Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Madison leads 17 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
San Bernardino
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,323
Violent Crime Index
236⚠ High
Population
221,041
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
71% less violent crime than San Bernardino
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.0 pts lower (2.6%)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $13,572 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 28°F
Cons
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Madison by $13,572/yr
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Madison
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Income
$13,572
$74,895 vs $61,323/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
71% lower
256.0 vs 897.1 per 100k
Madison
Median Home Value
$21k less
$326,600 vs $347,100
Madison
Unemployment
5.0 pp lower
2.6% vs 7.6% unemployment
San Bernardino
Summer Heat
13.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | San Bernardino, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $347,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $1,319 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $61,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 28.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 21.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 221,041 |
| Median Age | 31.6 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Madison is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 17 of 23 categories. Madison wins 17 and San Bernardino wins 6. 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 San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $347,100 median home), income ($74,895 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and San Bernardino, CA are about 1,617 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.