Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
San Marcos, CA
🏆 San Marcos leads 13 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
San Marcos
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
94,360
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
Homes cost $402k less ($326,600 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $773/mo less ($1,291 vs $2,064)
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (2.6%)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $24,518/yr
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,518 more per year on average
13% less violent crime than Madison
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 28°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Madison
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Home Value
$402k less
$326,600 vs $728,800
Madison
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
2.6% vs 4.2% unemployment
San Marcos
Median Income
$24,518
$99,413 vs $74,895/yr
San Marcos
Violent Crime
13% lower
222.4 vs 256.0 per 100k
San Marcos
Summer Heat
5.0°F warmer
July avg high 87.2°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $728,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $2,064⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 | $99,413 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 26.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% | 16.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 41.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 87.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | San Marcos Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 94,360 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 61.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs San Marcos's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Madison is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Marcos leads 13 of 23 categories. Madison wins 10 and San Marcos wins 13. 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 Marcos or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $728,800 median home), income ($74,895 vs $99,413), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and San Marcos, CA are about 1,647 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.