Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Newark, NJ
🏆 Madison leads 15 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516
Newark
New Jersey
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$46,460
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
307,355 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.1 pts lower (2.6%)
Households earn $28,435 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than Newark
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Newark, NJ
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 39°F vs 28°F
Cons
Median income trails Madison by $28,435/yr
Violent crime (581.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Madison
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Income
$28,435
$74,895 vs $46,460/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
56% lower
256.0 vs 581.2 per 100k
Madison
Unemployment
8.1 pp lower
2.6% vs 10.7% unemployment
Newark
Median Home Value
$14k less
$312,300 vs $326,600
Newark
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 86.8°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Newark, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High | $312,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 | $1,273 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $46,460 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 10.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 4.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 17.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | Newark Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 39.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 50.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 28.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 | 307,355 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 34.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% ✓ Higher | 23.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 10.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Newark's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Madison is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 15 of 23 categories. Madison wins 15 and Newark wins 8. 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 Newark or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $312,300 median home), income ($74,895 vs $46,460), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Newark, NJ are about 800 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.