Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lancaster, CA
VS
Madison, WI
🏆 Madison leads 16 of 23 categories
Lancaster
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,367
Violent Crime Index
220⚠ High
Population
171,465
Madison
Wisconsin
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
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.
Lancaster, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 28°F
Cons
Violent crime (834.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Madison
Higher rents — median is $1,576/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Madison, WI
Pros
69% less violent crime than Lancaster
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.9 pts lower (2.6%)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Lancaster
Rent averages $285/mo less ($1,291 vs $1,576)
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Lancaster
Summer Heat
15.4°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 82.2°F
Madison
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Income
$3,528
$74,895 vs $71,367/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
69% lower
256.0 vs 834.7 per 100k
Madison
Median Home Value
$42k less
$326,600 vs $368,800
Madison
Unemployment
4.9 pp lower
2.6% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lancaster, CA | Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $368,800⚠ High | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High | $1,291 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,367 | $74,895 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 2.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.6% | 15.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | 67 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 89 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (63) | A (124) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.6:1 | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.4% | 58.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 95.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lancaster Elementary | Madison Metropolitan School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.7°F ✓ Warmer | 27.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 6.8" ✓ Drier | 39.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 38.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,465 | 268,516 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.6 ✓ Older | 31.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.1% ✓ Higher | 47.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% ✓ More | 16.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lancaster's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Madison's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Madison is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 16 of 23 categories. Lancaster wins 7 and Madison wins 16. 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 Lancaster to Madison or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($368,800 vs $326,600 median home), income ($71,367 vs $74,895), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lancaster, CA and Madison, WI are about 1,641 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.