What are the good and bad neighborhoods of Madison, WI?

It really depends how you quantify “bad.” I grew up in 1980's Milwaukee, so even the worst Madison neighborhood doesn't compare to a “bad” neighborhood from back there. But, there are pretty clear class/economic divisions in some madison neighborhoods. read more

The city of Madison, WI has a population of 246,034 and a population density of 3,195 people per square mile. There are a total of 124 Madison, WI neighborhoods. The neighborhood with the highest Livability Score is Highlands Community and the largest neighhorhood by population is Capitol. read more

But, there are pretty clear class/economic divisions in some madison neighborhoods. Badger Road, Allied Drive, Broadway-Simpson, Town of Madison, certain parts of Sun Prairie, and bits of the North Side all get cited periodically as “bad neighborhoods” although to be frank I’ve spent time in all of them and never felt especially threatened. read more

And it interviewed dozens of people who live and work in southwest Madison -- a site of increasing crime and racial tension -- along with police officials, city neighborhood specialists and experts in crime, race and poverty in urban neighborhoods to show how perceptions affect the health of a neighborhood. read more