Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Madison

Wisconsin

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,410 in Madison, WI. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $76,983 in Madison, WI — about 13% higher in Madison, WI. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Madison, WI

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$1,018
+10% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$1,219
+6% in Madison, WI
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,432
+3% in Madison, WI
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,766
+14% in Madison, WI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$346,900
+30% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$76,983
+15% in Madison, WI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$58,080
+19% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
31.8 yr
+4.6 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
46.6%
+10.8 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
59.2%
+27.4 pp in Madison, WI
Avg Commute
24.1 min
19.4 min
+4.7 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
259.5
+54% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,600.1
1,884.5
+28% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
46.5°F
+23.7°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
34.5 in
+14.7 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.94/gal
+5% in Madison, WI

Area: Florida vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
19.7
+30% in Madison, WI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$11.79
+50% in Jacksonville, FL

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 Jacksonville, FL
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
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / WI)
6%
5%
+1.0 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.65%
+7.7 pp in WI

Jacksonville vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Madison?
Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Madison?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Madison?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).