BURNOUT INDEX — WI — #46th OF 50
Milwaukee-Waukesha
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Median household income is -5% vs. the national median with a BEA RPP of 99.4, implying relatively favorable purchasing power. Unemployment at 3.2% and a 22.8-minute average commute keep Milwaukee-Waukesha near the bottom of the burnout ranking. The labor market conditions here, on these three metrics, work less hard against you.
Scored 2026-07-21. Data: Census ACS 5-year 2023, BEA RPP 2024. Unemployment: BLS LAUS (most recent month).
The receipts
Three components, three public sources. Each term is clamped to [0, 1] before weighting. The formula is published on the methodology page; any change to the weights requires a public ADR (ADR-0013+).
| Component | Raw value | vs. national | Weight | Contribution | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-to-cost gap Median HH income vs. cost of living. Purchasing power index: 0.95 (wages below cost-adjusted national) | $76,404 RPP 99.4 | -5% national median income | 40% | 1.8 | Census ACS 2023 BEA RPP 2024 |
| Mean commute Minutes/day, ACS 5-year. Capped at 60 min. | 22.8 min | 3.7 min shorter than 26.5 min national | 30% | 11.4 | Census ACS 2023 |
| Unemployment rate BLS LAUS (monthly, MSA-level). Capped at 8%. Preliminary. | 3.2% | 0.7pp below 3.9% national (ACS period) | 30% | 12 | BLS LAUS LAUMT553334000000003 |
| Total score | 25 | ||||
Milwaukee-Waukesha in context
Milwaukee-Waukesha ranks 46th out of 50 major US metro areas on the Office Blues Burnout Index. The index measures three labor-market signals that directly affect worker quality of life: the gap between wages and cost of living, commute time, and unemployment pressure. It does not measure culture, management quality, or RTO mandates — those signals are not yet available at MSA level from primary sources without scraping.
The metro area population is approximately 1,574,731, making it one of the top-50 US metros by size. The data covers the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 33340), which typically extends well beyond the core city limits.
On wages vs. cost of living: median household income here is $76,404 per year (-5% the national median of $80,610). Against a BEA Regional Price Parity of 99.4 (national average = 100, higher = more expensive), that works out to a purchasing-power index of 0.95 relative to a national baseline of 1.0. Wages don't keep up with local prices on a cost-adjusted basis — that gap contributes 1.8 points to the burnout score.
On commute: the average one-way trip takes 22.8 minutes — 3.7 min shorter than the national mean of 26.5 minutes. The commute component contributes 11.4 points out of a possible 30 (capped when commute ≥ 60 minutes). Commute time is the most consistent predictor of reported job dissatisfaction in the academic literature; it compounds every other signal.
On unemployment: the rate is 3.2%, which is 0.7pp below the national reference figure of 3.9% for the ACS measurement period. The unemployment component contributes 12 points out of a possible 30 (capped at 8%). High unemployment signals a weak labor market where workers have fewer outside options — the classic condition for wage suppression and lower bargaining power. This figure is from BLS LAUS (2026-05-31), the most current available.
The score formula is editorial — 40/30/30 weights are a deliberate choice, not derived from regression. If you think the weights are wrong, the methodology page explains the rationale. Weight changes require a public ADR (ADR-0013+). The sources are federal, license-free for reuse with attribution.
HOW THIS IS CALCULATED
Formula (ADR-0012, binding):
burnout_score = round( 40 × clamp₀₁(1 − normalized_wage / cost_norm) // pay-to-cost gap + 30 × clamp₀₁(commute_min / 60) // commute + 30 × clamp₀₁(unemployment_pct / 8) // unemployment )
Where:
normalized_wage= $76,404 ÷ $80,610 (national median) = 0.9478cost_norm= 99.351 ÷ 100 = 0.9935pay_term= clamp₀₁(1 − 0.9478 ÷ 0.9935) = 0.0460commute_term= clamp₀₁(22.8 ÷ 60) = 0.3800unemp_term= clamp₀₁(3.2 ÷ 8) = 0.4000
Score = round(40 × 0.0460 + 30 × 0.3800 + 30 × 0.4000) = round(25.24) = 25
Full methodology, weight rationale, and source citations: /methodology#burnout-index. Weight changes are a brand contract — any modification requires ADR-0013+.
What changed since last update
Score moved from 27 to 25 (-2 points). Data sources refresh weekly via CI cron. Score changes reflect BLS LAUS monthly releases (unemployment) and are recomputed every Monday at 14:30 UTC.
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Raw JSON: /burnout-index/milwaukee-wi.json · License: CC BY 4.0 · Cite as: Office Blues Burnout Index, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, officeblues.net/burnout-index/milwaukee-wi, 2026-07-21