Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
New Orleans, LA
🏆 Madison leads 12 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516
New Orleans
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,116
Violent Crime Index
380⚠ High
Population
380,408 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
82% less violent crime than New Orleans
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.8 pts lower (2.6%)
Households earn $23,779 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $326,600
Cost of living runs 5% higher than New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 28°F
Homes cost $45k less ($281,500 vs $326,600)
Rent averages $129/mo less ($1,162 vs $1,291)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Madison
Cons
Median income trails Madison by $23,779/yr
Violent crime (1444.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4640.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Median Income
$23,779
$74,895 vs $51,116/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
82% lower
256.0 vs 1444.1 per 100k
Madison
Unemployment
5.8 pp lower
2.6% vs 8.4% unemployment
New Orleans
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 95.8 (100 = US avg)
New Orleans
Median Home Value
$45k less
$281,500 vs $326,600
New Orleans
Summer Heat
8.4°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | New Orleans, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High | $281,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 | $1,162 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $51,116 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 11.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 316⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 380⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | A- (112) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 40.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 88.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 61.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 | 380,408 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 37.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 49.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 15.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs New Orleans's 91.1 (US average = 100).
New Orleans is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 12 of 23 categories. Madison wins 12 and New Orleans wins 11. 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 Madison to New Orleans or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $281,500 median home), income ($74,895 vs $51,116), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and New Orleans, LA are about 901 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.