Madison, WI vs Minneapolis, MN
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | MadisonMadison, WI | MinneapolisMinneapolis, MN | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | Same | ||
| Affluence | Average | Average | Same |
| Cost of Living | Same | ||
| Crime | Safe | High Risk | |
| Education | Same | ||
| Quality of Life | Good | Good | |
| Sovereignty | Moderate | Self-Reliant | |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
226 violent crimes per 100,000 people in Madison, WI versus 1,001 in Minneapolis, MN, a 4.4× higher rate in the latter, per 2025 FBI data. That gap places Madison in the 51st percentile and Minneapolis in the 98th for violent crime. Property crime follows a similar pattern: Madison reports 1,707 incidents per 100,000 (67th percentile) while Minneapolis reports 4,504 (99th percentile), 2.6× higher. Traffic deaths invert the trend, with Madison at 13 per 100,000 (35th percentile) versus Minneapolis at 7 (13th percentile), a 79% higher figure in Madison.
2023 Census figures show job growth diverging sharply: Madison added 1.7% year-over-year (69th percentile) while Minneapolis grew 0.3% (29th percentile), a 1.4-point gap. Average commutes also differ, with Madison at 19.4 minutes (23rd percentile) and Minneapolis at 22.5 minutes (44th percentile), the latter 3 minutes longer. Population density is 2.4× higher in Minneapolis at 7,905 people per square mile (96th percentile) versus 3,272 in Madison (81st percentile). Distance to the international border runs 311 miles from Madison (48th percentile) and 243 miles from Minneapolis (30th percentile), a 28% difference.
Cost-of-living indexes sit close—120 in Madison and 118 in Minneapolis—with median home values nearly identical at $346,900 and $345,600. Median household income is $76,983 in Madison and $80,269 in Minneapolis. State and local tax burden runs 10.9% in Madison versus 12.1% in Minneapolis, 1.2 points higher in the latter. Both cities share an A+ air quality grade and a 100/100 healthcare access score, while their national disaster risk grades are both F.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 12062nd pctl | 11861st pctl | About the same |
| Home valueMedian home value | $346,90063rd pctl | $345,60063rd pctl | About the same |
| Median rent | $1,36462nd pctl | $1,32959th pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $76,98355th pctl | $80,26959th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $67,39764th pctl | $67,14464th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $99,07364th pctl | $98,70264th pctl | About the same |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Stretched | Affordable | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Minneapolis needs about
$73,800
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 120 vs 118). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 2.4%5th pctl | 2.9%18th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.7%69th pctl | +0.3%29th pctl | Job growth (YoY): Madison, WI +1.7%; Minneapolis, MN +0.3%; Madison is 1.4 points higher. |
| Per-capita income | $48,55775th pctl | $50,60578th pctl | About the same |
| Poverty rate | 16.2%71st pctl | 16.4%71st pctl | About the same |
| CommuteAverage commute | 19.4 min23rd pctl | 22.5 min44th pctl | Average commute: Madison, WI 19.4 min; Minneapolis, MN 22.5 min; Minneapolis is 3 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 18.2%79th pctl | 23.3%89th pctl | Work from home: Madison, WI 18.2%; Minneapolis, MN 23.3%; Minneapolis is 5.1 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 22651st pctl | 1,00198th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Madison, WI 226; Minneapolis, MN 1,001; Minneapolis is 4.4 times higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 1,70767th pctl | 4,50499th pctl | Property crime per 100k: Madison, WI 1,707; Minneapolis, MN 4,504; Minneapolis is 2.6 times higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Safe | Dangerous | Crime & safety: Madison, WI B; Minneapolis, MN F; Madison is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort isn't available for Madison, WI; broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes | ModerateState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | PredatoryState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | Taxes: Madison, WI C+; Minneapolis, MN D; Madison is graded higher. |
| HomeschoolHomeschool rules | lowState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | highState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| FirearmsFirearm laws grade | B-State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | C+State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| Property rightsProperty rights (eminent domain) | C+State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | BState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| EnergyEnergy production | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. |
Data: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 1 mi1st pctl | 1 mi1st pctl | Nearest large city: Madison, WI 1 mi; Minneapolis, MN 1 mi; Minneapolis is 25% higher. |
| Target proximity | Poor | Weak | Target proximity: Madison, WI F; Minneapolis, MN C+; Minneapolis is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 311 mi48th pctl | 243 mi30th pctl | Distance to international border: Madison, WI 311 mi; Minneapolis, MN 243 mi; Madison is 28% higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 780 mi88th pctl | 985 mi94th pctl | Distance to coastline: Madison, WI 780 mi; Minneapolis, MN 985 mi; Minneapolis is 26% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Madison, WI | Minneapolis, MN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 275,56897th pctl | 426,84598th pctl | Population: Madison, WI 275,568; Minneapolis, MN 426,845; Minneapolis is 55% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 3,27281st pctl | 7,90596th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Madison, WI 3,272; Minneapolis, MN 7,905; Minneapolis is 2.4 times higher. |
| Median age | 31.810th pctl | 3315th pctl | Median age: Madison, WI 31.8; Minneapolis, MN 33; Minneapolis is 1.2 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.2%87th pctl | 54.5%84th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Madison, WI 59.2%; Minneapolis, MN 54.5%; Madison is 4.7 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.110th pctl | 2.215th pctl | About the same |
More about Madison's residents · Minneapolis's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | MadisonMadison, WI | MinneapolisMinneapolis, MN |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | D+21 | D+32 |
| 2024 presidential | – | D +61.0 pts |
Full politics data: Madison · Minneapolis
Moving between Madison and Minneapolis
- Median rent: $1,364 in Madison, $1,329 in Minneapolis
- Median home value: $346,900 in Madison, $345,600 in Minneapolis
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 120 in Madison, 118 in Minneapolis
- Median household income: $76,983 in Madison, $80,269 in Minneapolis
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $99,073 in Madison, $98,702 in Minneapolis
- Unemployment: 2.4% in Madison, 2.9% in Minneapolis
- Average commute: 19.4 min in Madison, 22.5 min in Minneapolis
- Violent crime per 100k: 226 in Madison, 1,001 in Minneapolis
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More places like Madison and Minneapolis
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Taxes & laws: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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