Madison receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Madison
Columbus
Opportunity
80 · Top 6%
vs79 · Top 10%
Growth
73 · Top 8%
vs64 · Top 23%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs68 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 3%
vs77 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
71 · Top 42%
vs78 · Top 31%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
61 · Top 30%
vs54 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Madison | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 278,001 | 914,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $66,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,425 | $37,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,325/sq mi | 4,129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $372,900 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,413 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.0% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.9% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,111 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.3 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.7% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.8 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Madison, WI · Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology