Median rent is 28% lower in Madison ($1,413/mo vs $1,954/mo). Buying is cheaper in Madison, where the median home runs $372,900 versus $737,100. Households earn more in Washington ($109,870 vs $78,050 a year).
City A
Madison, WI
City B
Washington, DC
How much would you need to earn in Washington, DC to maintain your standard of living from Madison, WI?
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
Madison
Wisconsin
Washington
District of Columbia
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 Madison — median rent of $1,413/mo versus $1,954/mo in Washington, a 28% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Washington: the median home is $737,100 versus $372,900 in Madison — 49% 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.
Madison
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Washington
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Washington has cleaner air on average: 24.0 AQI (Good) compared to 27.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Washington if you prioritize higher median household income ($109,870/yr).
Pick Madison if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,413/mo median).
Is Madison cheaper than Washington?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Madison vs Washington?
Median rent is $1,413/mo in Madison, WI and $1,954/mo in Washington, DC. Madison, WI has the lower rent by about 28%.
Which has higher salaries — Madison or Washington?
Median household income is $78,050 in Madison, WI and $109,870 in Washington, DC. Washington, DC 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?
Washington, DC has better air quality on average: 24.0 AQI versus 27.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Madison or Washington?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Washington to match my Madison 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
