Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 Madison leads 12 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Shreveport
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High
Population
186,183
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
79% less violent crime than Shreveport
Households earn $28,928 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.6 pts lower (2.6%)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $326,600
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Pros
Homes cost $158k less ($168,900 vs $326,600)
Rent averages $346/mo less ($945 vs $1,291)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 28°F
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Madison
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
Cons
Median income trails Madison by $28,928/yr
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Median Income
$28,928
$74,895 vs $45,967/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
79% lower
256.0 vs 1228.5 per 100k
Madison
Unemployment
6.6 pp lower
2.6% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 95.8 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Median Home Value
$158k less
$168,900 vs $326,600
Shreveport
Summer Heat
12.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High | $168,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 | $945 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 4.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 323⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 190⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 26.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 186,183 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 53.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 12 of 23 categories. Madison wins 12 and Shreveport wins 11. 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 Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $168,900 median home), income ($74,895 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Shreveport, LA are about 771 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.