Huntsville vs Madison
Huntsville, Alabama versus Madison, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Madison edges out Huntsville on overall objective livability (53 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Huntsville | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $118k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $45k |
| Home Value | $236k | $327k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.51% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.81% | 9.47% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.3 in | 58.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4 in | 2.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 72 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.3 | 65.0 |
| Air Quality | 30 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.2 | 45.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1819/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 1946/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 215,025 | 56,967 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 39.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+50 |
| White (%) | 56.9% | 67.7% |
| Black (%) | 30.2% | 14.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.4% | 6.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 7.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 79 mi | 79 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 94.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.14 | 30.02 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Huntsville or Madison more affordable?
- Madison has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Huntsville's $50k and Madison's $45k. Median rent is $1k in Huntsville versus $1k in Madison.
- Is Huntsville or Madison safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. Huntsville reports 1819/100k and Madison reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Huntsville or Madison?
- The median home value is $236k in Huntsville and $327k in Madison, so homes are more affordable in Huntsville.