwaukee-Waukesha labor market has 800,340 tracked jobs against 365,260 in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek and Milwaukee-Waukesha are 293 and 280 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 18.2:1 at origin versus 14.4:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,791/year in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek versus $11,256/year in Milwaukee-Waukesha. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
Milwaukee-Waukesha
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.7
RPP 96.9
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,273/mo
$1,338/mo
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
💼 Wages
$68,046
$71,499
Milwaukee-Waukesha
🔒 Crime
293 per 100K
280 per 100K
Milwaukee-Waukesha
🎓 Schools
18.2:1
14.4:1
Milwaukee-Waukesha
👶 Childcare
$11,791/yr
$11,256/yr
Milwaukee-Waukesha
🌿 Environment
1386 violations
2233 violations
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek to see what you'd need to earn in Milwaukee-Waukesha to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Milwaukee-Waukesha more expensive than Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has an RPP of 96.9 compared to Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek's 92.7 (100 = national average). Milwaukee-Waukesha is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Milwaukee-Waukesha is $1,338/mo vs $1,273/mo in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek.
What are salaries like in Milwaukee-Waukesha compared to Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek?
The median salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha is $71,499 compared to $68,046 in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek. That's a +$3,453 difference.
Is Milwaukee-Waukesha safer than Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek?
The violent crime rate near Milwaukee-Waukesha is 280 per 100K vs 293 per 100K near Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek (state-level data). Milwaukee-Waukesha has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Milwaukee-Waukesha to match my Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek salary by 1.05. For example, a $75,000 salary in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek would need to be $78,433 in Milwaukee-Waukesha. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)