Madison, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Madison, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Madison research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Madison is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Madison is 173, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Madison is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Madison ranks as the #236 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Madison ranks as the #6,114 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Madison is $1,000,996.

  • The median income in Madison is $168,469.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
173
Madison's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Madison, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Madison has an overall cost of living index of 173, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Madison has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Madison ranks as #236 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Madison ranks as the #24 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Madison, check out:

236 out of 260
In New Jersey
6,114 out of 6,489
In America

Madison Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Madison. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Madison is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Madison is 102.

  • The Health index in Madison is 97.

  • The Housing index in Madison is 342.

  • The Transportation index in Madison is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Madison is 104.

Living Expense Madison New Jersey National Average
Overall 173 122 100
Services 100 108 100
Groceries 102 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 342 159 100
Transportation 95 101 100
Utilities 104 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Madison Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Madison, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Madison is $1,000,996.

  • The Median Rent in Madison is $2,248.

  • The Median Income in Madison is $168,469.

  • The Home Value To Income in Madison is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Madison is 0.16x.

Statistic Madison New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $1,000,996 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $2,248 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $168,469 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.9x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,000,996
Median Home Value
$2,248
Median Rent
$168,469
Median Income

Madison, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Madison Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Madison New Jersey
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $14.15 $12.13
Bowling $25.03 $18
Haircut $29.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.36 $45.56

Detailed Madison Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Madison New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.64 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.55 $1.57
Milk $4.74 $4.67
Potatoes $5.21 $4.93
Pizza $11.49 $12.09
Beer $11.66 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Madison Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Madison New Jersey
Optometrist $105.11 $125.68
Doctor $117.94 $135.78
Dentist $121.22 $113.29

Detailed Madison Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Madison New Jersey
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $77.33 $59.92

Detailed Madison Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Madison New Jersey
All Electricity $230.68 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Madison SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
9
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Madison

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Madison. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Morristown, TN has a cost of living index of 84, 0.5x Madison.

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.0x Madison.

  • Summit, NJ has a cost of living index of 183, 1.1x Madison.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Madison
Morristown, TN 30,983 84 0.5x
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.0x
Summit, NJ 22,512 183 1.1x
Short Hills, NJ 14,398 259 1.5x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,315 150 0.9x
New Providence, NJ 13,577 160 0.9x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.0x
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 12,067 138 0.8x
Martinsville, NJ 12,016 159 0.9x
Lincoln Park, NJ 10,901 124 0.7x

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