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What Salary Do You Need to Live Well in Madison?

You need roughly $59,000/year to live well in Madison. After taxes that’s about $3,908/month, which covers a 3-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent of $1,518/month, groceries, transport, healthcare, and a 25% savings buffer. Of the occupations BLS tracks in Madison, about 10 pay at least that much at the median. Most occupations in the area don't get there.

Monthly budget to live well

Based on HUD FMR for Madison (RPP 97.29). All figures are monthly unless noted.

ExpenseMonthlyAnnual
Rent (HUD FMR 3BR ×1.3)$1,518$18,216
Groceries$600$7,200
Transportation$500$6,000
Healthcare$300$3,600
Savings (25%)$977$11,724
Required take-home$3,908$46,896
Required gross salary$59,000/year

Jobs in Madison that pay $59,000+/year

These occupations have median salaries at or above what you need to live well.

Education Administrators, Postsecondary
, median $133,080/yr
Chemical Engineers
, median $97,190/yr
Calibration Technologists and Technicians
, median $62,000/yr
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
, median $66,050/yr
Real Estate Brokers
, median $66,680/yr
Registered Nurses
10.7K jobs, median $101,190/yr
Software Developers
6.7K jobs, median $130,630/yr
General and Operations Managers
5.1K jobs, median $126,620/yr
Accountants and Auditors
4.4K jobs, median $81,130/yr
Project Management Specialists
4.3K jobs, median $98,990/yr

Compare all lifestyles in Madison

What salary you need to live budget, comfortably, or well.

Living On a Budget(1BR at $1,168/mo)
$40,000/yrView →
Living Comfortably(2BR at $1,168/mo)
$40,000/yrView →
Living Well(3BR at $1,518/mo)
$59,000/yr

Keep exploring Madison

All salariesCost of livingAfford a 2BRTake-home calculator

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to live well in Madison?
To live well in Madison you need roughly $59,000/year gross, or about $3,908/month in take-home pay. This covers rent at the HUD FMR of $1,518/month, groceries, transportation, healthcare, and 25% savings.
Is this realistic for the Madison job market?
10 BLS-tracked occupations in the Madison metro pay $59,000/year or more at the median. A limited number of fields hit this bar.
How much of that goes to rent?
Rent takes 39% of monthly take-home in this scenario. The HUD Fair Market Rent for Madison is $1,518/month for a 3-bedroom. The rest splits across groceries ($600), transportation ($500), and healthcare ($300).
What if I want to save more than 25%?
This budget targets a 25% savings rate. To push that to 35%, add roughly 10 to 15% to the gross figure, putting you near $66,080/year. Alternatively, trim variable costs. Groceries and transportation have more flexibility than rent.
How does Madison compare to other metros for this lifestyle?
The bare minimum in Madison is around $40,000/year on a tight budget, covering a 1-bedroom at the HUD FMR. A comfortable lifestyle requires $40,000/year. Use the comparison table above or the compare tool to check other metros side by side.

Source data is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies. AffordMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Per BLS policy, "BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov."

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