Chicago, IL → Madison, WI
Moving from Chicago to Madison
You'd keep $246 more a month in Madison. +$2,952 a year.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 1,278 households moved Chicago → Madison (about 1,742 people, average AGI $76,427). 995 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
| Per month | Chicago | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $6,079 | $5,876 |
| Rent | $1,828 | $1,335 |
| All other costs | $1,871 | $1,915 |
| Left over | $2,380 | $2,626 |
Full line-by-line comparison →
Dig into Madison
Paycheck
Take-home pay after tax and rent, and what's left at the end of the month.
Who moved
Which metros people actually left and arrived from, according to IRS tax returns.
Rent vs buy
Asking rent, the median home, property tax, and months to a down payment.
Monthly costs
Groceries, getting around, utilities, healthcare and childcare at your household size.
Daily life
Homicide and firearm death rates, heat, cars and commute.
Kids
Public-school enrollment, pupil–teacher ratio, bedrooms and childcare.