Salaries in Kenosha, WI

Kenosha doesn’t look like a place where the top earners pull down the salaries they do. You see the lakefront and the old brick buildings and you think "nice, quiet," not "marketing managers clearing $154K." But the data here is stubborn. The city’s median household income sits at $68,885, and with a cost-of-living index at 96.3, your paycheck stretches a bit further than the national average. A one-bedroom apartment runs you about $1,071 a month, which is manageable on that median income, but it’s not the steal you might expect.

Let’s talk purchasing power. That COL index means a dollar goes about 4% further here than it does nationally. For the average salary of $68,186, the adjusted power feels closer to $70,806. It’s a modest advantage, but it’s real. You’re not getting a San Francisco salary with a Kenosha mortgage, but you’re also not getting crushed by either one. For a software developer making $124,625, the COL-adjusted number is $129,413—which feels like a quiet win.

So who’s actually thriving here? The economy leans hard into manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. You’ve got the massive Amazon fulfillment center out by I-94, and the Racine-Kenosha corridor is a serious hub for industrial jobs. That explains the strong showing for construction managers ($105,970) and project managers ($99,183). It’s not all blue-collar, though. The University of Wisconsin-Parkside and the nearby medical centers anchor a steady demand for pharmacists ($133,214) and other professionals. The surprise for me? Marketing managers are the top earners. That’s not typical for a mid-sized Midwest city. It suggests there’s a surprising amount of corporate or remote work happening here that doesn’t meet the eye.

Here’s the honest catch: unemployment is a razor-tight 2.9%, but wages aren’t exactly racing ahead. The city’s educational attainment—only 28.1% with a bachelor’s degree or higher—keeps a ceiling on average pay. If you’re in one of those top five roles, you’re in a sweet spot. If you’re not, you might find the financial comfort here is solid but not spectacular. Kenosha works well for skilled tradespeople, healthcare professionals, and remote tech workers who want a lower overhead without leaving the Midwest.

What follows is a breakdown of what the salaries actually look like on the ground, from the top earners down to the city’s average. Look at the COL-adjusted numbers—they tell a more honest story than the raw figures alone.