What it's like to live in Madison
Madison is a small city in Indiana with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Madison deals with household incomes below the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, cold winters, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Below-average hospital ratings
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Madison compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Madison
Based on Madison's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,640
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $32,800 a year
- 32% of Madison renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$40,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,310
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 42% below US
$820/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $820 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $203,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $203,100 · 32% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jefferson County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jefferson County (county-wide)
Getting around▼ 25% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is William Howard Taft National Historic Site (54 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Madison's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and hospital ratings below the national average. A year of median rent ($820/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Madison
All Indiana guides →Moving to Sellersburg →
32 mi away · pop. 10,137
Rent $1,151/mo · Income $72,179
Compare with Madison →Moving to Jeffersonville →
33 mi away · pop. 51,043
Rent $1,148/mo · Income $70,930
Compare with Madison →Not sure Madison is the one?
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