FIRE Number for Madison, United States
United States
Isthmus Living, Progressive Culture, and Four Beautiful Seasons
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. Cost estimates are for a one-person household — adjust household size below.
Costs scale by category, not a flat multiple — housing is largely shared; food and healthcare scale per person.
Enter your real monthly healthcare cost and we'll use it across all lifestyle tiers — handy for VA/TriCare (enter 0) or when your ACA cost differs from our estimate.
| Lifestyle | Needed to retire here | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lean FIRE | $750K | $2,500/mo |
| FIRE | $1.33M | $4,450/mo |
| Fat FIRE | $4.81M | $16,020/mo |
Cost of Living Breakdown for Madison
Cost and FIRE figures are for a one-person household — adjust household size in the controls above.
Lean FIRE Lifestyle
$750KA genuinely frugal Madison life built around a small studio in a budget neighborhood and a bike rather than a car — the fare-capped Metro pass and occasional car-share cover the rest, with winter the main reason a car ever appears. Cooking at home is the norm, entertainment leans on the lakes, parks, and the farmers' market, and the healthcare line assumes marketplace income is managed to stay under the ACA subsidy cutoff. Housing plus the subsidized health premium alone absorb roughly two-thirds of the budget — the classic US squeeze.
FIRE Lifestyle
$1.33MA relaxed, financially-independent life in one of Madison's most walkable isthmus or near-campus locations, dining out several times a week and keeping a comfortable car for regional trips and winter. A real travel-and-hobbies budget sits alongside easy access to the lakes and cultural calendar. Healthcare is the swing variable — above the ACA subsidy cutoff the line trends toward unsubsidized full price, so it is intentionally padded. Genuinely comfortable, low-stress living in a mid-size college town.
Fat FIRE Lifestyle
$4.81MThe top of what money buys in a mid-cost Midwest college town — a downtown penthouse loft or a lakefront home in Maple Bluff or Shorewood Hills, private-chef dining, luxury vehicles with charters on demand, and full household help. Concierge medicine sits on a top-tier plan, and there is a bespoke travel-and-memberships budget on top of a full social calendar. Even here the health line is fully unsubsidized. At roughly $192k/year it is genuinely lavish.
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.
Backtest detail
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
CST (UTC-6)
USD
English
47°F / 8°C
200+ Mbps average
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 $750K (Lean FIRE lifestyle) to $4.81M (Fat FIRE lifestyle). A FIRE retirement requires a portfolio of approximately $1.33M, based on estimated monthly costs of $4,450 and a 4% safe withdrawal rate.
How much does it cost to retire in Madison?
Monthly living costs in Madison range from $2,500 (Lean FIRE) to $4,450 (FIRE), covering housing (market rent), dining, groceries, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, and utilities.
What is healthcare like in Madison for retirees?
Healthcare in Madison costs approximately $460 to $660/month depending on coverage level. Typical coverage at the Lean FIRE budget: A subsidized Silver plan (Wisconsin uses the federal healthcare.gov marketplace), assuming annual income stays under the 2026 subsidy cutoff of about $62,600; above that, the full price climbs past $850 a month. Priced for an early retiree aged 45-55; older retirees should budget more.
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?
Madison is generally safe for retirees, scoring 7 out of 10 in our safety ratings.
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