Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Tallahassee, FL
🏆 Madison leads 12 of 20 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
Tallahassee
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
Households earn $21,996 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (2.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $326,600
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
Homes cost $70k less ($256,400 vs $326,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 28°F
Rent averages $126/mo less ($1,165 vs $1,291)
Cons
Median income trails Madison by $21,996/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Median Income
$21,996
$74,895 vs $52,899/yr
Madison
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
2.6% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tallahassee
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 95.3 vs 95.8 (100 = US avg)
Tallahassee
Median Home Value
$70k less
$256,400 vs $326,600
Tallahassee
Summer Heat
9.9°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Tallahassee, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 | 95.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High | $256,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 | $1,165 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $52,899 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 11.1% |
| 🔒 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 | A- (113) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 49.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | LEON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 57.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 198,259 |
| Median Age | 31.6 ✓ Older | 27.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 16.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Tallahassee's 95.3 (US average = 100).
Tallahassee is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Madison leads 12 of 20 categories. Madison wins 12 and Tallahassee 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 Tallahassee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $256,400 median home), income ($74,895 vs $52,899), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Tallahassee, FL are about 918 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.