Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Madison, WI
🏆 Madison leads 15 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Madison
Wisconsin
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $46,644 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 37°F vs 28°F
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Madison
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Madison, WI
Pros
Homes cost $671k less ($326,600 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1337/mo less ($1,291 vs $2,628)
41% less violent crime than Cambridge
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (2.6%)
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $46,644/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$46,644
$121,539 vs $74,895/yr
Madison
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Violent Crime
41% lower
256.0 vs 436.7 per 100k
Madison
Median Home Value
$671k less
$326,600 vs $997,600
Madison
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
2.6% vs 3.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,291 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $74,895 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 2.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 15.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 67 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | A (124) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 11.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 58.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 95.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Madison Metropolitan School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F ✓ Warmer | 27.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 39.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 38.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 268,516 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 31.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 47.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 16.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Madison's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Madison is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 15 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 8 and Madison wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Cambridge to Madison or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $326,600 median home), income ($121,539 vs $74,895), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Madison, WI are about 929 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.