Oregon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oregon
Madison
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs78 · Top 10%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Access
94 · Top 44%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
81 · Top 5%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Oregon | Madison | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,547 | 278,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,978 | $78,050 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,569 | $49,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,531/sq mi | 3,325/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $417,200 | $372,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,221 | $1,413 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.4% | 46.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.3% | 59.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.7% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 125 | 3,111 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.8 | 11.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.2% | 14.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 37.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 31.8 | 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: Oregon, WI · Madison, WI · How this is calculated: methodology