Madison, WI

What it's actually like to move here for work — built entirely from real U.S. government data.

Cost of living

100 = national average — close to the national average

Higher than 68% of the metros we have data for

Median household income

$88,804/year

Higher than 91% of the metros we have data for

Typical rent

$1,565/mo for a 2-bedroom

$1,375/mo for a 1-bedroom

Higher than 72% of the metros we have data for

Unemployment rate

2.6%

2025 annual average

Higher than 3% of the metros we have data for

Walkability

10.3 of 20

Below-average walkable

Higher than 92% of the metros we have data for

Average commute

22 min

One-way, mean across all workers

Higher than 40% of the metros we have data for

Public school enrollment

92,763

Across 34 regular public districts

Higher than 92% of the metros we have data for

School spending per pupil

$15,536

Current spending, regular public districts

Higher than 73% of the metros we have data for

Student-teacher ratio

12.8 to 1

Higher than 20% of the metros we have data for

Bars show this metro's rank against every other metro we have that signal for. Hover or tab a bar for the exact figure.

State income tax

Graduated, up to 7.65%

Climate

Cold, snowy winters

Shaded band = typical monthly high to low. Line = monthly average. Hover or tab a month for exact figures.

Political leaning

2024 presidential results for the counties that make up Madison, WI — area-level voting behavior, which can still contain very different neighborhoods and counties within it. Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab.

This covers the metro only. Your personalized report adds your exact salary target here, a real relocation-cost estimate from wherever you're moving from, and a named employer's own hiring trend, wage-and-hour enforcement history, and political giving.

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Where these numbers come from

Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities. Median household income: Census ACS 5-year estimate. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Walkability: EPA National Walkability Index, population-weighted across the metro. Commute: Census ACS 5-year estimate, mean one-way travel time to work. Public school enrollment, spending, and staffing: NCES Common Core of Data and Census/NCES F-33, regular public districts only. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, nearest matched weather station. Political lean: MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 2024 county-level returns aggregated to this metro. Informational only; not legal, financial, or relocation advice.

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Wage data: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC LCA Disclosure Data and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS. LCA filings reflect sponsored-worker wage offers, which skew toward mid-large employers and specific occupations — treat any estimate built from a small sample cautiously. Informational only; not legal, immigration, or financial advice.