Performance
Score Breakdown
Huntsville
Madison
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Huntsville is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run approximately
13% lower compared to Madison.
Housing costs are a major driver: Huntsville's average rent is
18% lower than Madison's.
| Metric | Huntsville | Madison | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,450 | $1,760 | -18% |
| Groceries | $510 | $550 | -7% |
| Utilities | $220 | $245 | -10% |
| Transport | $180 | $195 | -8% |
| Healthcare | $420 | $440 | -5% |
| Monthly Total | $2,780 | $3,190 | -13% |
| Cost Index | 92 | 103 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Madison offers 23% lower average salaries.
However, when adjusted for local cost of living, Madison delivers stronger purchasing power —
meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day.
The minimum comfortable salary in Huntsville is estimated at
$58,000 vs $73,000 in Madison.
| Metric | Huntsville | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $69,000 | $89,500 |
| Salary Needed | $58,000 | $73,000 |
| Purchasing Power | 75,000 idx | 86,893 idx |
| Household Income | $68,900 | $89,100 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0.5°F of each other.
Winter severity differs too — Huntsville sees 0.3 more inches of snowfall annually.
| Metric | Huntsville | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 62.40°F | 62.90°F |
| Summer High | 89.00°F | 89.00°F |
| Winter Low | 33.00°F | 33.00°F |
| Rainfall | 55.20 in | 55.00 in |
| Snowfall | 2.10 in | 1.80 in |
| Sunny Days | 213 | 214 |
| Humidity | 67.00% | 66.00% |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Huntsville is the larger city
— approximately 3.7x the population of Madison.
From a growth perspective, Madison is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Madison has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Huntsville | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 225,564 | 61,000 |
| Pop. Growth | 1.90% | 2.40% |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 35.2 |
| Unemployment | 3.20% | 2.40% |
| GDP | $38.7B | $9.8B |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Huntsville
Advantages
Strong aerospace job market
Affordable cost of living
Drawbacks
Limited transit options
Madison
Advantages
High incomes and safety
Drawbacks
Housing costs rising
Analysis
Expert Insights
cost
Madison has higher costs while Huntsville offers better affordability.
jobs
Both have strong job growth with Huntsville leading in aerospace.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Huntsville
#5Alabama, USA
86.2 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,450
Avg Salary
$69,000
Cost Index
92
Sunny Days
213/yr
Avg Temp
62.40°F
Pop. Growth
1.90%
Unemployment
3.20%
Livability
85
Business
90
Madison
#2Alabama, USA
91.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,760
Avg Salary
$89,500
Cost Index
103
Sunny Days
214/yr
Avg Temp
62.90°F
Pop. Growth
2.40%
Unemployment
2.40%
Livability
92
Business
89
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