City comparison
Madison is safer than Anchorage. Madison's crime index is 91 versus 240 in Anchorage, and its violent crime index is 68 versus 295, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Madison is cheaper. Median rent is $1,413 a month versus $1,489 in Anchorage.
Climate is the sharpest divide between Anchorage and Madison. Anchorage averages 34°F while Madison averages 53°F, a difference that affects utility bills, outdoor lifestyle, and how you feel nine months of the year. Rent runs $1,489 versus $1,413.
Madison is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Anchorage makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Madison is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Madison has rougher pockets and Anchorage has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Anchorage and Madison are 2,728 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,489 a month in Anchorage to $1,413 a month in Madison, down $76 a month (5%).
Median household income goes from $103,284 in Anchorage to $78,050 in Madison, down $25,234 (24%).
The crime index goes from 240 in Anchorage to 91 in Madison, down 149 points (62%).
The move
Madison and Anchorage are 2,728 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,413 a month in Madison to $1,489 a month in Anchorage, up $76 a month (5%).
Median household income goes from $78,050 in Madison to $103,284 in Anchorage, up $25,234 (32%).
The crime index goes from 91 in Madison to 240 in Anchorage, up 149 points (164%).
Anchorage, AK
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Madison, WI
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Anchorage and Madison? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
5% cheaper
Madison rent is 5% cheaper than Anchorage
Anchorage
$1,489/mo
Madison
Winner$1,413/mo
Typical rent runs $1,413 a month in Madison versus $1,489 in Anchorage, so Madison is 5% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $76, or $912 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Madison? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
32% higher
Anchorage's median income is 32% higher than Madison
Anchorage
Winner$103,284
Madison
$78,050
Median household income is $103,284 in Anchorage versus $78,050 in Madison, so typical pay runs 32% higher in Anchorage (about $25,234 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Anchorage is the stronger labor market on paper. Madison can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
62% lower crime
Madison's crime index is 62% lower than Anchorage
Anchorage
240 (100 = avg)
Madison
Winner91 (100 = avg)
Madison's crime index is 91 versus 240 in Anchorage (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 62% lower in Madison. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Madison is the easier city. Anchorage can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
408% more comfortable
Madison weather is 408% more comfortable than Anchorage
Anchorage
34°F avg · 38°F highs · comfort 13/100
Madison
Winner53°F avg · 61°F highs · comfort 66/100
Anchorage averages about 34°F (38°F highs); Madison averages about 53°F (61°F highs). Anchorage averages around 34°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Madison averages around 53°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Madison scores 408% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Anchorage if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Anchorage is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 32% higher here ($103,284). Start with Anchorage if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Madison is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 5% cheaper here at about $1,413 a month. Choose Madison if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Madison if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (53°F) beat Anchorage on this page's weather index by 408%. Anchorage may pay more or cost less, but Madison is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Madison is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 62% lower than Anchorage (91 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Anchorage carries the heavier crime signal on this page (33/100 safety vs 63/100 in Madison). That 30-point spread matters more than the $76 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Safety still diverges (63/100 in Madison vs 33/100 in Anchorage), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $103,284 in Anchorage versus $78,050 in Madison.
Madison clears the bar on safety in this dataset. Anchorage deserves a serious look only when you already know the Anchorage block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Anchorage and Madison, plus other cities in AK and WI.
