City comparison
Henderson, NV 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 Henderson and $1,694 in Madison, and median household income lands at $85,311 versus $74,895. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Henderson takes job market, while Madison takes affordability, safety, and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Madison leads by 221% — 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 Henderson can feel further apart than Henderson and Madison do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Henderson and Madison reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Henderson, NV
Madison, WI
Rent
2% cheaper
Madison rent is 2% cheaper than Henderson
Henderson
$1,735/mo
Madison
Winner$1,694/mo
Typical rent runs $1,694 a month in Madison versus $1,735 in Henderson, 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
14% higher
Henderson's median income is 14% higher than Madison
Henderson
Winner$85,311
Madison
$74,895
Median household income is $85,311 in Henderson versus $74,895 in Madison, so typical pay runs 14% higher in Henderson — about $10,416 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Henderson is the stronger labor market on paper. Madison can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
39% lower crime
Madison's crime index is 39% lower than Henderson
Henderson
117 (100 = avg)
Madison
Winner71 (100 = avg)
Madison's crime index is 71 versus 117 in Henderson (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 39% 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. Henderson can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Henderson and Madison are about even on school scores.
Henderson
A- · 84/100
Madison
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Henderson, 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
221% more comfortable
Madison weather is 221% more comfortable than Henderson
Henderson
99°F typical
Madison
Winner66°F typical
Madison scores 221% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 99°F in Henderson and 66°F in Madison. Henderson 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. Henderson 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Henderson is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 14% higher here ($85,311). Start with Henderson 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 Henderson on this page's weather index by 221%. Henderson 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 39% lower than Henderson (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 the job market matters more to you, Henderson pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Madison offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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