With Milwaukee about 80 miles away and Chicago about 150, Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes, with the Wisconsin State Capitol at the center and the University of Wisconsin campus running along the shore. About 286,000 people live here, and it has a well-earned reputation as a progressive, outdoorsy college town. On summer evenings people crowd the Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota, and on Saturdays from April to November the farmers' market rings the Capitol Square. The Henry Vilas Zoo is free, Olbrich Gardens is lovely, and Monona Terrace is a Frank Lloyd Wright design.
Living here costs a little above the national average, and the housing market is competitive. Violent crime is below average, though car break-ins and bike theft are common. Winters are long and cold, ticks and mosquitoes show up in summer, and lake algae can spoil a swim.
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- Known as
- Madtown; Mad City; City of Four Lakes; 77 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality
- Founded
- Settled 1836; village 1846; city 1856
- Languages
- English; Spanish; Hmong; other languages spoken in the university community
- Airports
- Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), about 6 miles northeast of downtown; Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE) about 80 miles east; Chicago O'Hare (ORD) about 150 miles southeast
- Tipping
- Restaurants 18-20% for table service; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $1-2 per bag; coffee shops optional
About this data
Population is Census Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025); metro figure from citypopulation.de citing Census July 2025 estimate. Area, elevation, coordinates from Wikipedia. Home price from Redfin July 2026; rent from Zumper Sept 2026. Crime from AreaVibes (local agency data, 2024). Cost-of-living index from Redfin comparison, approximate. Hotel ranges, daily budget, tipping and neighborhood details are approximate estimates not verified against a single source; event months are typical.
