Cost of living in the Madison Metro Area
4 counties across WI. Population: 683,967.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Madison Metro Area
Average rent across the Madison metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Madison Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 4 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Madison Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Madison Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 4 counties in the Madison Metro Area
The Madison metro area includes 4 counties. Sorted by population.
- Madison WI$3,427/moPop564,777 Rent$1,282/mo Income$88,108/yrMadison WI 564,777 $1,282/mo $88,108/yr $3,427/mo
- Columbia County WI$2,993/moPop58,322 Rent$829/mo Income$82,792/yrColumbia County WI 58,322 $829/mo $82,792/yr $2,993/mo
- Green County WI$2,867/moPop37,036 Rent$770/mo Income$80,248/yrGreen County WI 37,036 $770/mo $80,248/yr $2,867/mo
- Iowa County WI$2,919/moPop23,832 Rent$786/mo Income$83,372/yrIowa County WI 23,832 $786/mo $83,372/yr $2,919/mo
Compare counties in the Madison Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Madison Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Madison Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Madison metro area is approximately $3,342 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 4 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Madison Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Madison metro area is $1,198 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Madison Metro Area?
Green County, WI is the most affordable county in the Madison metro area at approximately $2,867 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Madison Metro Area?
Dane County, WI is the most expensive county in the Madison metro area at approximately $3,427 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Madison Metro Area?
The Madison metro area covers 4 counties. The five largest by population are Madison, Columbia County, Green County, Iowa County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.