Monroe and Madison receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Monroe
Madison
Opportunity
78 · Top 10%
vs78 · Top 10%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs44 · Bottom 41%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Madison | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,587 | 278,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,334 | $78,050 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,330 | $49,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,838/sq mi | 3,325/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $195,300 | $372,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $862 | $1,413 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 46.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.3% | 59.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 3,111 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 11.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 63.6% | 14.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.7" | 37.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.5 | 31.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.21 | 12.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.9% | 31.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.9% | 36.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.0% | 44.6% | 2024-25 school 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Madison
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Monroe, WI · Madison, WI · How this is calculated: methodology