Cost of Living and Home Prices in the Milwaukee–Chicago Corridor
What housing costs, what your budget buys, and how the two sides of the state line compare.
Beatrice Yunck, Real Estate Consultant, Queen Bea Realty Group
Wisconsin license 98118-94 · Illinois license 475.210497 · 4 years in the area
Speaks: English, Po polsku, Deutsch, Español
Cost of living: Milwaukee vs. Chicago
The 2024 Regional Price Parity for the Milwaukee metro is 96.9, where 100 is the US average.
The Chicago metro is at 103.6 on the same measure — about 7% more expensive overall than Milwaukee.
Sales tax: 7.9% in the City of Milwaukee and 5.9% elsewhere in Milwaukee County.
Source: Wisconsin DOR, Milwaukee city and county sales tax notice (2024)
Sales tax in the City of Chicago is 10.25%.
Source: Illinois Department of Revenue, sales tax rate lookup
Income and property taxes depend on where you live and what you earn — the Wisconsin vs. Illinois calculator compares them at your own income and home price.
Home values by town
| Towns | Typical home value | ± in a year |
|---|---|---|
| Brookfield, WI | $528,000 | +4.6% |
| Cedarburg, WI | $566,000 | +6.2% |
| Delafield, WI | $766,000 | +6.2% |
| Elm Grove, WI | $697,000 | +6.3% |
| Fox Point, WI | $553,000 | +7.2% |
| Franklin, WI | $443,000 | +3.7% |
| Germantown, WI | $465,000 | +5.0% |
| Grafton, WI | $460,000 | +6.0% |
| Greendale, WI | $391,000 | +5.7% |
| Hartland, WI | $672,000 | +8.2% |
| Kenosha, WI | $285,000 | +6.7% |
| Lake Geneva, WI | $420,000 | +4.5% |
| Menomonee Falls, WI | $440,000 | +5.5% |
| Mequon, WI | $660,000 | +5.6% |
| Milwaukee, WI | $228,000 | +3.2% |
| Mount Pleasant, WI | $350,000 | +5.4% |
| Muskego, WI | $530,000 | +6.2% |
| New Berlin, WI | $455,000 | +5.1% |
| Oak Creek, WI | $415,000 | +5.3% |
| Oconomowoc, WI | $553,000 | +6.3% |
| Pewaukee, WI | $571,000 | +6.5% |
| Pleasant Prairie, WI | $470,000 | +7.8% |
| Racine, WI | $223,000 | +6.2% |
| Shorewood, WI | $548,000 | +4.8% |
| Waukesha, WI | $423,000 | +6.5% |
| Wauwatosa, WI | $428,000 | +4.6% |
| West Bend, WI | $359,000 | +6.5% |
| Whitefish Bay, WI | $662,000 | +6.1% |
| Antioch, IL | $358,000 | +6.2% |
| Arlington Heights, IL | $496,000 | +9.0% |
| Barrington, IL | $646,000 | +8.4% |
| Buffalo Grove, IL | $448,000 | +5.9% |
| Crystal Lake, IL | $385,000 | +4.3% |
| Deerfield, IL | $662,000 | +7.6% |
| Glenview, IL | $698,000 | +10.4% |
| Grayslake, IL | $374,000 | +5.6% |
| Gurnee, IL | $382,000 | +5.2% |
| Highland Park, IL | $808,000 | +9.2% |
| Lake Bluff, IL | $666,000 | +9.5% |
| Lake Forest, IL | $1,248,000 | +10.7% |
| Libertyville, IL | $635,000 | +8.0% |
| Mundelein, IL | $390,000 | +5.7% |
| Northbrook, IL | $715,000 | +10.0% |
| Vernon Hills, IL | $459,000 | +5.8% |
| Waukegan, IL | $248,000 | +6.9% |
| Wilmette, IL | $1,014,000 | +13.4% |
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Buying an older home
About 44% of Milwaukee homes were built before 1951; older plumbing and metals are a common inspection issue.
Source: HomeLight
Older homes can have lead water service lines. Milwaukee Water Works explains how to check an address and what to do.
Luxury homes in Mequon and Lake Geneva
Typical home value: Mequon $660,000 · Lake Geneva $420,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Talk to a relocation agent
Tell us about your move and we'll send options that fit your timeline and budget.
Prefer to talk? Call Beatrice or book a 30-minute call.
Includes: Monthly market report email
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