Living in Madison, WI
College town in Wisconsin
Madison is a college town in Wisconsin, home to about 276,000 people, with 575,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: A lakeside college town and state capital: bikeable, educated and community-minded. Cold winters.
Is Madison a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 80°F
- Dog-friendly: 29 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Higher taxes: about $1,734 state income tax per resident, 1.84% property tax
- Smaller job market: about 575,000 people live 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 $430k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,240 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 97, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Madison?
Wisconsin collects about $1,734 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.84% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Madison safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Madison?
Madison has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 31°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 39″ of snow a year.
Does Madison get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.9 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Madison?
The nearest major airport is MKE, about 78 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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Nearby
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Is Madison right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.