Side by side

Madison vs Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh wins on more metrics — 2–5 on the 8 core metrics we track. Detail below.

Metric

Madison

Pittsburgh

Cost of living

B vs A: -47%

102

54✓

Rent · 1BR center

B vs A: -19%

$1,550

$1,250✓

Effective tax (remote)

B vs A: -4%

25%

24%✓

Healthcare

B vs A: ≈ same

Safety

B vs A: -18%

78✓

Internet

B vs A: -8%

240✓

220

Climate

B vs A: +20%

72✓

Freedom

B vs A: +11%

78✓

Lakes, a great university, biking culture, and one of the highest quality-of-life scores in the Midwest.

Quietly excellent: world-class universities, low rent, walkable neighborhoods, and a re-emerging tech corridor.