The Town FilesMadison, Wisconsin
City in Dane County · population 269,840 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $372,900
- Household income
- $78,050
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 31.8
Madison is a city of 269,840 people in Dane County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $372,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 100% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 99% of Wisconsin towns.
How Madison ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Madison is worth $372,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $78,050, which is more affordable than 4% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,413 a month. 46.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Madison | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $372,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,413 | $951 |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 46.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Madison
| People | Madison | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.6% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Madison
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 11.1°F. About 40.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Madison since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 16, 2014 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 38 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 28, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 200 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Dane County since 1996
Dane County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dane County
Dane County had 359,249 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,481 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Madison itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Madison
58 public schools with 25,162 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | 9-12 | 2,137 | 16.6 |
| Vel Phillips Memorial High School | 9-12 | 2,005 | 16.8 |
| East High | 9-12 | 1,644 | 15.2 |
| LaFollette High | 9-12 | 1,527 | 15.4 |
| Hamilton Middle | 6-8 | 768 | 15.4 |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | PK-5 | 652 | 13.6 |
| Leopold Elementary | PK-5 | 623 | 11.3 |
| 4K PK Off Site | PK-PK | 594 | 12.6 |
| Kennedy Elementary | PK-5 | 579 | 13.8 |
| Sennett Middle | 6-8 | 579 | 11.6 |
| Toki Middle | 6-8 | 538 | 12.2 |
| Cherokee Heights Middle | 6-8 | 537 | 11.9 |
Towns near Madison
- Middleton, WI4.1 mi · 21,827 people · home $484,200
- Monona, WI5.4 mi · 8,624 people · home $427,900
- Westport, WI5.5 mi · 4,191 people · home $418,700
- Waunakee, WI6.6 mi · 14,879 people · home $515,900
- Fitchburg, WI7.1 mi · 29,609 people · home $417,200
- Middleton, WI7.1 mi · 6,792 people · home $689,400
- Burke, WI7.4 mi · 3,265 people · home $368,500
- Springfield, WI7.8 mi · 2,929 people · home $554,700
Madison questions
Is Madison, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Madison scores better for retirees than 4% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 1%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.8).
How much does a house cost in Madison?
The median owner-occupied home in Madison is valued at $372,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,050, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,413 a month.
What is the weather like in Madison?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 11.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.2 inches of precipitation a year and 38.5 inches of snow.
Does Madison get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Madison since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 16, 2014. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)