Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Madison leads 12 of 20 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
Rent averages $555/mo less ($1,291 vs $1,846)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 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)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $326,600
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 28°F
Homes cost $31k less ($296,100 vs $326,600)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Madison
Median income trails Madison by $8,894/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Income
$8,894
$74,895 vs $66,001/yr
Madison
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
2.6% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$31k less
$296,100 vs $326,600
Sunrise
Summer Heat
8.9°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 10.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Madison is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Madison leads 12 of 20 categories. Madison wins 12 and Sunrise wins 8. 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 Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $296,100 median home), income ($74,895 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Sunrise, FL are about 1,278 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.