Madison, AR vs Salem, AR

Salem is moderately more affordable than Madison, with a 7.6% lower cost of living index. Madison scores 61 compared to 57 for Salem, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Madison can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Madison is $845/month compared to $619/month in Salem — a 37% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Salem has cheaper rent, Madison actually has lower median home values ($57,200 vs $88,200).

Median household income in Madison is $60,809 compared to $35,679 in Salem (+70.4%). While Madison is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Madison spend roughly 16.7% of their income on rent, less than the 20.8% in Salem.