City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO 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 $1,735 a month in Colorado Springs and $1,694 in Madison, and median household income lands at $79,026 versus $74,895. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Colorado Springs takes job market, while Madison takes affordability, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Madison leads by 48% — 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 Colorado Springs can feel further apart than Colorado Springs and Madison do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Colorado Springs and Madison reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Colorado Springs, CO
Madison, WI
Rent
2% cheaper
Madison rent is 2% cheaper than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
$1,735/mo
Madison
Winner$1,694/mo
Typical rent runs $1,694 a month in Madison versus $1,735 in Colorado Springs, so Madison is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $41, or $492 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
6% higher
Colorado Springs's median income is 6% higher than Madison
Colorado Springs
Winner$79,026
Madison
$74,895
Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs versus $74,895 in Madison, so typical pay runs 6% higher in Colorado Springs — about $4,131 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
48% lower crime
Madison's crime index is 48% lower than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
137 (100 = avg)
Madison
Winner71 (100 = avg)
Madison's crime index is 71 versus 137 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 48% 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. Colorado Springs can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Colorado Springs and Madison are about even on school scores.
Colorado Springs
A- · 84/100
Madison
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Colorado Springs, 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
8% more comfortable
Madison weather is 8% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
77°F typical
Madison
Winner66°F typical
Madison scores 8% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 77°F in Colorado Springs and 66°F in Madison. Colorado Springs reads as warm weather most of the year; Madison reads as mild, livable temperatures. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Colorado Springs's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Madison is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Colorado Springs is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 6% higher here ($79,026). Start with Colorado Springs if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
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.
Pick Madison if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (66°F) beat Colorado Springs on this page's weather index by 8%. Colorado Springs may pay more or cost less, but Madison is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Madison is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 48% lower than Colorado Springs (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 safety is your priority, Madison is the clear choice.
If the job market matters more to you, Colorado Springs pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Madison offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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