Median rent is 21% lower in Louisville/Jefferson County ($1,120/mo vs $1,413/mo). Buying is cheaper in Louisville/Jefferson County, where the median home runs $233,900 versus $372,900. Households earn more in Madison ($78,050 vs $66,849 a year).
City A
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
City B
Madison, WI
How much would you need to earn in Madison, WI to maintain your standard of living from Louisville/Jefferson County, KY?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Louisville/Jefferson County
Kentucky
Madison
Wisconsin
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Louisville/Jefferson County — median rent of $1,120/mo versus $1,413/mo in Madison, a 21% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Madison: the median home is $372,900 versus $233,900 in Louisville/Jefferson County — 37% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Louisville/Jefferson County
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Madison
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Madison has cleaner air on average: 27.0 AQI (Good) compared to 32.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Madison if you prioritize higher median household income ($78,050/yr).
Pick Louisville/Jefferson County if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,120/mo median).
Is Louisville/Jefferson County cheaper than Madison?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Louisville/Jefferson County vs Madison?
Median rent is $1,120/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY and $1,413/mo in Madison, WI. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has the lower rent by about 21%.
Which has higher salaries — Louisville/Jefferson County or Madison?
Median household income is $66,849 in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY and $78,050 in Madison, WI. Madison, WI has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Madison, WI has better air quality on average: 27.0 AQI versus 32.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Louisville/Jefferson County or Madison?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Madison to match my Louisville/Jefferson County income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
