Kenosha vs Madison
Kenosha, Wisconsin versus Madison, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kenosha and Madison score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kenosha | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $50k |
| Home Value | $194k | $327k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.99% | 1.91% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.43% | 17.83% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.9 in | 39.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.2 in | 38.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 37.4 | 60.4 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.1 | 76.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1133/100k | 917/100k |
| Property Crime | 1095/100k | 2410/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 99,493 | 268,516 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 31.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.42 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+54 |
| White (%) | 64.3% | 71.5% |
| Black (%) | 10.0% | 7.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.3% | 7.8% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 8.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 8.8/20 | 16.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 25 mi | 77 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.5% | 90.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.89 | 31.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Kenosha or Madison more affordable?
- Madison has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Kenosha's $51k and Madison's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Kenosha versus $1k in Madison.
- Is Kenosha or Madison safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. Kenosha reports 1133/100k and Madison reports 917/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kenosha or Madison?
- The median home value is $194k in Kenosha and $327k in Madison, so homes are more affordable in Kenosha.