City comparison
Arlington, TX versus Madison, WI is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,723 a month in Arlington and $1,694 in Madison, and median household income lands at $71,736 versus $74,895. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Madison takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Madison leads by 100% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Arlington can feel further apart than Arlington and Madison do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Arlington and Madison reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Arlington, TX
Madison, WI
Rent
2% cheaper
Madison rent is 2% cheaper than Arlington
Arlington
$1,723/mo
Madison
Winner$1,694/mo
Typical rent runs $1,694 a month in Madison versus $1,723 in Arlington, so Madison is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $29, or $348 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
4% higher
Madison's median income is 4% higher than Arlington
Arlington
$71,736
Madison
Winner$74,895
Median household income is $74,895 in Madison versus $71,736 in Arlington, so typical pay runs 4% higher in Madison — about $3,159 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
35% lower crime
Madison's crime index is 35% lower than Arlington
Arlington
109 (100 = avg)
Madison
Winner71 (100 = avg)
Madison's crime index is 71 versus 109 in Arlington (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 35% lower in Madison. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Madison is the easier city. Arlington can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Arlington and Madison are about even on school scores.
Arlington
A- · 84/100
Madison
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Arlington, A- in Madison). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
100% more comfortable
Madison weather is 100% more comfortable than Arlington
Arlington
92°F typical
Madison
Winner66°F typical
Madison scores 100% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 92°F in Arlington and 66°F in Madison. Arlington reads as hot, long summers; Madison reads as mild, livable temperatures. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Madison is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Arlington can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Arlington
On these five categories Madison takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Arlington because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Arlington only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Madison is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,694 a month. Choose Madison if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 4% higher ($74,895), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 66°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Madison is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 35% lower than Arlington (71 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
If weather is your priority, Madison is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Madison pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Madison offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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