Is Madison, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Madison is a small city of 16,521 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $163,567 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Madison stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Madison is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Madison city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Madison's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Madison costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Madison, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $844,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,168 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $163,567 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMadison's violent crime rate is 12.0 per 100,000 residents — 97% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Madison is served primarily by Madison Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Madison, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Madison Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 71.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Madison sees average highs of 39.5°F in January and 86.3°F in July, with 49.8 inches of annual precipitation and 24.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Madison, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.5°F |
| Average High — July | 86.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Madison, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,521 | — |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 80.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Madison
Madison, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: