🇺🇸 North America

FIRE Number for Madison, United States

Name: Madison, United States
Address: Madison, United States

United States

Isthmus Living, Progressive Culture, and Four Beautiful Seasons

FIRE Score Based on safety, healthcare, infrastructure & expat friendliness

Madison is a rare American city built on an isthmus between two pristine lakes, home to a world-class university, and consistently ranked among the best places to live in the country. The city combines Midwestern friendliness with progressive cultural energy, exceptional healthcare through UW Health, and a food scene that punches far above its weight class. While Wisconsin does have a state income tax, Madison compensates with outstanding quality of life, safety, and access to nature that few cities can match. Four distinct seasons keep life dynamic, from summer sailing to winter cross-country skiing.

Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE for Madison

Needed to retire here is the portfolio that, in a historical backtest, would have lasted your retirement at your chosen confidence and length. Status is the verdict for your portfolio. The 4% rule benchmark is shown underneath each figure for reference only.

Use my own healthcare cost

Lifestyle	Needed to retire here	Monthly Cost
Lean FIRE	$1.09M	$3,650/mo
FIRE	$1.86M	$6,200/mo
Fat FIRE	$4.65M	$15,500/mo

Cost data: Q1 2026 · Medium confidence

Cost of Living Breakdown for Madison

All cost and FIRE figures assume a single adult.

Lean FIRE Lifestyle

$1.09M

A one-bedroom on the east side or in Fitchburg, cooking most meals at home with Saturday trips to the Dane County Farmers Market on the Capitol Square, and biking or busing instead of owning a car. The Chazen Museum and lakeside paths are free. Healthcare on an ACA Silver plan with UW Health access is a significant expense, and winter heating bills add up. This is a tight budget, but Madison's bike infrastructure and strong public amenities make it workable without a car.

FIRE Lifestyle

$1.86M

A lakefront home on Lake Mendota or a house in Shorewood Hills, regular dinners at L'Etoile and Sardine, and Badgers season tickets for football and basketball. You can afford a late-model car, a seasonal boat slip on the lake, premium health insurance through UW Health, and a sailing club membership. Weekend trips to the north woods for skiing or to Door County in summer fit comfortably in the budget. This is a genuinely affluent life in a city with strong intellectual and outdoor culture.

Fat FIRE Lifestyle

$4.65M

A large estate in Maple Bluff with private lake frontage, a cook who comes in several times a week, full-time domestic help, and top-tier concierge medicine at UW Health with Mayo Clinic access for specialists. You travel first class, keep a boat on Lake Mendota, and dine at the city's best restaurants without checking the bill. A Door County vacation property is within reach at this budget. In a city Madison's size, this spending level means daily costs are never a thought, with significant margin for university philanthropy, arts support, and ongoing savings.

Retirement Confidence

The 4% rule is a great starting point. Here we go a step further and test your plan against real market history.

Enter your portfolio on the homepage to backtest a retirement in Madison against market history.

How this is calculated

This is a real historical backtest. We run your plan through every retirement-length window in US market history (1871–2022): a 75% stock / 25% bond portfolio, rebalanced annually, with withdrawals raised each year for that period's actual inflation. The success rate is the share of those historical start years in which the money lasted the full length without running out.

Your confidence level sets the bar: at Balanced (90%), a survival rate of 90% or more reads "You can retire here", within 10 points below is "Close — worth a closer look", and lower is "Not quite yet". The same level sizes the "Needed to retire here" target. Retirement length also drives it — early retirees planning 40–50+ years see lower survival than the 30-year baseline.

Healthcare, Visa & City Overview

climate Mild

healthcare Excellent

english Widely spoken

safety Safe

visa Easy

Timezone

CST (UTC-6)

Currency

USD

Language

English

Avg. Temperature

47°F / 8°C

Internet

200+ Mbps average

Airport

Dane County Regional Airport (MSN)

Frequently Asked Questions About Retiring in Madison

What is the FIRE Number for Madison, United States?

The FIRE Number for Madison ranges from $1.09M (Lean FIRE lifestyle) to $4.65M (Fat FIRE lifestyle). A FIRE retirement requires a portfolio of approximately $1.86M, based on estimated monthly costs of $6,200 and a 4% safe withdrawal rate.

How much does it cost to retire in Madison?

Monthly living costs in Madison range from $3,650 (Lean FIRE) to $6,200 (FIRE), covering housing, dining, groceries, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, and utilities.

What is healthcare like in Madison for retirees?

Healthcare in Madison costs approximately $675 to $675/month depending on coverage level. ACA marketplace Silver plan through Wisconsin's marketplace; UW Health network access.

What is the weather like in Madison?

Continental with warm summers, cold winters, and vivid fall foliage The average temperature is 47°F / 8°C.

How safe is Madison for retirees?

High – consistently ranked among America's safest cities