Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Madison leads 13 of 22 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
Households earn $16,952 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (2.6%)
Homes cost $65k less ($326,600 vs $391,500)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 95°F
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Provo, UT
Pros
19% less violent crime than Madison
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $202/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,291)
Milder winters — January highs near 41°F vs 28°F
Cons
Median income trails Madison by $16,952/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $391,500
Higher unemployment (4.4% vs 2.6%)
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Median Income
$16,952
$74,895 vs $57,943/yr
Madison
Median Home Value
$65k less
$326,600 vs $391,500
Madison
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
2.6% vs 4.4% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 95.8 on the COL index
Provo
Violent Crime
19% lower
206.6 vs 256.0 per 100k
Provo
Summer Heat
13.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 | 95.8 |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $391,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 41.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 31.6 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 18.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Madison leads 13 of 22 categories. Madison wins 13 and Provo wins 9. 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 Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $391,500 median home), income ($74,895 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Provo, UT are about 1,160 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.