Madison, Wisconsin
Among the top 7% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 19% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 51% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 21% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 93% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 34% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 7% for sales tax
- bottom 3% for air quality
Madison is a major city in Wisconsin with about 269,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, sales tax, and commute time. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and air quality.
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
72%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in1.7 in
humid 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 33% of US places
Home Value$327k80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 20% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.91%better than 12% of US places
Income Tax7.60%better than 20% of US places
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US places
Estimated total tax burden17.83%better than 11% of US places
Unemployment2.6%better than 63% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)20°F11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.0 in41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall38.5 inbetter than 23% of US places
Sunny Days212 daysbetter than 29% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 64% of US places
Comfortable Days93 daysbetter than 76% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk60.4better than 57% of US places
Air Quality56 AQIbetter than 3% of US places
School Quality76.5better than 73% of US places
Violent Crime917/100kbetter than 40% of US places
Property Crime2410/100kbetter than 13% of US places
Community
Population268,516100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.612th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4276th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0157th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+543rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)71.5%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.2%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.8%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)8.3%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 87% of US places
Walkability16.3/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance77 mibetter than 50% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.2%better than 65% of US places
Amenities Nearby31.66better than 29% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Madison an affordable place to live?
- Madison is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 33% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Madison?
- The median home value in Madison is $327k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Madison?
- Median household income in Madison is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Madison?
- Median gross rent in Madison is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Madison safe?
- Madison is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 917/100k (better than 40%). Property crime is 2410/100k.
- What is the weather like in Madison?
- Madison averages 72°F in July and 20°F in January, with 39.0 in of annual precipitation and about 212 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Madison?
- Public-school quality in Madison is above average, scoring better than 73% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Madison?
- The average one-way commute in Madison is 20 min.
Other places in Dane County
Places near Madison
Compare Madison
Explore Wisconsin
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)