The City of Madison
Built on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona, this award-winning city ranks as a top community in which to live, work, visit and play. With four lakes, 90 miles of shoreline and more than 200 parks, it is one of the nation’s most beautiful cities. Its business climate is healthy and growing, with a combination of commercial, educational and manufacturing enterprises, including a growing core of high-tech companies. Madison (population 221,000) is the capital of Wisconsin.
The city tops many "best" lists, including:
- One of the “Ten Best Metros for Business and Careers,” Forbes, 2005
- “Best City in the Nation for Business and Careers, Forbes,” 2004
- “Best Small City to Live, Men's Journal,” 2004
- “Best Places to Live and Work, BestJobsUSA.com,” 2003
The university's location in south central Wisconsin makes for convenient access to Milwaukee (80 miles), Chicago (150 miles) and Minneapolis (270 miles).
Weather in Madison
Madison is located in a temperate climate zone and has four distinct seasons spring, summer, fall and winter. During the warmest months of June, July and August, high temperatures average 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius). Winters are cold with moderate snowfall. In the middle of winter, high temperatures average 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 Celsius) though temperatures can fall below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius). Average annual snowfall is 35 inches (89 cm).
Current weather
View a weather forecast provided by our Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.