Bloomington, IL vs West Allis, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

West Allis, WI has a modeled overall cost index 2.8% lower than Bloomington, IL.

Bloomington, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,345 / month
West Allis, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,310 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Bloomington, IL and West Allis, WI using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Bloomington, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $432/month in West Allis, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,811 in West Allis, WI

Regional cost estimates: Bloomington, IL uses Chicago, IL. West Allis, WI uses Milwaukee, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 2.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$432

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.2K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Bloomington, IL

Population:79K

Cost Index:

89.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$239K

West Allis, WI

Population:59K

Cost Index:

86.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$243K

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Bloomington, IL

The Prairie State

79K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 79K residents.

West Allis, WI

The Badger State

59K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 59K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Bloomington, IL vs West Allis, WI

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Bloomington, IL	West Allis, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,418/mo	$1,751/mo	↓ $668less	27.6%
Healthcare	$574/mo	$746/mo	↑ $171more	29.8%
Other	$1,540/mo	$1,626/mo	↑ $85.41more	5.5%
Transportation	$1,472/mo	$1,423/mo	↓ $49.02less	3.3%
All Utilities	$501/mo	$527/mo	↑ $25.97more	5.2%
Groceries	$994/mo	$995/mo	↑ $1.41more	0.1%

Housing

↓ 27.6%

Bloomington, IL

$2,418

West Allis, WI

$1,751

Difference

$668

less

Healthcare

↑ 29.8%

Bloomington, IL

$574

West Allis, WI

$746

Difference

$171

Other

↑ 5.5%

Bloomington, IL

$1,540

West Allis, WI

$1,626

Difference

$85.41

Transportation

↓ 3.3%

Bloomington, IL

$1,472

West Allis, WI

$1,423

Difference

$49.02

less

All Utilities

↑ 5.2%

Bloomington, IL

$501

West Allis, WI

$527

Difference

$25.97

Groceries

↑ 0.1%

Bloomington, IL

$994

West Allis, WI

$995

Difference

$1.41

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$960

To$1,010

↑ $50.00

1 Bed

From$1,035

To$1,100

↑ $65.00

2 Bed

From$1,345

To$1,310

↓ $35.00

3 Bed

From$1,775

To$1,610

↓ $165

Bloomington, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$1,100/mo

West Allis, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,100–$1,100/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Bloomington, IL

$7,068

Monthly in West Allis, WI

$432

Difference

Home Values

Bloomington

West Allis

$239K

Median Value

$243K

↑ +4.1%

YoY Change

↑ +2.2%

↑ +46.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +44.4%

$167K - $312K

Price Range

$243K

Homes in West Allis are 2% more expensive than Bloomington

Calculate payment - Bloomington Calculate payment - West Allis

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.4K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$119

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.9%

Rate difference

Bloomington, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

West Allis, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Bloomington, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

West Allis, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Bloomington

West Allis

54 Moderate

Air Quality

43 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

68.6%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Bloomington, IL to West Allis, WI

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in West Allis, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Bloomington, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Bloomington to West Allis moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to West Allis, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Bloomington, IL vs West Allis, WI

How do the cost estimates for Bloomington, IL and West Allis, WI compare?

West Allis, WI has a modeled overall cost index 2.8% lower than Bloomington, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Bloomington, IL, the model estimates $144,811 in West Allis, WI. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Bloomington, IL and West Allis, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,345/month in Bloomington, IL and $1,310/month in West Allis, WI. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com