Madison
What’s happening
Weather
Forecast →Upcoming events
Put the next local happening — a market, a meeting, a concert — on the map.
Local news
Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.
The Madison album
Outdoors in Madison
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
About Madison
Capital of Wisconsin, United StatesMadison 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 …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How Madison ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in Madison
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
Safety in Madison
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%.
Work & commute in Madison
Full picture →59% of Madison’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Verona (6%), Middleton (5%) and Fitchburg (3%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
Health in Madison
Health Grade A
Healthier than 85% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.
Compared with Wisconsin
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.
What stands out
Care nearby
Natural hazards in Madison
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 14% of U.S. communities.
Climate in Madison
Full climate →Madison has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 39 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
Schools in Madison
All Madison schools →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.
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.
Madison’s library
Library details →Where Madison is
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