Madison, WI: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the second-most populous city in the state (after Milwaukee), with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 census. The Madison metropolitan area has an estimated 708,000 residents. With a downtown centrally located on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona, the city also encompasses Lake Wingra. Madison was founded in 1836, and is named after American Founding Father and President James Madison. Madison is the county seat of Dane County. As the state capital, Madison is home to government chambers, including the Wisconsin State Capitol. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the flagship campus of the University …

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From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Madison ranks

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#18Most educated in WI #26Most new homes in WI #36Most remote workers in WI All WI rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code53701, 53702, 53703

Area code608

Living in Madison

Housing in Madison

$426K▲ 2.5% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Madison home is worth about $426,000, up 2.5% in a year, 25% above the Wisconsin typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market39

Sale-to-list101.8%

Sold in May259

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Madison

C

Safety Grade C

Madison reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 72% report less. Compared with places its own size, it does better than 64%.

Violent crime per 1,000

Madison 2.1

Wisconsin 2.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Madison 18.8

Wisconsin 10.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Madison

Compared with Wisconsin

14better than WI·4worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.

Conditions 10▲ 2 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 3▼ 4 close Mind 2▲ 3 close Everyday needs 1▼ 3 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

4.2%Fewer adults with heart diseaseWI 6.6% · better 17%Fewer adults with arthritisWI 26.6% · better 8.3%More adults without reliable transportationWI 6.7% · worse

Care nearby

University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics AuthorityMadison · 0.7 mi · ER

Wingra Family Medical CenterMadison · 2.8 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Madison · CMS · HRSAHealth in Madison →

Schools in Madison

All Madison schools →

C⁻

School Grade C-

The public schools Madison’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 85% of Wisconsin’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Madison’s schools compare in WI →

DistrictMadison Metropolitan School DistrictSchools82

Cesar Chavez Elementary B-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 631 students Leopold Elementary DElementary · Grades PK–5 · 626 students Kennedy Elementary CElementary · Grades PK–5 · 582 students Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School B-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 462 students Olson Elementary BElementary · Grades PK–5 · 462 students Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School CElementary · Grades PK–5 · 455 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within WI. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from MadisonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Madison.Meet them →