Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Madison to New York
Based on 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, Madison has a lower median household income ($78,050) than New York City ($80,483), but significantly lower housing costs: median gross rent is $1,413 vs. $1,821 and median home value is $372,900 vs. $777,600. Madison’s commute is shorter at 21 minutes versus NYC’s 44 minutes. While NYC applies a simplified 5.50% state income tax in the model, Madison’s state tax is excluded per data boundaries. The trade-off favors Madison for affordability and commute time, while NYC offers marginally higher income but at substantially higher housing and time costs.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to New York → MadisonMoving from Madison to New York
Median Rent Impact
+$408/mo
Moving to New York costs ~$4,896 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+5.5%
~$5,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in New York.
Daily Commute Difference
+23 min / day
Difference of ~192 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
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Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTMAD → NYC
38/ 100
The offer needs work
Your modeled annual room improves.Estimated annual life delta+$1,328after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainThe deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort
Watch closelyThe cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate New York City resident income tax
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, Madison is about $4,896 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
Madison household income$78,050
New York household income$80,483
Madison gross rent$1,413
New York gross rent$1,821
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Madison | New York |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 278,001 | 8,483,844 |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $80,483 |
| Median gross rent | $1,413 | $1,821 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $372,900 | $777,600 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 5.5% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 21 minutes in Madison and 44 minutes in New York. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Lower median gross rent in Madison
- Shorter average commute time in Madison
- Higher median household income in New York City
- Substantially lower home values in Madison
What each city wins
Madison
Median rent is 21.7% of median income.. Watch higher home values may reflect long-term equity potential despite monthly costs..
New York
The deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort. Watch the cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate new york city resident income tax.
Frequently asked questions
Which city has higher housing costs relative to income?
New York City has a higher rent-to-income ratio: median gross rent is 27.1% of income versus Madison’s 21.7%, based on 2024 ACS median household income and gross rent data.
How does commute time affect the living cost comparison between the two cities?
Madison’s 21-minute average commute is less than half of NYC’s 44 minutes, translating to significant time and potential transportation cost savings over a year, even if not directly quantified in the ACS data used.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.