Demand-Backed Comparison

Compare Madison vs Minneapolis on cost, climate, safety, and daily life

People have logged this comparison 19 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.

MadisonMinneapolis

Madison

Wisconsin

City page
Minneapolis
Photo by munshots on Unsplash

Minneapolis

Minnesota

City page

What Stands Out

A quick read on this comparison

Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.

Housing and tax tradeoff: Madison, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.

Biggest tradeoff: Madison, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on daily convenience, weaker on sunshine.

Potential dealbreaker: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.

Comparison Matrix

City
Route
General Info
Population280,305410,939
Population DensityN/A7.9k /sq mi
Elevation876 ft(267 m)830 ft(253 m)
Housing & Wealth
Median Home
$412,118
$315,907
Median Rent
$1,624
$1,693
Median Income$74,895$76,332
Rent Burden26%27%
Climate & Risks
Sunny Days283 days/yr289 days/yr
Avg. High58°F56°F
Comfort Score42/100Challenging33/100Challenging
Temp Swing53°F59°F
Annual Rainfall33"(84 cm)35"(89 cm)
Annual Snowfall15"(38 cm)14"(36 cm)
Air Quality
AQI 39 (Avg)0 days > 100
AQI 41 (Avg)0 days > 100
Infrastructure & Lifestyle
Central walkability9158
Transit Score64N/A
Safety Score72 / 10044 / 100
School Rating7.1/104.5/10
Flood Risk (FEMA)N/A
minimalMinimal Risk
Fire Risk (FEMA)N/A
minimalMinimal
Internet Access
Fiber: 44%Cable: 95%
Fiber: 47%Cable: 100%
Demographics
Median Age31.6 years32.8 years
College Educated59%54%
Remote Workers15%20%
Nature Access
Local Nature & Reserves
Finding...
Finding...
Scouting & Local Help
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner.
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Madison, Wisconsin vs Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cost, Climate, Safety & Daily Life | WhyThere