Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Madison?

Madison, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $49,000 in Madison.

Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Madison?

Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Henderson vs Madison Cost of Living 2026

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/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 $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,410 in Madison, WI. Overall, Madison, WI is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $76,983 in Madison, WI — about 13% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV

Madison, WI

Rent

Studio

$1,442

$1,018

+29% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,219

+15% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,694

$1,432

+15% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,982

$1,766

+11% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$465,000

$346,900

+25% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$88,654

$76,983

+13% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$58,080

+24% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.5 yr

31.8 yr

+10.7 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

65.6%

46.6%

+19.0 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.8%

59.2%

+22.4 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

24.7 min

19.4 min

+5.3 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

271.8

259.5

+5% in Henderson, NV

Property Crime

1,725.7

1,884.5

+9% 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

69.4°F

46.5°F

+22.9°F in Henderson, NV

Annual Precipitation

4.2 in

34.5 in

+30.3 in in Madison, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.94/gal

+23% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

19.7

+45% in Madison, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$11.79

+2% in Henderson, NV

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Madison, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Henderson, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / WI)

6.85%

+1.8 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Henderson vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Madison?: Madison, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Madison?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Madison?: Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% 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).