Madison vs Sun Prairie
Madison, Wisconsin versus Sun Prairie, 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 Sun Prairie score about the same overall (43 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Madison | Sun Prairie |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $75k | $90k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $327k | $313k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $57k | $9k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.91% | 1.90% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.83% | 16.07% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 1.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.0 in | 37.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5 in | 51.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.4 | 35.3 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.5 | 91.5 |
| Violent Crime | 917/100k | 932/100k |
| Property Crime | 2410/100k | 1546/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 268,516 | 35,847 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 37.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.37 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 71.5% | 76.3% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 7.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.8% | 4.6% |
| Asian (%) | 8.3% | 6.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 16.3/20 | 10.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 69 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.2% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 31.66 | 53.56 |
| 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 Sun Prairie more affordable?
- Sun Prairie has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Madison's $50k and Sun Prairie's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Madison versus $1k in Sun Prairie.
- Is Madison or Sun Prairie safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. Madison reports 917/100k and Sun Prairie reports 932/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Madison or Sun Prairie?
- The median home value is $327k in Madison and $313k in Sun Prairie, so homes are more affordable in Sun Prairie.