Residential comparison · 13 facts
Janesville, WI vs Madison, WI
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Janesville needs about $96,000 in Madison to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Madison, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $74,000 in Janesville.
A few differences
- Janesville is lower on property tax rate (1.61% vs 1.9%).
- Madison is lower on sales tax (5.5% vs 5.7%).
- Janesville is lower on groceries index (96 vs 101).
Janesville vs Madison · facet by facet
| Facet | Janesville, WI | Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $223,400 | $420,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,067/mo | $1,750/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.61% | 1.9% |
| State & local income tax | 3.17% | 3.17% |
| Sales tax | 5.7% | 5.5% |
| Cost of living index | 83 | 101 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 101 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $73,446 | $74,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 2.7% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 35/100 |
| School rating | 6.7/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Janesville, WI · Madison, WI
Questions & answers
- Is Janesville cheaper than Madison?
- Janesville has the lower day-to-day cost index (83 vs 101 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Madison equals $85,000 in Janesville?
- A household earning $85,000 in Janesville needs about $96,000 in Madison to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Madison lifestyle costs about $74,000 in Janesville.