2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Madison, WI vs Rock Island, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Rock Island older or younger than people in Madison?
- The Median Age in Rock Island is 3.9 years older than in Madison.

Are housing costs cheaper in Rock Island or Madison?
- Rock Island housing costs are 66.8% less expensive than Madison housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Rock Island or Madison?
- The average commute for residents of Rock Island is 1.6 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 Rock Island?
Rock Island, Illinois lies within Rock Island County giving tourists leisure areas such as Sunderbruch Park combined with employment opportunities at Trinity Muscatine Campus along with entertainment opportunities at Rialto Square Theatre Waipahu

 Madison, WIRock Island, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock37,519329,725,481
 Median Income$70,466  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock35.438.4
 Avg. Home Price$337,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.6%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 Rock Island    3 Reviews

Over 17 years ago

Pros: 1. Extremely low cost of living 2. Affordable place to live Cons: 1. High crime rate 2. Poor school system 3. Not much to  More

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Rock Island has a varied background and contains many cultural and historic areas. It has been improving its school system and is in a metropolitan area which contains  More

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Over 19 years ago

I just moved here for work one year ago. Moving from San Francisco here was a shock but ultimatelly good. The community is a typical midwestern small town. It is part  More

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