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Jackson vs Madison

Jackson, Mississippi versus Madison, Mississippi: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Jackson

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Madison

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Jackson and Madison score about the same overall (48 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorJacksonMadison
Affordability
Median Household Income$42k$125k
Cost of Living$50k$53k
Home Value$105k$313k
Monthly Rent$980$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$2k
Property Tax Rate1.25%0.78%
Income Tax5.00%5.00%
Sales Tax7.06%7.06%
Estimated total tax burden10.44%9.28%
Unemployment9.3%2.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)47°F47°F
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F82°F
Annual Precipitation51.3 in61.0 in
Annual Snowfall1.0 in1.0 in
Sunny Days250 days250 days
Summer Humidity71°F71°F
Comfortable Days88 days87 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.361.3
Air Quality54 AQI54 AQI
School Quality46.434.6
Violent Crime0/100k260/100k
Property Crime0/100k585/100k
Community
Population153,27127,595
Median Age34.140.6
Racial Diversity0.300.38
Male/Female Ratio0.850.95
Political LeaningD+49R+12
White (%)14.7%77.5%
Black (%)82.0%13.2%
Hispanic (%)1.7%1.1%
Asian (%)0.3%6.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)1.3%2.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time20 min24 min
Walkability14.5/207.9/20
Airport Distance160 mi172 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.9%96.7%
Amenities Nearby7.5026.45
Park & Nature AccessLimitedLimited

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 Jackson or Madison more affordable?
Jackson has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Jackson's $50k and Madison's $53k. Median rent is $980 in Jackson versus $2k in Madison.
Is Jackson or Madison safer?
Jackson has the lower violent crime rate. Jackson reports 0/100k and Madison reports 260/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Jackson or Madison?
The median home value is $105k in Jackson and $313k in Madison, so homes are more affordable in Jackson.
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