NAICS 51

Information in Madison, WI

Metro Market Score 58.8 (Challenging), ranked #232 of 294 metros. 484 establishments, 19,781 jobs.

Metro Market Score 58.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

🏭Industry Hub💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth

With a 2.59 location quotient, Madison has an outsized information presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 99.0) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

99.0

LQ: 2.59

Rank #291 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

92.5

$139,706 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 77.5

Employment growth index

Rank #67 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

20.9

YoY wage change index

484 Information Firms in Madison

484

Establishments

-31.3% YoY

19,781

Total Employment

+0.9% YoY

$139,706

Average Annual Wage

+3.9% YoY

2.59

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Wisconsin

#10 of 11

information metros in state

Wisconsin state rank

#14 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+15.7

worse than median (43.1)

Madison vs Wisconsin Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Wisconsin overall. The state ranks #14/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Madison	WI Statewide
Overall Score	58.8 Challenging	38.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#232 of 294 metros	#14 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Madison

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 37.8 Accommodation and Food Services 40.3 Retail Trade 45.9 Construction 52.1 Other Services 55.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 60.0 Finance and Insurance 72.8

Information in Other Wisconsin Metros

Sheboygan 12.3 #3/294 Racine-Mount Pleasant 19.7 #18/294 Wausau 19.9 #19/294 Kenosha 25.4 #38/294 Eau Claire 28.4 #53/294 La Crosse-Onalaska 43.1 #137/294 Janesville-Beloit 47.3 #172/294 Fond du Lac 47.4 #174/294 Oshkosh-Neenah 56.6 #219/294 Milwaukee-Waukesha 67.4 #266/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Madison's 58.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 58.7 #231/294 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 58.7 #230/294 Champaign-Urbana, IL 58.6 #229/294 Dubuque, IA 58.5 #228/294 Springfield, MA 58.5 #227/294 Eugene-Springfield, OR 59.5 #233/294 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 59.6 #234/294 St. Cloud, MN 57.9 #226/294 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 59.7 #235/294 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT 59.7 #236/294

Information in States Bordering Wisconsin

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Iowa 38.3 #15/51 Minnesota 42.6 #22/51 Michigan 47.2 #32/51 Illinois 48.5 #38/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Madison's information sector, the industry concentration component (99.0) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Madison, WI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment