Madison vs Milwaukee
Madison, Wisconsin versus Milwaukee, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Madison and Milwaukee score about the same overall (43 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Madison | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $75k | $50k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $44k |
| Home Value | $327k | $158k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $982 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $57k | $95k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.91% | 2.19% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.83% | 16.43% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.0 in | 39.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5 in | 52.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.4 | 19.3 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.5 | 75.9 |
| Violent Crime | 917/100k | 2830/100k |
| Property Crime | 2410/100k | 3274/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 268,516 | 573,299 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 31.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+41 |
| White (%) | 71.5% | 33.0% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 38.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.8% | 20.2% |
| Asian (%) | 8.3% | 4.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 16.3/20 | 14.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.2% | 83.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 31.66 | 20.62 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Madison or Milwaukee more affordable?
- Milwaukee has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Madison's $50k and Milwaukee's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Madison versus $982 in Milwaukee.
- Is Madison or Milwaukee safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. Madison reports 917/100k and Milwaukee reports 2830/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Madison or Milwaukee?
- The median home value is $327k in Madison and $158k in Milwaukee, so homes are more affordable in Milwaukee.