Is Madison cheaper than Fort Wayne?

No. Fort Wayne is cheaper: typical rent is $1,113 a month versus $1,694 in Madison — 34% lower. Median household income is $74,895 in Madison compared with $58,233 in Fort Wayne, so Madison has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Madison or Fort Wayne?

Madison is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 71 versus 89 in Fort Wayne — 20% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Madison or Fort Wayne?

School composites are close: A- in Madison and A- in Fort Wayne. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Madison, WI vs Fort Wayne, IN

Madison, WI versus Fort Wayne, IN 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 $1,694 a month in Madison and $1,113 in Fort Wayne, and median household income lands at $74,895 versus $58,233. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Madison takes job market and safety, while Fort Wayne takes affordability. The widest gap is rent, where Fort Wayne leads by 34% — 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 Madison can feel further apart than Madison and Fort Wayne do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Madison and Fort Wayne reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Madison report Full Fort Wayne report

Madison, WI

Rent: $1,694/mo
Median income: $74,895
Crime index: 71
Schools: A-
Weather: 66°F

Fort Wayne, IN

Rent: $1,113/mo
Median income: $58,233
Crime index: 89
Schools: A-
Weather: 66°F

Rent

34% cheaper

Fort Wayne rent is 34% cheaper than Madison

Madison

$1,694/mo

Fort Wayne

Winner

$1,113/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,113 a month in Fort Wayne versus $1,694 in Madison, so Fort Wayne is 34% cheaper. That's roughly $581/month back in your pocket — $6,972/year. Over five years that's $34,860 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Madison, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Fort Wayne is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

29% higher

Madison's median income is 29% higher than Fort Wayne

Madison

Winner

$74,895

Fort Wayne

$58,233

What this means for your life

Median household income is $74,895 in Madison versus $58,233 in Fort Wayne, so typical pay runs 29% higher in Madison — about $16,662 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, Madison is the stronger labor market on paper. Fort Wayne can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

20% lower crime

Madison's crime index is 20% lower than Fort Wayne

Madison

Winner

71 (100 = avg)

Fort Wayne

89 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Madison's crime index is 71 versus 89 in Fort Wayne (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 20% 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. Fort Wayne can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Madison and Fort Wayne are about even on school scores.

Madison

A- · 84/100

Fort Wayne

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Madison, A- in Fort Wayne). 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

Neck and neck

Madison and Fort Wayne are about even on typical weather.

Madison

66°F typical

Fort Wayne

66°F typical

What this means for your life

Outdoor comfort is close between Madison and Fort Wayne. Typical temperatures sit around 66°F in Madison and 66°F in Fort Wayne. You are choosing a flavor of season, not paradise versus misery. Visit in the season you currently like least. A long weekend in October lies; a week in July or January does not.

Fit check

Who should choose Madison

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Madison is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 29% higher here ($74,895). Start with Madison if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Madison is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 20% lower than Fort Wayne (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.

Open the Madison report →

Fit check

Who should choose Fort Wayne

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 34% cheaper here at about $1,113 a month. Choose Fort Wayne if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Fort Wayne report →

Bottom line

Madison vs Fort Wayne, called

If cost of living is your priority, Fort Wayne is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Madison pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Madison offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Madison vs Fort Wayne FAQ

Is Madison cheaper than Fort Wayne?: No. Fort Wayne is cheaper: typical rent is $1,113 a month versus $1,694 in Madison — 34% lower. Median household income is $74,895 in Madison compared with $58,233 in Fort Wayne, so Madison has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Madison or Fort Wayne?: Madison is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 71 versus 89 in Fort Wayne — 20% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Madison or Fort Wayne?: School composites are close: A- in Madison and A- in Fort Wayne. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Madison?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps