Demand-Backed Comparison

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

People have logged this comparison 31 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
Center 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
Days with 5+ Hours of Sun283 days/yr289 days/yr
Avg. High58°F57°F
Avg. Low41°F38°F
Comfort Score42/100Challenging33/100Challenging
Temp Swing53°F59°F
Annual Precipitation33"(84 cm)31.62"(80 cm)
Annual Snowfall38"(97 cm)51.2"(130 cm)
Air Quality
Typical: 392024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100
Typical: 412024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100
Infrastructure & Lifestyle
WalkabilityN/A71
Transit Score
64
55
Safety Score72 / 10044 / 100
School Rating7.1/104.5/10
Flood Risk (FEMA)
minimalMinimal Risk
minimalMinimal Risk
Central Tract Wildfire RiskN/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
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move.
Featured Local Partner
AD
Realtor
Realtor spot available
For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Madison.
One featured slot per city
Featured Local Partner
AD
Realtor
Realtor spot available
For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Minneapolis.
One featured slot per city
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Madison vs Minneapolis: Cost, Climate, Housing & Daily Life | WhyThere