Dane County · Wisconsin · Midwest · 278k residents
Madison, WI: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Madison: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Wisconsin median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,486/wk. Wisconsin's corporate income tax rate is 7.9%. Commercial electricity averages 12.6¢/kWh.
Compare Madison side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,486/wk
Corporate income tax
7.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher
59.9%
Commercial electricity
12.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Madison's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
62/100
Steady
Ranks Madison's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $420,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $250 |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,450/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,750/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.17% |
| Sales tax | 5.5% |
| Corporate income tax | 7.9% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,486/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.9% |
| Commercial electricity | 12.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 32.3/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $130,630 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $101,190 |
| Wage: General manager | $126,620 |
| Wage: Customer service | $47,500 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $36,710 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $59,700 |
| Wage: Electrician | $78,430 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $35,830 |
| Cost of living index | 101 |
| Groceries index | 101 |
| Utilities | $150/mo |
| Transit pass | $65/mo |
| Gas price | $3.00/gal |
| Healthcare index | 105 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,450/mo |
| Median household income | $74,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% |
| Population | 278k |
| Crime index | 35/100 |
| School rating | 7.5/10 |
| Walkability | 51/100 |
| Disaster risk | 94/100 |
| Avg. commute | 21 min |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days |
| July high | 82°F |
| January low | 11°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | +2.1% |
| Home price MoM | -0.2% |
| Rent YoY | +2.9% |
| Rent MoM | +0.3% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | +0.5% |
| Building permits YoY | +20.3% |
| Ocean coast | 804 mi |
| Big lake | 57 mi |
| Mountains | 387 mi |
| Major airport | 5 mi |
| Ski resort | 129 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Fitchburg, WI · 33k
- Middleton, WI · 22k
- Waunakee, WI · 16k
- Verona, WI · 15k
- Sun Prairie, WI · 38k
Similar size
- Green Bay, WI · 106k
- Kenosha, WI · 99k
- Racine, WI · 78k
- Appleton, WI · 75k
- Waukesha, WI · 71k
Real listings in Madison
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Madison a good place to run a business?
- Wisconsin's corporate income tax rate is 7.9%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,486/wk; commercial electricity averages 12.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Madison, WI?
- Madison indexes at 101 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,750/mo and a median home value of $420,000.
- How much does a house cost in Madison?
- The median home value in Madison is $420,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Madison?
- A two-bedroom in Madison rents for about $1,750/mo.