City comparison
Minneapolis, MN 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 $1,709 a month in Minneapolis and $1,694 in Madison, and median household income lands at $76,332 versus $74,895. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Minneapolis takes job market and weather, while Madison takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Madison leads by 9% — 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 Minneapolis can feel further apart than Minneapolis and Madison do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Minneapolis and Madison reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Minneapolis, MN
Madison, WI
Rent
1% cheaper
Madison rent is 1% cheaper than Minneapolis
Minneapolis
$1,709/mo
Madison
Winner$1,694/mo
Typical rent runs $1,694 a month in Madison versus $1,709 in Minneapolis, so Madison is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $15, or $180 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
2% higher
Minneapolis's median income is 2% higher than Madison
Minneapolis
Winner$76,332
Madison
$74,895
Median household income is $76,332 in Minneapolis versus $74,895 in Madison, so typical pay runs 2% higher in Minneapolis — about $1,437 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
9% lower crime
Madison's crime index is 9% lower than Minneapolis
Minneapolis
78 (100 = avg)
Madison
Winner71 (100 = avg)
Madison's crime index is 71 versus 78 in Minneapolis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 9% lower in Madison. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Madison, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Minneapolis. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Minneapolis and Madison are about even on school scores.
Minneapolis
A- · 84/100
Madison
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Minneapolis, 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
6% more comfortable
Minneapolis weather is 6% more comfortable than Madison
Minneapolis
Winner72°F typical
Madison
66°F typical
Minneapolis scores 6% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 72°F in Minneapolis and 66°F in Madison. Minneapolis 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 Madison's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Minneapolis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 2% higher ($76,332), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 72°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Madison is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% 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.
Madison is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 9% lower than Minneapolis (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 weather matters more to you, Minneapolis pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Madison offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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