Madison vs Racine
Madison, Wisconsin versus Racine, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Racine edges out Madison on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Madison | Racine |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $75k | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $44k |
| Home Value | $327k | $147k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $967 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.91% | 2.39% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.83% | 16.15% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 6.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.0 in | 37.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5 in | 41.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.4 | 36.6 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.5 | 72.7 |
| Violent Crime | 917/100k | 1260/100k |
| Property Crime | 2410/100k | 1518/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 268,516 | 77,453 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 35.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | Even |
| White (%) | 71.5% | 50.3% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 21.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.8% | 23.4% |
| Asian (%) | 8.3% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 16.3/20 | 14.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.2% | 85.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 31.66 | 33.18 |
| 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 Racine more affordable?
- Racine has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Madison's $50k and Racine's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Madison versus $967 in Racine.
- Is Madison or Racine safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. Madison reports 917/100k and Racine reports 1260/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Madison or Racine?
- The median home value is $327k in Madison and $147k in Racine, so homes are more affordable in Racine.