Medford, MN vs Cleveland, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Cleveland, WI has a modeled overall cost index 10.6% lower than Medford, MN.

Medford, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,170 / month
Cleveland, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,110 / 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 Medford, MN and Cleveland, 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 Medford, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $677/month in Cleveland, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $141,874 in Cleveland, WI

Regional cost estimates: Medford, MN uses Saint Paul, MN. Cleveland, WI uses Milwaukee, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 10.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$677

Savings

Annual Impact

$8.1K

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.

Medford, MN

Population:1K

Cost Index:

90.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$299K

Cleveland, WI

Population:2K

Cost Index:

80.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$298K

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Medford, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Cleveland, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Medford, MN vs Cleveland, 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	Medford, MN	Cleveland, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,277/mo	$1,671/mo	↓ $607less	26.6%
Transportation	$1,292/mo	$1,358/mo	↑ $66.49more	5.1%
Other	$1,614/mo	$1,551/mo	↓ $62.96less	3.9%
Groceries	$1,040/mo	$984/mo	↓ $55.74less	5.4%
Healthcare	$764/mo	$737/mo	↓ $26.37less	3.5%
All Utilities	$514/mo	$521/mo	↑ $7.91more	1.5%

Housing

↓ 26.6%

Medford, MN

$2,277

Cleveland, WI

$1,671

Difference

$607

less

Transportation

↑ 5.1%

Medford, MN

$1,292

Cleveland, WI

$1,358

Difference

$66.49

Other

↓ 3.9%

Medford, MN

$1,614

Cleveland, WI

$1,551

Difference

$62.96

less

Groceries

↓ 5.4%

Medford, MN

$1,040

Cleveland, WI

$984

Difference

$55.74

less

Healthcare

↓ 3.5%

Medford, MN

$764

Cleveland, WI

$737

Difference

$26.37

less

All Utilities

↑ 1.5%

Medford, MN

$514

Cleveland, WI

$521

Difference

$7.91

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$810

To$830

↑ $20.00

1 Bed

From$890

To$860

↓ $30.00

2 Bed

From$1,170

To$1,110

↓ $60.00

3 Bed

From$1,590

To$1,340

↓ $250

Medford, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$890/mo

Cleveland, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $860–$860/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 Medford, MN

$6,823

Monthly in Cleveland, WI

$677

Difference

Home Values

Medford

Cleveland

$299K

Median Value

$298K

↑ +2.5%

YoY Change

↑ +8.1%

↑ +37.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +51.6%

Calculate payment - Medford Calculate payment - Cleveland

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$132

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.1%

Rate difference

Medford, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Cleveland, 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

Medford, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Cleveland, 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

Medford

Cleveland

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

68.6%

95 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Medford, MN to Cleveland, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Cleveland, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Medford, MN. 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 Medford to Cleveland moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Medford, MN vs Cleveland, WI

How do the cost estimates for Medford, MN and Cleveland, WI compare?

Cleveland, WI has a modeled overall cost index 10.6% lower than Medford, MN. 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 Medford, MN, the model estimates $141,874 in Cleveland, 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 Medford, MN and Cleveland, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,170/month in Medford, MN and $1,110/month in Cleveland, 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 Minnesota and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com

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