Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Madison leads 13 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516
Tampa
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
42% less violent crime than Tampa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 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
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Households earn $8,093 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Tampa, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 28°F
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Madison by $8,093/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 2.6%)
Higher rents — median is $1,422/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Median Income
$8,093
$74,895 vs $66,802/yr
Madison
Violent Crime
42% lower
256.0 vs 444.6 per 100k
Madison
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
2.6% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Summer Heat
8.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.6 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 50.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Madison is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 13 of 23 categories. Madison wins 13 and Tampa wins 10. 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $333,200 median home), income ($74,895 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and Tampa, FL are about 1,115 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.