2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Madison, WI vs Champaign, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Champaign older or younger than people in Madison?
- The Median Age in Champaign is 4.6 years younger than in Madison.

Are housing costs cheaper in Champaign or Madison?
- Champaign housing costs are 43.6% less expensive than Madison housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Champaign or Madison?
- The average commute for residents of Champaign is 3.8 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Madison.

Things to do in Madison?
Madison, Wisconsin is a vibrant city with a unique mix of culture and history. Take a stroll through State Street and explore the city's many art galleries, bookstores and some of the best restaurants in the Midwest. Visit University of Wisconsin-Madison for some stunning architecture and inspiring scientific research, or take in an outdoor concert at Breese Stevens Field. With its beautiful lakeshore backdrop, lively farmers markets, and incredible cultural events,Madison is an ideal place to live and visit!

Things to do in Champaign?
Champaign, Illinois is a thriving university town located approximately two hours south of Chicago. It has plenty of recreational facilities ranging from libraries to state parks offering access to Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve or Homer Lake.

 Madison, WIChampaign, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock88,343329,725,481
 Median Income$70,466  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock26.938.4
 Avg. Home Price$337,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.9%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time19.43  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Madison    78 Reviews

Unfortunately, a number of these reviews are politically based. Madison remains the only shining star in Wisconsin’s economy. The economy is broadly based, with  More

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Have been living in Madison for almost 3 years. It’s very safe, ppl generally friendly and for a town of its size it has fair number of good restaurants and interesting  More

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Lacks balance and zero accountability.   More

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Reviews for Champaign    13 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

Pros - close to Chicago, has Parkland community college and lots of places to eat. There is a train station downtown that is really good. Beautiful deciduous trees and  More

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Over 8 years ago

I wonderful city with great  More

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Actually it's barely a nice place to live. The pros: Not terribly expensive - at one point the least expensive place to live in the country among modest sized  More

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