Living in Madison, AL
Suburb in Alabama
Madison is a suburb in Alabama, home to about 58,000 people, with 446,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.
Is Madison a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: about $1,147 state income tax per resident, 0.49% property tax
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $307k and rents for $1,690 a month
- Highly educated: 66% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 1 research university is within 31 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 446,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Few top-rated hospitals: no 4–5★ hospital within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Madison ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Madison: common questions
What is the cost of living in Madison?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $307k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,690 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Madison?
Alabama collects about $1,147 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.49% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Madison safe?
Madison isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in Madison?
Madison has mild winters: winter days average around 55°F and summer days around 91°F, with roughly 2″ of snow a year.
Does Madison get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.99 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Madison?
The nearest major airport is BHM, about 79 mi away.
How Madison scores
Each bar compares Madison with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Madison right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.