Cities near Milwaukee, WI
Quick answer
The nearest major metro to Milwaukee is Chicago, IL, 81 miles south — roughly 1 hr 34 min by road. Its combined sales tax rate is 10.25% against 7.9% in Milwaukee.
Distance to nearby metros
Great-circle distance from the Milwaukee centroid (43.034, -87.915).
| Metro | Straight line | Est. drive | Direction | Combined rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 80.8 mi | 1 hr 34 min | south | 10.25% |
| Indianapolis, IN | 232.8 mi | 4 hr 30 min | southeast | 7% |
| Toledo, OH | 243.1 mi | 4 hr 42 min | east | 7.75% |
Source: Place centroids: USGS/Census public-domain coordinates · rates as published for 2026
How these distances are calculated
Straight-line figures are great-circle distances between incorporated-place centroids using the haversine formula on a 3,958.76-mile mean-radius sphere — exact to within a few metres for this purpose. Drive time is an estimate: road distance is modelled at 1.2× the straight line (the standard North American circuity factor) at 62 mph for trips over 60 miles and 35 mph below that. It is not a routed itinerary and ignores traffic, terrain and tolls.