City comparison
Philadelphia, PA 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 $1,810 a month in Philadelphia and $1,694 in Madison, and median household income lands at $57,537 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 median income, where Madison leads by 30% — 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 Philadelphia can feel further apart than Philadelphia and Madison do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Philadelphia and Madison reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Philadelphia, PA
Madison, WI
Rent
6% cheaper
Madison rent is 6% cheaper than Philadelphia
Philadelphia
$1,810/mo
Madison
Winner$1,694/mo
Typical rent runs $1,694 a month in Madison versus $1,810 in Philadelphia, so Madison is 6% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $116, or $1,392 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
30% higher
Madison's median income is 30% higher than Philadelphia
Philadelphia
$57,537
Madison
Winner$74,895
Median household income is $74,895 in Madison versus $57,537 in Philadelphia, so typical pay runs 30% higher in Madison — about $17,358 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. Philadelphia can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
5% lower crime
Madison's crime index is 5% lower than Philadelphia
Philadelphia
75 (100 = avg)
Madison
Winner71 (100 = avg)
Madison's crime index is 71 versus 75 in Philadelphia (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 5% 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 Philadelphia. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Philadelphia and Madison are about even on school scores.
Philadelphia
A- · 84/100
Madison
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Philadelphia, 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
2% more comfortable
Madison weather is 2% more comfortable than Philadelphia
Philadelphia
75°F typical
Madison
Winner66°F typical
Madison scores 2% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 75°F in Philadelphia and 66°F in Madison. Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia'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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Philadelphia
On these five categories Madison takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Philadelphia because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Philadelphia 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 6% 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 30% 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 5% lower than Philadelphia (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 the job market is your priority, Madison is the clear choice.
If cost of living 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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