5 Reasons to Move to Madison, WI, Right Now

The capital city of Wisconsin offers quality of life amenities across the board.

By Rebecca Treon on July 29, 2023

The Madison Region’s assets are many: It has beautiful surroundings and outdoor recreation, is home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a top-ranked research institution, and has ample opportunities for professionals looking to jump-start or level up in their careers. 

Madison was recognized by Livability as a Top 100 Best Place to Live in 2023. Here are just a few reasons why it may be time to make a move to Madison. 

1. There Are Plenty of Ways to Meet People

For working professionals who are looking to make connections, the Madison Region has numerous networking opportunities, including Madison Magnet, OPEN, CONNECT Madison and Urban League Young Professionals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison also offers ways for alumni to network before and after graduation. 

2. It’s Easy to Get Around

As a centrally located hub of Midwestern air travel, Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) flies to major cities across the country, including Denver, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix and points between. Serviced by carriers American, Delta, United, Frontier and Sun Country, the airport is only going to get better with a multimillion-dollar expansion in the works. 

3. You Can Be a Badger

Madison is the home of the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. Besides offering students a great place to get a quality college education, residents also benefit from the University of Wisconsin-Madison being in the region.

UW-Madison fronts nationally ranked teams in sports like soccer, basketball and football, offers scores of student organizations and attracts hundreds of billions of dollars in research funding each year – to name only a few reasons that it boosts the region’s quality of life. 

4. The Region Is a Natural Playground

If you make your move to Madison, you’ll be surrounded by fantastic outdoor amenities in both rural and urban areas. In fact, Madison has more bikes than cars, and boasts more than 260 parks and beaches.

Trails abound at nearby Blue Mound State Park and Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin’s largest and most visited state park. With almost 26 miles of shoreline, Lake Mendota offers a scenic setting for fishing and swimming. 

5. The Nation’s Largest Farmers’ Market Is Here

While there’s no shortage of entertaining things to do in Madison, from the zoo to the art museum, one of the best things about living there is its thriving farmers’ market scene. The Dane County Farmers’ Market is the country’s largest producers-only market, held from April to November on Saturday mornings on Capitol Square and on Wednesday mornings on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

In November and December, it’s held indoors at Monona Terrace. The fact that the farmers’ market has been in operation since 1972, hosting hundreds of vendors, is a testament to the region’s agricultural success. Crops grown in the area include corn, soybeans and oats. Plus, the region supplied the land for almost 1,000 herds of milk-producing cows in 2022, ensuring that the famous Wisconsin cheese is in steady supply.