01 · the cities
Hartford
Hartford is the insurance capital of America (Aetna, Travelers, the works), with the steeple of the Travelers building visible from miles away. Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn in his weird and wonderful Hartford house, now a museum. The Connecticut River curves past downtown, and the surrounding small towns are New England postcard material. Quieter than its neighbors, with serious history.
full dispatch→Madison
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.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,931/mo
$1,673/mo
$258/mo less than Hartford (15%)
Median home price
Median home price
$411k
$465k
$53k more than Hartford
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
6.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,944/mo
$6,138/mo
Madison has $194/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
148 days
147 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
47 days
71 days
days below 20°F per year
Madison drops below 20°F on 24 more days per year than Hartford.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
67 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
26 routes
11 routes
15 fewer direct routes than Hartford
Metro size
Metro size
1.2M metro
694k metro
Hartford has 1.4x fewer events per month than Madison.
the verdict
4
Hartford
categories won
2
Madison
categories won
Hartford leads on weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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