Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Madison leads 14 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
35% less violent crime than Sparks
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (2.6%)
Homes cost $97k less ($326,600 vs $423,500)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $235/mo less ($1,291 vs $1,526)
Cons
Median income trails Sparks by $8,043/yr
Sparks, NV
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 28°F
Households earn $8,043 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $423,500
Higher rents — median is $1,526/mo
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 103.2 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Violent Crime
35% lower
256.0 vs 394.4 per 100k
Madison
Median Home Value
$97k less
$326,600 vs $423,500
Madison
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
2.6% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Median Income
$8,043
$82,938 vs $74,895/yr
Sparks
Summer Heat
9.9°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 103.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $1,526⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 48.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 6.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Madison is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 14 of 23 categories. Madison wins 14 and Sparks 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $423,500 median home), income ($74,895 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Sparks, NV are about 1,581 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.