Green Bay vs Madison
Compare Green Bay, WI and Madison, WI on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Green Bay is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $924/mo versus $1,228/mo in Madison — a gap of about $304/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,055/mo against $1,372/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (237 vs 242 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 81°F and 83°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Green Bay; if walkable daily life matters more, Madison screens stronger on the walkability proxy (21 vs 8). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Green Bay leads 67 to 57 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Madison leads 45 to 41 on the daily life screen.
Madison leads 64 to 51 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Green Bay is roughly $48,571 in Madison using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Green Bay | Madison | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $924/mo | $1,228/mo | Green Bay |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,055/mo | $1,372/mo | Green Bay |
| Median home value | $220,000 | $321,000 | Green Bay |
| State income tax | 7.7% | 7.7% | Tie |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 23.5 min | Green Bay |
| Safety score | 65/100 | 63/100 | Green Bay |
| School score | 5/10 | 9/10 | Madison |
| Walkability estimate | 8/100 | 21/100 | Madison |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 5/10 | Green Bay |
| Restaurants per 100k | 164.6 | 191.8 | Madison |
| Mountain distance | 264 mi | 296 mi | Green Bay |
| Coast distance | 663 mi | 705 mi | Green Bay |
What stands out
Green Bay stronger signals
- Trail access within 45 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 20 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
Green Bay tradeoffs
- Cold winters
Madison stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 9 miles
- Strong education proxy
Madison tradeoffs
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Green Bay cheaper than Madison?
On public benchmarks Green Bay is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $924/mo in Green Bay vs $1,228/mo in Madison; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,055/mo vs $1,372/mo; state income tax is 7.7% vs 7.7%.
Is Green Bay or Madison safer?
Green Bay screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 65/100 for Green Bay and 63/100 for Madison (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Green Bay or Madison?
School screens show 5/10 for Green Bay vs 9/10 for Madison, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Green Bay and Madison?
Green Bay: summer highs near 81°F, winter lows near 5°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Madison: 83°F / 8°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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