Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Madison, WI

    Is Madison a good place to live?

    Watch Madison

    Madison ranks #9 of 35 Wisconsin cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (63/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 2.6% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $346,900
    +6.2% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,364
    per month
    Household income
    $76,983
    median
    Unemployment
    2.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Madison

    The median home value in Madison is $346,900 and median rent is $1,364 a month, against a median household income of $76,983. Homes cost about 4.5× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Madison crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Wisconsin the 2025 rate was 245 violent and 1,033 property crimes per 100,000 people — #45 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Madison, WI

    Madison has about 275,568 residents, 2.7% unemployment and 34% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Madison with

    Madison vs MilwaukeeMadison vs Green BayMadison vs KenoshaMadison vs RacineMadison vs AppletonMadison vs WaukeshaMadison vs Eau ClaireMadison vs Oshkosh

    More: Where to move in Wisconsin · Best counties in Wisconsin

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report