La Crosse vs Madison
La Crosse, 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.
La Crosse and Madison score about the same overall (45 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | La Crosse | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $50k |
| Home Value | $183k | $327k |
| Monthly Rent | $941 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.12% | 1.91% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.99% | 17.83% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.5 in | 39.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 54.2 in | 38.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 216 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.4 | 60.4 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.7 | 76.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1309/100k | 917/100k |
| Property Crime | 3132/100k | 2410/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 52,043 | 268,516 |
| Median Age | 30.0 | 31.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.42 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 88.3% | 71.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 7.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 7.8% |
| Asian (%) | 4.0% | 8.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 16.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 123 mi | 77 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.0% | 90.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 47.65 | 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 La Crosse or Madison more affordable?
- La Crosse has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with La Crosse's $46k and Madison's $50k. Median rent is $941 in La Crosse versus $1k in Madison.
- Is La Crosse or Madison safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. La Crosse reports 1309/100k and Madison reports 917/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in La Crosse or Madison?
- The median home value is $183k in La Crosse and $327k in Madison, so homes are more affordable in La Crosse.