roomiematch.com’s Madison roommate rundown:

Madison is Wisconsin’s capital. Their greater metropolitan area is home to almost 500,000 Madisonians.

And the University of Wisconsin-Madison with over 40,000 students is proudly hosted right in the middle. U of W-M is about 65% of the vibe around here, but it works because they love it.

In fact, Madison has one of the best educated urban populations in the country, along with a very low unemployment rate and an overall neighborly feeling. That’s because most moving to Madison are coming to work for the state government and/or the University and/or The University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics system, itself associated with many startup generators and incubation tanks for health and biotech.

In fact, it’s doing extremely well for its smaller size. Really the only “half empty” view is that Madison isn’t terribly diverse, either demographically or the job base. But you could also argue that’s just saying it’s smaller, more or less. You trade some diversity for a more manageable size, a lower cost of living, and “that neighborly feeling.”

The relative lack of diversity does means not a lot of people move here super casually or just for fun. Most people in Madison who moved here recently did so to work for the government, the largest university, and/or some of the associated healthcare/technology.

One of Madison’s many nicknames is “City of Four Lakes,” those being Kegonsa, Mendota, Monona, and Waubesa. This works because Madison really grooves on that athletic outdoor lake life, all year round. For transplants from warmer cities, you’re not required to spend time on a frozen lake. But know your roommates (probably) and your neighbors (definitely) will.

Outdoor recreation in Madison in the warmer months involves all the lovely and expected walking, biking kayaking, and hiking all over their extensive trail system, with a little sailing on the lakes.

But what’s often less expected is the aggressive athleticism that continues crossing their frozen tundra. Does snow or slush stop Madison from cross-country skiing, ice-boating, ice fishing, ice hockey, ice skating, ski jumping, or snowkiting?

Absolutely not. These snowbunnies get even sportier when their city freezes over. And with their low cost of living, Madison goes to 11 on maximizing frozen fun while minimizing expense.

And at all temps they also enjoy racing, roller derby, CrossFit, rugby . . . and sometimes curling.

There’s a lot that’s sporty and even nourishing and wholesome. Like all the museums, zoos, gardens, concerts, and art installations, so many of which are entirely free!

They just really want you to see!

So is there anything less wholesome going on? Well, in 2009, the City Council voted to make the plastic pink flamingo the city’s official bird. You know, those decorations for your yard? They’re extremely into them here, so much so that if you have a yard and don’t put a pink flamingo on it, they’ll charge you a large fine! And charging fines for failure to pink flamingo is perverted.

Just kidding!

Not about the flamingos overall, just about the fine. You and your roommates are on your own decorating your yard, you can flamingo (or not) at will.

Foodily speaking, many also love the James Beard award-winning restaurants, the largest producer-only farmers’ market in the country (held around Capitol Square in the summer (it starts outside and moves indoors for winter)), and the local cheese curds and hot and spicy cheese bread.

So if you’re considering Madison we hope you love cheese, cheesy bread, and cheesy flamingos, but you probably DO because WHY WOULD YOU NOT?

People who hate all that are probably not very nice or very Madisonian.