Madison, WI Cost of Living & Economic Score

Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis cost-of-living and household-budget data for the Madison, WI metropolitan statistical area.

C+
InflationRank Score
78 / 100
Solid affordability — better than the U.S. national average.
Metro cost level (RPP)
98.0
2% below U.S. (100)
Cost burden
78
0–100 (higher = cheaper)
Income resilience
75
state-level proxy
State context
view state-level data

Cost of living in Madison

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, prices in the Madison, WI metropolitan area run 2.0% below the U.S. average (Regional Price Parity index 98.0 on a base of 100). That puts Madison close to the middle of the U.S. cost-of-living range.

For broader state context — including state taxes, insurance, and energy costs that affect every Wisconsin household — see the Wisconsin state report.

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Other Wisconsin metros

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About the InflationRank Score

The InflationRank Score is a proprietary 0–100 composite that summarizes a metro area's cost-of-living and economic conditions on a familiar A–F grading scale. The composite weighs cost level, inflation pressure, and income resilience, sourced from federal government datasets and reviewed annually as federal data refreshes.

Underlying data is drawn from authoritative federal economic agencies and public housing datasets. See full data sources →