Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Madison leads 13 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
26% less violent crime than Palm Bay
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (2.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $12,357 more per year on average
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $326,600
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $100k less ($226,200 vs $326,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 28°F
Cons
Median income trails Madison by $12,357/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 2.6%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Madison
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Income
$12,357
$74,895 vs $62,538/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
26% lower
256.0 vs 347.2 per 100k
Madison
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
2.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$100k less
$226,200 vs $326,600
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
9.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Madison is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 13 of 23 categories. Madison wins 13 and Palm Bay wins 10. 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 Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $226,200 median home), income ($74,895 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,154 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.