Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Madison?

Fort Worth, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of natural gas costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $49,000 in Madison.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Madison?

Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Fort Worth vs Madison Cost of Living 2026

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

Madison

Wisconsin

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX versus $1,410 in Madison, WI. Overall, Fort Worth, TX is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX and $76,983 in Madison, WI. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Fort Worth, TX

Madison, WI

Rent

Studio

$1,310

$1,018

+22% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,191

$1,219

+2% in Madison, WI

2 Bedroom

$1,393

$1,432

+3% in Madison, WI

3 Bedroom

$1,721

$1,766

+3% in Madison, WI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$277,300

$346,900

+25% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income

$76,602

$76,983

+0% in Madison, WI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$58,080

+13% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.4 yr

31.8 yr

+1.6 yr in Fort Worth, TX

Homeownership

56.7%

46.6%

+10.1 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.7%

59.2%

+27.5 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

26.9 min

19.4 min

+7.5 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

465.2

259.5

+44% in Fort Worth, TX

Property Crime

2,735.7

1,884.5

+31% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

65.7°F

46.5°F

+19.2°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

36.1 in

34.5 in

+1.6 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.94/gal

+9% in Madison, WI

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

Adult base one-way fare — Trinity Metro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

19.7

+20% in Madison, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$11.79

+61% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Madison, WI

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Fort Worth, TX

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in Madison, WI

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in Madison, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / WI)

6.25%

+1.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Fort Worth vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Madison?: Fort Worth, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Madison?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Madison?: Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).