Residential comparison · 13 facts
Madison, WI vs Sun Prairie, 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 Madison needs about $81,500 in Sun Prairie to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Sun Prairie, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Madison.
A few differences
- Sun Prairie is lower on property tax rate (1.61% vs 1.9%).
- Madison is lower on sales tax (5.5% vs 5.7%).
- Sun Prairie is lower on groceries index (96 vs 101).
Madison vs Sun Prairie · facet by facet
| Facet | Madison, WI | Sun Prairie, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $420,000 | $365,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,750/mo | $1,523/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% | 1.61% |
| State & local income tax | 3.17% | 3.17% |
| Sales tax | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| Cost of living index | 101 | 98 |
| Groceries index | 101 | 96 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $90,942 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3% |
| Crime index | 35/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 7.5/10 | 6.7/10 |
| 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: Madison, WI · Sun Prairie, WI
Questions & answers
- Is Madison cheaper than Sun Prairie?
- Sun Prairie has the lower day-to-day cost index (98 vs 101 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Sun Prairie equals $85,000 in Madison?
- A household earning $85,000 in Madison needs about $81,500 in Sun Prairie to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Sun Prairie lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Madison.