on $100k a year, leaving San Jose
changea dispatch from
madison
WI
43.07°N
89.40°W
Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes, with the state capitol gleaming on one end and the University of Wisconsin sprawling on the other. The Saturday farmers market around the Capitol Square is one of the best in the country. Cheese curds, brats, and beer are mandatory food groups. The Terrace at Memorial Union, looking out at Lake Mendota, is the unofficial heart of the city in summer.
the verdict
under San Jose, every month
Move to Madison and the monthly math gets easier. San Jose's rent is the headline; Madison's is a footnote.
a quick ledger.
$1,673/mo
52% cheaper than San Jose(vs $3,470/mo)
6.27%
$252/mo less in state tax than San Jose
vs 9.3% in San Jose
$6,138/mo
$2,050 more than San Jose
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$465k
74% cheaper than San Jose
vs $1796k in San Jose
694k
vs 1.9M in San Jose
field notes, weather & such.
147
pleasant days a year, in madison.
San Jose gets 283 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Winter asks for something in return: 71 days under 20° here, 0 in San Jose.
Noticeably quieter than San Jose. About 35% fewer events on a typical month.
67/100
4% lower than San Jose
vs 70/100 in San Jose
Closest outdoor draw: Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area, 24.1 mi.
88/100
7% lower than San Jose
vs 95/100 in San Jose
11
62% fewer than San Jose
vs 29 nonstops in San Jose
if madison appeals, also worth a look:
