Milton, WI vs Baldwin City, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Baldwin City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 15.0% lower than Milton, WI.

Milton, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,210 / month
Baldwin City, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $1,030 / 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 Milton, WI and Baldwin City, KS 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 Milton, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,041/month in Baldwin City, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,513 in Baldwin City, KS

Regional cost estimates: Milton, WI uses Madison, WI. Baldwin City, KS uses Kansas City, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,041

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.5K

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.

Milton, WI

Population:6K

Cost Index:

95.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$363K

Baldwin City, KS

Population:5K

Cost Index:

81.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$347K

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Milton, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 6K residents.

Baldwin City, KS

The Sunflower State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Milton, WI vs Baldwin City, KS

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	Milton, WI	Baldwin City, KS	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,334/mo	$1,769/mo	↓ $565less	24.2%
Transportation	$1,325/mo	$1,135/mo	↓ $189less	14.3%
Other	$1,686/mo	$1,501/mo	↓ $185less	11.0%
Healthcare	$708/mo	$596/mo	↓ $112less	15.9%
All Utilities	$501/mo	$526/mo	↑ $24.81more	5.0%
Groceries	$945/mo	$932/mo	↓ $13.60less	1.4%

Housing

↓ 24.2%

Milton, WI

$2,334

Baldwin City, KS

$1,769

Difference

$565

less

Transportation

↓ 14.3%

Milton, WI

$1,325

Baldwin City, KS

$1,135

Difference

$189

less

Other

↓ 11.0%

Milton, WI

$1,686

Baldwin City, KS

$1,501

Difference

$185

less

Healthcare

↓ 15.9%

Milton, WI

$708

Baldwin City, KS

$596

Difference

$112

less

All Utilities

↑ 5.0%

Milton, WI

$501

Baldwin City, KS

$526

Difference

$24.81

Groceries

↓ 1.4%

Milton, WI

$945

Baldwin City, KS

$932

Difference

$13.60

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$870

To$770

↓ $100

1 Bed

From$930

To$860

↓ $70.00

2 Bed

From$1,210

To$1,030

↓ $180

3 Bed

From$1,550

To$1,440

↓ $110

Milton, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $930–$930/mo

Baldwin City, KSZIP-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 Milton, WI

$6,459

Monthly in Baldwin City, KS

$1,041

Difference

Home Values

Milton

Baldwin City

$363K

Median Value

$347K

↑ +6.5%

YoY Change

↑ +1.3%

↑ +51.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +39.8%

Homes in Baldwin City are 4% less expensive than Milton

Calculate payment - Milton Calculate payment - Baldwin City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $432

Per year

Monthly Difference

$35.99

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

Rate difference

Milton, 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

Baldwin City, KS

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kansas State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,714/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Milton, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Baldwin City, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%

Property Tax:1.3%

💡 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

Milton

Baldwin City

42 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

59.3%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

Before moving from Milton, WI to Baldwin City, KS

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Baldwin City, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Milton, WI. 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 Milton to Baldwin City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Baldwin City, KS by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Milton, WI vs Baldwin City, KS

How do the cost estimates for Milton, WI and Baldwin City, KS compare?

Baldwin City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 15.0% lower than Milton, WI. 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 Milton, WI, the model estimates $137,513 in Baldwin City, KS. 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 Milton, WI and Baldwin City, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,210/month in Milton, WI and $1,030/month in Baldwin City, KS. 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 Wisconsin and Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com