Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Madison?

Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Madison, WI's $1,420, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Madison?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $49,000 in Madison.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Madison?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Concord vs Madison Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Madison

Wisconsin

$1,420/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,420 in Madison, WI. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $76,983 in Madison, WI — about 8% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Madison, WI

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,018

+16% in Madison, WI

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,219

+7% in Madison, WI

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,432

+3% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,766

+0% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$346,900

+7% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$76,983

+8% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$58,080

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

31.8 yr

+8.9 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

46.6%

+10.8 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

59.2%

+19.1 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

23.2 min

19.4 min

+3.8 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

259.5

+44% in Madison, WI

Property Crime

1,251.5

1,884.5

+51% in Madison, WI

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

46.5°F

+0.1°F in Madison, WI

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

34.5 in

+6.1 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

19.6

+28% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$18.17

+16% in Concord, NH

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

Average prices — Northeast vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / WI)

None

+5.0 pp in WI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Concord vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Madison?: Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Madison, WI's $1,420, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Madison?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Madison?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).