BestCityFor

Best city for retirement? Madison, WI

B
Score
61/100
Rank #88 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Madison offers a mixed profile for retirement, with relative strengths in typical rent (2br) and typical home value. Overall, it’s around the middle of the pack (#88 of 200). The main watch-out is age 65+ share.

Methodology · Sources · WI rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. Popular retirement destinations can look very different at the metro level.

Why Madison ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,432/mo (1% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Typical home value: $346,900 (0% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 5% (52% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Age 65+ share: 13% (7% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 91% (1% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
275,568
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 50%Female 50%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,432/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Typical home value
$346,900
National median: $347,900
Age 65+ share
13%
National median: 14%
Median age
32
National median: —
Median household income
$76,983
National median: $75,598
Broadband subscription
91%
National median: 91%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and typical home value.
70/100
Retiree Signals
Age mix and income as broad service proxies.
26/100
Connectivity
Broadband access for everyday logistics.
91/100
Comfort
Climate comfort and commute friction.
95/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

4%
Less than HS
36%
HS / Some college
34%
Bachelor’s
26%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 65+ (ACS).

13%
Age 65+
87%
Under 65

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

91%
Broadband
9%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,432/mo
Typical home value
National median $347,900
$346,900
Age 65+ share
National median 14%
13%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$76,983
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
91%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
5%

Similar cities (by score)

#86 St. Paul, MN
61/100
#87 San Antonio, TX
61/100
#89 West Valley City, UT
60/100
#90 Las Vegas, NV
60/100

FAQ

›What is Madison’s retirement score and rank?
Madison, WI scores B (61/100) and ranks #88 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Madison city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level retirement patterns can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Madison, WI?
Population is about 275,568 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Madison, WI?
About 50% male and 50% female (ACS 2023).
›How affordable is housing in Madison, WI?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,432/mo (national median: $1,441/mo). Typical home value is $346,900 (national median: $347,900).
›What share of residents are 65+ in Madison, WI?
Age 65+ share is 13% (national median: 14%).
›How common is broadband internet in Madison, WI?
Broadband subscription is 91% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Madison, WI?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 4%, HS/some college 36%, bachelor’s 34%, advanced 26%.
›Where does this data come from for Madison, WI?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (healthcare access, neighborhoods, taxes, climate preferences, support network).