same $100k income, fresh start from Madison
changea dispatch from
detroit
MI
42.33°N
83.05°W
Detroit is Motown, techno's birthplace, auto-industry bones, and a comeback story that's actually happening. Coney dogs come with chili and onions, the riverfront looks across at Canada (yes, Canada is south of Detroit), and the murals in Eastern Market could fill an art book. Cass Corridor, Corktown, Mexicantown: every neighborhood feels like its own city. The architecture downtown is genuinely jaw-dropping.
in our guides
the verdict
cheaper each month than Madison
Not a fortune, but real money. Detroit runs cheaper than Madison month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,472/mo
12% cheaper than Madison(vs $1,673/mo)
4.25%
$168/mo less in state tax than Madison
vs 6.27% in Madison
$6,507/mo
$369 more than Madison
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$262k
44% cheaper than Madison
vs $465k in Madison
4.3M
vs 694k in Madison
field notes, weather & such.
160
pleasant days a year, in detroit.
Madison only manages 147 of those.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.3× more on the calendar than Madison.
47/100
30% lower than Madison
vs 67/100 in Madison
Closest outdoor draw: Seven Lakes State Park, 46 mi.
99/100
13% higher than Madison
vs 88/100 in Madison
135
1127% more than Madison
vs 11 nonstops in Madison
neighbors of detroit on the map of tradeoffs:
compare detroit with:
