At a glance
For the Madison, WI metro area (CBSA 31540), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 97.3 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $1,354 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 8.1% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
How Madison compares with the other 74 metros
Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.
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| Measure | Madison | Middle value of 75 metros | Rank (1st = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100) | 97.3 | 98.4 | 45th of 75 |
| ACS median gross rent per month | $1,354 | $1,430 | 44th of 75 |
| ACS median household income | $88,804 | $83,460 | 26th of 75 |
| ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips | 8.1% | 13.2% | 71st of 75 |
The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Charlotte (97.3), Rochester (97.0), Durham (97.6). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.
Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Madison
For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Madison’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.
Highest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $58,929 | 2nd of 75 |
| Pharmacists | $162,529 | 3rd of 75 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,829 | 5th of 75 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $48,825 | 6th of 75 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $45,422 | 6th of 75 |
Lowest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $88,737 | 73rd of 74 |
| Environmental Engineers | $93,085 | 62nd of 71 |
| Information Security Analysts | $107,013 | 60th of 72 |
| Electrical Engineers | $105,276 | 60th of 73 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $93,209 | 59th of 74 |
Occupation wages in the Madison metro area
The Madison, WI metropolitan statistical area spans its officially defined counties. Its published labor, price and housing figures describe the region, not just Madison city limits or individual neighborhoods. The BLS geographic unit is Madison, WI (CBSA 31540), rather than the limits of Madison city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.
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| Occupation | Annual median wage | Adjusted median* | Employment estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $104,012 | 10,650 |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,830 | $36,829 | 8,330 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $44,190 | $45,422 | 7,130 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,500 | $48,825 | 7,120 |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $134,273 | 6,720 |
| Office Clerks, General | $46,590 | $47,889 | 5,970 |
| General and Operations Managers | $126,620 | $130,151 | 5,130 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $51,410 | $52,844 | 4,630 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $83,392 | 4,440 |
| Project Management Specialists | $98,990 | $101,750 | 4,280 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,700 | $61,365 | 4,160 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $57,330 | $58,929 | 3,790 |
Show all 79 occupations, alphabetically
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The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
Occupational wage distribution examples
These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.
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| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $81,760 | $87,270 | $101,190 | $103,150 | $123,240 |
| Retail Salespersons | $28,310 | $30,030 | $35,830 | $38,970 | $49,190 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $34,720 | $37,420 | $44,190 | $47,880 | $56,320 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $35,190 | $41,230 | $47,500 | $58,170 | $70,350 |
| Software Developers | $82,790 | $101,970 | $130,630 | $161,050 | $171,290 |
| Office Clerks, General | $31,200 | $38,640 | $46,590 | $56,550 | $69,100 |
The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.
Understanding the local context
BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 97.287. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $1,354 (MOE ±$16) and median household income of $88,804 (MOE ±$1,156) over 2020–2024.
ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 8.1% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.
Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.
Using Madison figures in a real moving budget
The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 2.7% below the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $1,354 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $16,248. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.
The 8.1% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.