Ithaca vs Madison
The short version
- Madison is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Ithaca area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $342,700 in Ithaca and $372,900 in Madison.
- Households earn more in Madison ($78,050 vs $48,784 median).
- Ithaca has the warmer winter: January highs of 31°F vs 27°F.
- Ithaca gets far more snow: 63 inches a year vs 52.
Side by side
| Ithaca, NY | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 33,632 | 286,233 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.8% | +4.2% |
| People per square mile | 6,241 | 3,423 |
| Median age | 23.3 | 31.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68% | 60% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $48,784 | $78,050 |
| Median home value | $342,700 | $372,900 |
| Home value to income | 7.0× | 4.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,447 | $1,413 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 97.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 128.4 | 99.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $73,000 |
| Homeowners | 30% | 46% |
| Top state income tax | 10.9% | 7.65% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 5.72% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.7 | 19.4 |
| Work from home | 25% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 9% | 5% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.3% | 2.7% |
| Poverty rate | 30.4% | 16.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 15° | 27° / 12° |
| July high / low | 80° / 58° | 82° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 37 in |
| Snowfall per year | 63 in | 52 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 5 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 148 | 147 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 73.9 | 93.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 93% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | -5.2% | +4.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +41.6% | +49% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Ithaca: May to September. Madison: May and August to September.
Full monthly tables: Ithaca weather by month and Madison weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,500 in Ithaca and $73,000 in Madison. Moving from Ithaca to Madison, you would need about $70,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.