Dane County

Dane County is located in south-central Wisconsin, centered on the Madison metropolitan area and bordered by a mix of urban and agricultural communities. Established in 1836 and named for Nathan Dane, the county developed early as a territorial administrative center and later as the seat of Wisconsin’s state government. It is one of the state’s most populous counties, with a population of roughly half a million, and functions as a major regional hub for employment and services.

The county seat is Madison, which also serves as Wisconsin’s capital and home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, shaping local government, education, and research activity. Dane County’s economy is diversified, with prominent roles for state government, higher education, healthcare, and technology, alongside surrounding farming and food production. The landscape includes glaciated hills, prairie and wetlands, and a chain of lakes around Madison, contributing to a mix of urban neighborhoods, small towns, and protected natural areas.

Dane County is located in south-central Wisconsin and contains the state capital, Madison, making it a major employment, education, and government hub within the state. For local government and planning resources, visit the Dane County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Dane County, Wisconsin, Dane County had an estimated population of 576,934 (2023).

Age & Gender

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Dane County, Wisconsin:

• Age distribution (percent of population)

  • Under 5 years: 5.1%
  • Under 18 years: 18.2%
  • 65 years and over: 12.1%

• Gender ratio

  • Female persons: 49.9%
  • Male persons: 50.1%
    (Reported as sex composition in QuickFacts.)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

From the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Dane County, Wisconsin (race categories and Hispanic origin reported as separate measures):

• White alone: 80.5%
• Black or African American alone: 6.1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.4%
• Asian alone: 6.6%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 5.6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 6.7%

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Dane County, Wisconsin:

• Households

  • Persons per household: 2.31
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 59.6%

• Housing

  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $357,700
  • Median gross rent: $1,335
  • Building permits (annual average, 2019–2023): 2,026

Dane County’s email access trends are shaped by a dense urban core (Madison) alongside smaller towns and rural areas, where network buildout and last‑mile infrastructure can be less consistent. Direct, county-level email usage statistics are not routinely published; broadband subscription, device access, and demographics are standard proxies for likely email adoption.

Digital access indicators (proxy for email access)

The U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) reports household digital-access measures such as broadband subscriptions and computer ownership/availability, which track the practical ability to use email. Dane County’s urban concentration generally supports higher subscription and device access than more rural counties, but gaps persist in lower-income households.

Age distribution and likely influence on email adoption

ACS age distributions for Dane County (notably a large 18–24 population linked to higher education in Madison) affect communication patterns; younger cohorts rely more on mobile messaging, while email remains central for school, work, and government services. Older age groups may face higher barriers tied to digital skills and accessibility needs (captured indirectly in subscription/device data).

Gender distribution (relevance)

ACS provides sex composition, but email adoption differences by gender are not reliably measured at county scale and are typically secondary to age, income, and education.

Connectivity and infrastructure limitations

County and state broadband planning materials document rural last‑mile constraints and affordability barriers that limit consistent access to email-enabled services (see Wisconsin Broadband Office).

Dane County is located in south-central Wisconsin and contains the City of Madison (the state capital) along with a mix of suburban communities and rural townships. The county’s terrain is dominated by glaciated plains, rolling hills, and several large lakes (including Mendota and Monona). Connectivity conditions are shaped primarily by population density contrasts: dense urban and suburban areas around Madison tend to support more complete mobile network coverage and capacity, while outlying rural areas (particularly in the western and northern parts of the county) tend to face greater risks of coverage gaps and weaker indoor signal due to lower tower density.

Distinguishing network availability vs. household adoption

Network availability refers to whether mobile broadband service is offered at a given location (coverage, technology generation such as 4G LTE or 5G, and advertised speeds). Availability is measured by provider-reported coverage and modeled service areas.

Household adoption refers to whether residents actually subscribe to and use mobile service and/or mobile internet (for example, having a smartphone with a data plan, or using mobile as the primary internet connection). Adoption is measured through surveys such as the American Community Survey and other research instruments and can differ from availability due to price, device access, digital skills, and household preferences.

Mobile penetration and access indicators (household adoption)

County-level, consistently published indicators of “mobile penetration” (for example, SIMs per capita) are generally not available in the United States. The most comparable county-level proxies come from survey-based measures of household access and subscription.

• Household internet subscription (including cellular data plans)

  • The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) includes tables on household internet subscription types, including “cellular data plan” subscriptions. These data can be accessed for Dane County via Census.gov (data.census.gov) by selecting Dane County, WI and navigating to internet subscription tables (ACS 5-year).
  • Limitation: ACS measures household subscription status and reported types; it does not directly measure network performance, signal quality, or whether mobile is the primary connection.

• Mobile-only households (mobile as primary/only internet)

  • The ACS includes indicators that can be used to approximate mobile-reliant households (for example, households with a cellular data plan and no other subscription types). Dane County estimates can be derived using Census.gov ACS tables.
  • Limitation: This is an indirect measure and can be sensitive to survey response and table definitions.

• Device ownership (smartphone access)

  • The ACS does not provide a county-level smartphone ownership measure. Smartphone adoption is often measured via national surveys (for example, Pew Research Center), but those are typically not county-resolved. As a result, definitive smartphone penetration values specific to Dane County are generally not available from standard federal county tables.
  • Limitation: County-level device-type penetration frequently requires proprietary carrier or market research datasets.

Mobile internet usage patterns and technology availability (4G and 5G)

Network availability and technology generation are best documented through federal broadband availability datasets and carrier coverage disclosures.

• FCC Broadband Data Collection (availability and providers)

  • The FCC’s location-based broadband availability data can be used to identify where mobile broadband is reported available and which providers report service in Dane County. Coverage layers and provider lists are accessible through the FCC National Broadband Map.
  • The FCC map distinguishes between fixed broadband and mobile broadband; mobile layers include technology and coverage information as reported and processed under the Broadband Data Collection program.
  • Limitation: Reported availability does not equal observed performance; mobile service quality varies by congestion, device capability, indoor/outdoor conditions, and terrain/building obstruction.

• 4G LTE availability

  • In U.S. metro counties anchored by a state capital and a major university (Madison), 4G LTE service is widely reported by major national carriers across most populated areas. The FCC map provides the authoritative, location-based view of reported LTE availability in the county via mobile broadband layers.
  • Limitation: Countywide generalizations about “complete” LTE coverage are not precise without referencing the FCC location-level data; rural fringes and indoor environments can differ materially from road/rooftop coverage.

• 5G availability (including mid-band and mmWave distinctions)

  • 5G availability in Dane County is strongest in denser Madison-area neighborhoods and major corridors where carriers have deployed 5G radio access and backhaul capacity. Provider-reported 5G coverage can be reviewed using the FCC National Broadband Map mobile layers and carrier coverage maps.
  • 5G is not a single experience: low-band 5G prioritizes broader coverage; mid-band improves capacity and speeds; mmWave (where deployed) is typically limited to small areas due to propagation limits.
  • Limitation: The FCC map shows reported coverage, not the 5G band in use at each location, and does not directly report typical user throughput.

• Observed performance (speed/latency)

  • County-level performance can be approximated from aggregated speed-test datasets published by third parties, but these are not official measures and may reflect sampling bias (device mix, test frequency, and where users run tests). No single definitive, countywide “typical mobile speed” value is published by federal sources.
  • Limitation: Speed-test aggregates are not equivalent to engineering measurements and can vary widely by time and place.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

Publicly accessible county-level splits of smartphones vs. basic phones vs. tablets are limited.

• Smartphones as the dominant endpoint

  • In the U.S., smartphones are the primary device for mobile internet access, and the Madison metro area’s employment base (education, healthcare, state government, technology) is associated with high digital service use. However, a definitive county-level smartphone share is not available from standard federal county tables.
  • Limitation: Device-type distributions are typically captured in proprietary datasets (carrier telemetry, market research) or national surveys without county granularity.

• Other device categories

  • Connected tablets, hotspots, and fixed-wireless-capable routers contribute to mobile network usage, but county-level device counts are not routinely published in open administrative datasets.
  • Internet of Things (IoT) connections (utility, transportation, and enterprise) exist in most metro areas but are not reported as county-resolved “mobile device” inventories in public datasets.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Dane County

Several measurable factors influence both adoption (subscriptions and device access) and real-world connectivity (signal and performance).

Urban–rural gradients and population density

• Network availability and capacity generally track density: Madison and inner-ring suburbs support more cell sites and sector capacity, while rural townships have fewer towers per square mile. This affects indoor coverage, peak-hour congestion, and the likelihood of dead zones.
• Dane County’s county profile and population distribution context are available via Dane County government and demographic profiles on Census.gov.

Income, education, and age composition (adoption and usage)

• ACS data for Dane County can be used to relate internet subscription types to income and household characteristics at the tract or county level using Census.gov.
• Nationally documented patterns (not county-specific) show higher smartphone and broadband adoption with higher income and education levels, and different usage patterns by age. Applying these patterns directly to Dane County without county-resolved device surveys is a limitation.

Student population and institutional anchors

• The presence of the University of Wisconsin–Madison increases daytime population density in core areas and increases demand for mobile data service around campus, commercial districts, and transit corridors. This tends to align with more robust urban network deployment, but it does not substitute for location-level availability data from the FCC map.

Terrain, lakes, and built environment (coverage quality)

• While Dane County lacks mountain terrain, signal quality can still be affected by:
  • building density and construction materials in Madison (indoor attenuation),
  • tree cover and rolling topography in rural areas (line-of-sight variation),
  • tower siting constraints and spacing outside dense areas.
• These factors influence experienced coverage and speeds even where reported availability exists.

Key data sources and limitations (county-level focus)

• Availability (where service is reported): FCC National Broadband Map (mobile broadband layers).
• Adoption (household subscription types, including cellular data plans): Census.gov (ACS 5-year internet subscription tables).
• State broadband context and mapping initiatives: Wisconsin Public Service Commission broadband program (state-level broadband information; county-level mobile detail varies by publication).
• Local context: Dane County (planning and community context; not a primary mobile coverage dataset).

Primary limitation: Public, authoritative county-level statistics on smartphone penetration, device type mix, and mobile-only reliance beyond ACS-derived subscription proxies are limited. The most defensible county-resolved approach is to combine FCC-reported mobile availability with ACS household subscription measures and clearly treat them as separate concepts (availability vs. adoption).

Dane County is in south-central Wisconsin and includes Madison (the state capital) along with major institutions such as the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a large state-government workforce. The county’s combination of a large student population, research and tech employers, and dense urban neighborhoods around Madison generally aligns with higher digital connectivity and heavier day-to-day social platform use than many rural parts of the state.

User statistics (penetration and activity)

• County-specific social media penetration is not published as an official, regularly updated statistic by major public data programs; most reliable measures are available at the U.S. level and are commonly used as benchmarks for local areas.
• U.S. adult social media use: Approximately 7 in 10 U.S. adults (≈70%) report using at least one social media site. Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet.
• U.S. teen social media use: Most teens use social media, with platform-by-platform usage reported in national surveys. Source: Pew Research Center: Teens, Social Media and Technology (2023).
• Local context that tends to raise use: Dane County’s large college-age population and high educational attainment (relative to many counties) typically correlate with high broadband/smartphone adoption and frequent social platform engagement, consistent with patterns documented in national survey findings on demographics and technology use (Pew and similar sources).

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

National patterns generally applicable to county-level planning and interpretation:

• Highest usage: Adults ages 18–29 consistently report the highest social media usage rates.
• Next highest: Ages 30–49, generally high but below 18–29.
• Lower usage: Ages 50–64 and 65+ show lower overall usage, with the steepest drop among older adults. Source: Pew Research Center social media demographics.

Gender breakdown

• Overall: U.S. women report slightly higher social media use than men in many survey waves, though gaps vary by platform and are smaller on some services.
• Platform-level differences: Visual and socially oriented platforms (notably Pinterest) skew more female, while some discussion- or video-centric platforms show smaller gender gaps. Source: Pew Research Center platform demographics.

Most-used platforms (benchmarks with reported percentages)

Because platform penetration is not routinely published at the county level, the most defensible approach is to cite national platform reach as a comparative baseline (adult and teen usage differ substantially).

U.S. adults (selected platforms, share who say they use each platform):

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (formerly Twitter): ~22%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
  Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet.

U.S. teens (platform usage is typically higher for short-form video and messaging):

• Frequently used platforms include YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, with reported shares and “almost constant” usage patterns.
  Source: Pew Research Center: Teens, Social Media and Technology (2023).

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Video-first consumption is dominant: YouTube has broad reach across age groups, and short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) drives high-frequency engagement nationally; this aligns with typical usage patterns in university-centered metros such as Madison.
• Platform choice tracks life stage: Younger adults and students concentrate more time in TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat, while older adults over-index on Facebook; professional networking use (LinkedIn) is more common among college-educated and white-collar workforces.
• News and civic information flows remain significant on major networks: National research finds many adults encounter news on social platforms, with Facebook and YouTube historically important in distribution. Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media and News Fact Sheet.
• Messaging and private sharing complement public posting: Across platforms, engagement has shifted toward private/closed sharing (DMs, groups, and story replies) rather than exclusively public feed posts, consistent with broad social media behavior research summarized by major survey organizations.

Note on locality: The percentages above are the most reliable published benchmarks (national). Dane County platform mix is likely to resemble other large Midwestern university-and-government metros, with relatively strong Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat presence among students and strong Facebook/YouTube presence among older adults, but precise county-level percentages are not available from the same high-quality public sources.

Dane County family and associate-related records are primarily maintained through Wisconsin’s vital records and county court systems. Birth and death records are created and filed by local registrars and the state; certified copies are commonly issued through the Dane County Register of Deeds and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Marriage records (licenses and certificates) are issued and recorded locally; county marriage license services are listed through the Dane County Clerk. Divorce, paternity, guardianship, and other family case records are maintained by the circuit court; access and procedures are provided by the Dane County Clerk of Courts. Adoption records are generally treated as confidential court records, with access restricted by statute and court order.

Public access to case information is available online through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal, CCAP, which lists parties, filings, and certain docket information; some documents and sealed matters are not publicly viewable. Vital records are not fully open databases; certified copies typically require identification and applicable fees.

Records may be accessed online via the official portals above and in person at the Register of Deeds or Clerk of Courts offices. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to adoption, some juvenile matters, sealed cases, and certain personal identifiers.

Types of records available

Marriage records (Dane County)

• Marriage license application and license: Created and issued by the Dane County Clerk; the license authorizes the marriage within Wisconsin during the statutory validity period.
• Marriage certificate / marriage record: The officiant returns the completed license to the County Clerk, which becomes the official county marriage record.
• Certified copies: Certified copies of Dane County marriage records are issued by the Dane County Clerk. Older records may also be available through the Wisconsin Vital Records Office (state-level repository).

Divorce records (Dane County)

• Divorce case file: The full court file maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court for Dane County (Wisconsin Circuit Court).
• Judgment of divorce (divorce decree): The final order entered by the circuit court; maintained in the case file and reflected on the court docket/register of actions.
• Certified copies: Certified copies of divorce judgments and other filed documents are issued by the Clerk of Circuit Court.

Annulment records (Dane County)

• Annulment case file: A civil court proceeding filed and maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court.
• Judgment of annulment: The final court order declaring the marriage void or voidable (as determined by the court); maintained in the case file and on the docket.

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Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Marriage records

• Filed/maintained by: Dane County Clerk (official county marriage records).
• Access methods:
  • In person through the Dane County Clerk’s office.
  • By mail request for certified copies (request forms and fees are typically required).
  • State-level access: The Wisconsin Department of Health Services – Vital Records Office maintains statewide vital records, including marriage records, and issues certified copies under state rules.
  • Genealogical/older records: Some marriage indexes and images may be available through state or archival partners; county-level certified copies remain an official source.

Divorce and annulment records

• Filed/maintained by: Dane County Clerk of Circuit Court (case files, judgments, and docket entries).
• Access methods:
  • In person at the Dane County courthouse records office for public case documents.
  • Online case lookup: Wisconsin circuit court case summaries and docket information are typically available through the statewide CCAP portal (Wisconsin Circuit Court Access), which provides register-of-actions data and limited document access depending on record type and restrictions.
  • Copies: Copies and certified copies are obtained from the Clerk of Circuit Court; fees and identification requirements may apply for certain records or certifications.

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Typical information included in these records

Marriage license / marriage record

Common elements include:

• Full names of both parties (including prior names in some cases)
• Dates of birth or ages; places of birth
• Current addresses and counties of residence
• Marital status (e.g., single/divorced/widowed) and number of prior marriages (commonly collected)
• Parents’ names (often collected on applications)
• Date and place of marriage ceremony
• Officiant name/title and officiant’s signature
• Witness information (as recorded on the executed license)
• License issuance date and license number/file number

Divorce judgment (decree) and case file

Common elements include:

• Names of the parties; case number; filing and judgment dates
• Findings and orders related to:
  • Legal custody and physical placement (when applicable)
  • Child support and related provisions (when applicable)
  • Maintenance (spousal support), when ordered
  • Division of property and debts
  • Name change orders (when requested and granted)
• The case file may also include: summons/petition, financial disclosure forms, affidavits, stipulations, parenting plans, motions, and other pleadings.

Annulment judgment and case file

Common elements include:

• Names of the parties; case number; filing and judgment dates
• Court findings and legal basis for annulment as reflected in pleadings and the judgment
• Orders on custody/placement/support and property issues, when applicable
• Name change orders, when granted

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Privacy or legal restrictions

Marriage records

• Public access: Wisconsin marriage records are generally public records, but certified copies are typically issued under state rules requiring identity verification and/or eligibility depending on the type of certificate and the requester’s relationship to the record.
• Redactions: Certain personal identifiers may be redacted from copies provided to the public under Wisconsin public records practices (for example, sensitive identifiers or information restricted by law).

Divorce and annulment records

• Presumption of public access: Court case dockets and many filed documents are generally public under Wisconsin law.
• Confidential information: Specific categories of information may be confidential or restricted by statute or court order, including:
  • Sealed records or sealed portions of a file (by court order)
  • Certain family-court documents containing sensitive personal information
  • Protected information involving minors, victims, or safety-related confidentiality (when applicable)
• Online limitations: The statewide online case-access system commonly displays docket/register-of-actions information and may limit document images and sensitive details. Records access and disclosure are governed by Wisconsin court rules, statutes, and any case-specific sealing or confidentiality orders.

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Primary custodians (Dane County and Wisconsin)

• Dane County Clerk: Custodian for Dane County marriage license and marriage record filings.
• Dane County Clerk of Circuit Court: Custodian for divorce and annulment court case files and judgments.
• Wisconsin Vital Records Office (Wisconsin Department of Health Services): State-level repository and issuer for certified copies of vital records, including marriages, under Wisconsin vital records statutes.

Dane County is in south-central Wisconsin and contains the state capital (Madison) along with large suburban communities (for example, Fitchburg, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Verona) and extensive rural townships. It is one of Wisconsin’s most populous counties (about 0.57 million residents), with a comparatively young age profile influenced by the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a regional economy centered on government, higher education, health care, and technology. Population and many indicators below reflect the most recent multi-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) for Dane County.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

• Dane County contains multiple independent public school districts (not a single countywide system). The largest is Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD); other large districts include Sun Prairie Area School District, Verona Area School District, Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, Waunakee Community School District, and DeForest Area School District.
• A complete, authoritative count and the full list of public school names are maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in its district and school directories rather than in a single county summary table. The most reliable source for school rosters is the Wisconsin DPI district/school directory (filterable by district and location).

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates (countywide proxies)

• Student–teacher ratio: A single countywide ratio is not published as a standard statistic; it varies materially by district and school. A commonly used proxy is the district-level ratio reported in state report cards and district profiles (DPI). District-by-district staffing and enrollment measures are available through Wisconsin DPI WISEdash Public.
• Graduation rates: Wisconsin reports graduation rates at the district and school level (4-year and extended-year cohorts). Dane County’s graduation outcomes are generally above the state average in many suburban districts, while outcomes vary more within MMSD by school and student group. The most current official rates are in Wisconsin School and District Report Cards.

Adult educational attainment (latest ACS)

• Adult attainment in Dane County is high relative to state and national averages, reflecting the concentration of university and state government employment.
• The most recent ACS county profile indicates:
  • High school diploma or higher (age 25+): approximately 95%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): approximately 55–60%
• Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dane County, Wisconsin (ACS-based).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP; countywide patterns)

• STEM and dual-credit: STEM academies, project-based learning pathways, and dual-enrollment/early college credit are common across Dane County districts, supported by proximity to UW–Madison and regional employers; participation is tracked at the district level rather than countywide.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE): Dane County students commonly access vocational and technical training through district CTE programs and Madison College (Madison Area Technical College) programs and youth apprenticeships; regional technical education is documented by Wisconsin Technical College System and district course offerings.
• Advanced Placement (AP) and other advanced coursework: AP availability is widespread in larger high schools (especially MMSD and suburban districts) with participation and performance reported by school/district and in some cases through state/federal reporting.

School safety measures and counseling resources (typical district practices; not countywide standardized)

• School safety policies and student support services are set by individual districts and typically include:
  • Building access controls, visitor management systems, and emergency response planning in coordination with local public safety agencies
  • Behavioral threat assessment processes (district-specific)
  • School counseling, social work, and psychological services; mental-health partnerships with community providers
• The most defensible documentation is at the district level (board policies, student services pages, safety plans where publicly posted). No single county agency publishes a unified, comparable inventory of safety and counseling resources across all Dane County districts.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent)

• Dane County’s unemployment is consistently among the lowest in Wisconsin. The most recent annual average unemployment rate is typically reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and Wisconsin DWD.
• Current official local unemployment estimates are published via BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. (A single “most recent year” value changes annually; the referenced sources provide the latest finalized annual averages and recent monthly readings.)

Major industries and employment sectors

• The county’s largest employment bases generally include:
  • Public administration (state government anchored in Madison)
  • Educational services (UW–Madison and K–12 systems)
  • Health care and social assistance (major hospital systems and clinics)
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services (technology, engineering, research)
  • Accommodation and food services (driven by the Madison metro)
  • Retail trade
• Sector composition and wages are available from U.S. Census Bureau ACS industry tables and BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

• Common occupational groups include:
  • Management, business, science, and arts occupations (elevated share due to higher education levels and professional employment)
  • Education, training, and library
  • Healthcare practitioners and support
  • Office and administrative support
  • Food preparation and serving-related
  • Sales
• Occupational shares are most consistently measured through ACS occupation tables on data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Dane County’s commuting is characterized by strong in-county employment concentration in Madison and major suburban job centers (health systems, government campuses, business parks).
• Typical commuting metrics (ACS):
  • Mean travel time to work: approximately 20–25 minutes
  • Mode split: high auto commuting with comparatively higher-than-average shares of public transit, walking, and bicycling within the City of Madison relative to most Wisconsin counties (mode share varies sharply by municipality).
• Source: ACS commuting tables via U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts and data.census.gov.

Local employment versus out-of-county work (proxy)

• A single, widely cited county headline statistic is the share of workers who live and work in the same county; this is available through ACS “county-to-county commuting” products and Census commuting flows.
• Dane County generally has a high rate of in-county employment for resident workers due to the scale of Madison-area job centers, with out-commuting to surrounding counties occurring but not dominating overall flows.
• Commuting flow datasets are accessible via U.S. Census Bureau commuting (LEHD/OnTheMap).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share (latest ACS)

• Dane County has a large renter population driven by UW–Madison and a sizable multifamily stock in Madison.
• Owner-occupied housing: roughly 55–60%
• Renter-occupied housing: roughly 40–45%
• Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dane County, Wisconsin (ACS-based).

Median property values and recent trends

• Median owner-occupied home value: approximately $350,000–$400,000 (ACS median value; varies by year and is sensitive to rapidly changing market conditions).
• Trend: values rose substantially from 2020 through 2022–2024 across the Madison metro, reflecting tight inventory and population/job growth. ACS medians typically lag current market conditions; transaction-based measures (MLS) often show faster changes than ACS.
• Best official baseline for median value: QuickFacts housing value. For market-trend series, local REALTOR/MLS reports are commonly used but are not standardized official statistics.

Typical rent prices (latest ACS proxy)

• Median gross rent: approximately $1,300–$1,500 per month (ACS median gross rent; varies by municipality and unit type).
• Source: QuickFacts gross rent and ACS tables on data.census.gov.

Types of housing

• City of Madison and inner suburbs: substantial apartments and multifamily (including mid-rise buildings near downtown/campus and along major corridors), plus established single-family neighborhoods.
• Middle-ring suburbs (Sun Prairie, Verona, Fitchburg, Middleton, Waunakee, DeForest): predominantly single-family subdivisions, townhomes/condominiums, and growing multifamily near commercial nodes.
• Rural towns and villages: larger-lot single-family homes, farmsteads, and rural residential parcels, with development constrained by zoning, farmland preservation, and infrastructure availability.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities; general patterns)

• Areas near central Madison commonly provide shorter commutes, higher transit access, and proximity to UW–Madison, major hospitals, and cultural amenities; housing stock includes older single-family homes and dense multifamily.
• Suburban school-centered neighborhoods often feature newer housing, parks, and nearby elementary schools, with automobile-oriented access to shopping corridors and employment centers.
• Rural areas offer larger parcels and lower density, with longer drives to schools, retail, and health services.

Property tax overview (rate and typical cost)

• Property taxes in Wisconsin are assessed locally and vary by municipality, school district, and special districts; Dane County rates differ substantially between the City of Madison and outlying communities.
• A defensible proxy for homeowner burden is the effective property tax rate (taxes as a share of home value) and median tax amounts reported in ACS and local assessor summaries; Dane County is commonly near ~2% of market value per year as a broad regional rule-of-thumb, with meaningful local variation.
• The most authoritative sources for actual bills and rates are municipal assessor/treasurer offices and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s reports; a statewide entry point is Wisconsin Department of Revenue: property tax.