Madison, WI

Census place 5548000 · pop 278,001

D59/ 100
😐 Meh
D−
in WI
📍 Wisconsin ranks #7 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.2% · top 1%
🚽 Own46.0% · bottom 10%
💡 Did you know?

Wisconsin's capital, built on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona and home to the flagship UW campus.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.75% property · US 0.99%5.72% sales · US 7.00%up to 7.65% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership46.0%10

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

46.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden1.75%16

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.75% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Income inequality0.4725

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poverty rate16.4%29

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

16.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Housing cost$372,90034

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$372,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level91/10046

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

91/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access91.3%48

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Median household income$78,05054

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$78,050 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Air quality (AQI)County-level42 AQI57

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

42 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,655/mo57

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,655/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Poor mental health16.5%59

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

16.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult obesity32.7%63

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

32.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity22.0%67

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

22.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Uninsured adults7.9%67

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

7.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult smoking10.2%78

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

10.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Population growth (5yr)+9.0%78

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+9.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Commute time19 min79

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher59.9%90

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

59.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.2%99

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Madison: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Madison, WI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Madison scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is homeownership. Wisconsin overall ranks #7 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Madison, WI expensive to live in?
Madison has a median home value of $372,900 and typical rent around $1,655/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Madison, WI?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (46.0%) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Madison, WI best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.2%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Wisconsin's capital, built on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona and home to the flagship UW campus.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.