City · Wisconsin
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Sun Prairie, city, in Dane County, Wisconsin. Sun Prairie had 39,227 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 9.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 35,967 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 37,570 (±68). GEOID 5578600.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
39,227
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 35,967 · ACS 2020-2024: 37,570 ±68
Median household income
$90,942
±$5,849 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$365,700
±$14,809 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,419
±$57 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Sun Prairie and what county is it in?
Sun Prairie is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin. It covers 13.1 square miles of land, 2,747 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sun Prairie is in the Madison, WI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sun Prairie, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 39,227 people lived in Sun Prairie on July 1, 2025, up 9.0% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 35,967 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 37,570 (±68).
| Measure | Sun Prairie | Dane County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 37,570 ±68 | 572,674 | +4,249 |
| Households | 15,887 ±626 | 251,529 | +2,408 |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.09 | 2.21 | −0.11 |
| Housing units | 16,195 ±626 | 261,061 | +2,058 |
Sun Prairie's population since 2000
From 20,369 in 2000 to 39,227 in 2025: up 92.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sun Prairie as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Sun Prairie?
The median resident of Sun Prairie is 36.7 years old; 25.5% are under 18 and 14.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 73.2%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 8.6%. 8.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sun Prairie | Dane County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 ±1.5 | 35.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.5% ±1.9 pts | 19.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.2% ±1.7 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Male | 48.6% ±1.3 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.7% ±1.5 pts | 7.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 73.2% ±2.8 pts | 75.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.5% ±1.9 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 8.6% ±1.4 pts | 6.1% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±1.2 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.9% ±1.7 pts | 9.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.3% ±2.0 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.1% ±1.7 pts | 4.3% | – |
| With a disability | 10.2% ±1.6 pts | 9.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.6% ±0.6 pts | 3.6% | −1.8 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.3% ±0.9 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 50.9% ±3.2 pts | 55.3% | +6.2 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 17.6% ±2.4 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.5% ±2.5 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±0.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Sun Prairie earn?
Half of Sun Prairie's 15,887 households earn less than $90,942 a year (±$5,849), against $89,975 in Dane County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $94,934 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sun Prairie | Dane County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,942 ±$5,849 | $89,975 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $111,947 ±$6,056 | $119,709 | – |
| Per capita income | $47,609 ±$2,605 | $53,181 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.2% ±1.5 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.2% ±3.2 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.2% ±1.5 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.1% ±1.2 pts | 97.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7% ±2.3 pts | 92.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Sun Prairie?
Owners occupy 60.8% of Sun Prairie's occupied homes and renters 39.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $365,700 by its owner (±$14,809). The median renter pays $1,419 a month including utilities, and 39.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sun Prairie | Dane County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $365,700 ±$14,809 | $394,800 | +$71,318 |
| Median gross rent | $1,419 ±$57 | $1,398 | +$81 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.4% ±6.1 pts | 38.6% | +9.8 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,085 ±$80 | $2,200 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.8% ±2.7 pts | 57.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 39.2% ±2.7 pts | 42.9% | – |
| Housing units | 16,195 ±626 | 261,061 | +2,058 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.6% ±1.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.1% ±3.1 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 21.6% ±3.0 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.5% ±1.1 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.1% ±1.3 pts | 8.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Sun Prairie building?
Builders took permits for 100 new housing units in Sun Prairie in 2025 (94 in single-family houses), 2.5 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Sun Prairie work and get to work?
71.2% of Sun Prairie's workers drive alone and 19.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.3%.
| Measure | Sun Prairie | Dane County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.8% ±2.7 pts | 70.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% ±0.8 pts | 2.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 71.2% ±3.4 pts | 63.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.3% ±1.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±0.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.7% ±2.9 pts | 20.0% | +14.2 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.0 min ±1.0 | 20.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Sun Prairie?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Sun Prairie, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $68,924 (Tract 115.06) to $118,583 (Tract 115.07).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 116Dane County | 7,648 | $96,351 |
| Tract 115.06Dane County | 6,895 | $68,924 |
| Tract 115.07Dane County | 5,938 | $118,583 |
| Tract 115.04Dane County | 5,994 | $105,451 |
| Tract 115.05Dane County | 4,227 | $71,016 |
| Tract 114.04Dane County | 8,047 | $115,450 |
| Tract 115.08Dane County | 4,239 | $107,038 |
| Tract 114.05Dane County | 5,249 | $85,337 |
| Tract 117Dane County | 4,079 | $136,923 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Sun Prairie) · Census block assignment files
How does Sun Prairie compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sun Prairie is the 1,058th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 20th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Sun Prairie ranks 388th of 914 places in Wisconsin with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 20th | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 39th | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 23rd | 914 |
| Median household income | 388th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 295th | 911 |
| Median home value | 183rd | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 80th | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 431st | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53rd | 914 |
| Median age | 824th | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 814th | 914 |
| Work from home | 84th | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 576th | 914 |
Sun Prairie's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Sun Prairie with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Sun Prairie?
6 of the 57 figures for Sun Prairie on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Sun Prairie are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Sun Prairie.