Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Madison, WI
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 Madison leads 16 of 23 categories
Madison
Wisconsin
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,895
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
268,516 ✓ Larger
West Valley City
Utah
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7
Median Household Income
$81,719 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
138,868
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Madison, WI
Pros
45% less violent crime than West Valley City
More college-educated — 58.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (256.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (2.6%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails West Valley City by $6,824/yr
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Households earn $6,824 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 39°F vs 28°F
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (4.0% vs 2.6%)
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Madison
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 96.7 (100 = US avg)
Madison
Violent Crime
45% lower
256.0 vs 469.5 per 100k
Madison
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
2.6% vs 4.0% unemployment
West Valley City
Median Income
$6,824
$81,719 vs $74,895/yr
West Valley City
Summer Heat
11.8°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Madison, WI | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 96.7 |
| Median Home Value | $326,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $333,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,291 ✓ Lower | $1,360⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,895 | $81,719 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.5 min ✓ Shorter | 21.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.3% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (124) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Madison Metropolitan School District | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.7°F | 38.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 268,516 ✓ Larger | 138,868 |
| Median Age | 31.6 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Madison's cost of living index is 95.8 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
Madison is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Madison leads 16 of 23 categories. Madison wins 16 and West Valley City wins 7. 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 West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($326,600 vs $333,600 median home), income ($74,895 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Madison, WI and West Valley City, UT are about 1,170 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.