City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | La Crosse | Madison | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $941/mo | $1,291/mo | 27.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $183,300 | $326,600 | 43.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $51,836 | $74,895 | 30.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.6 | 94.5 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.2 | 90.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.3 | 99.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in La Crosse, you'd need $114,630 in Madison to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
La Crosse, WI is about 12.8% cheaper overall than Madison, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 29% lower in La Crosse than in Madison. If you earn $80,000 in La Crosse, you'd need about $91,704 in Madison to keep the same standard of living.