City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Sun Prairie, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sun Prairie - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

36,455
Residents
$90,521
Median income
$339,800
Median home
$1,694
Median rent (state)

Sun Prairie - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Sun Prairie lands in the 71st percentile for household income and the 43rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

71st
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
67th
percentile, median rent
43rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Sun Prairie, WI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 36,455 residents in Sun Prairie, a small city within Wisconsin. Median household income here is $90,521 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.1%. Sun Prairie's housing stock carries a median value of $339,800, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. Educational attainment runs 50.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 70.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 267 residential building permits were authorized in Sun Prairie (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Sun Prairie reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1594.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Wisconsin scores 94.1 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,694 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Wisconsin, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Sun Prairie report an average commute of 18.5 minutes, with 71.7% driving alone and 18.3% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 93.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

36,455 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$90,521 /yr

Poverty 4.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Sun Prairie compare to other US cities?

Here's how Sun Prairie stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% pricier than other cities
Safety 43% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Wisconsin, Sun Prairie ranks #152 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sun Prairie's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

71stIncome percentile
43rdSafety percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income · 43rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sun Prairie's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sun Prairie's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Sun Prairie's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sun Prairie's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$339,800 30th percentile more affordable than 30% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Sun Prairie $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sun Prairie, WI Sun Prairie, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sun Prairie, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sun Prairie, WI median $90,521/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Sun Prairie, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sun Prairie, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
36,455
Median Income
$90,521
Median Home Value
$339,800
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Labor force participation
70.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1594.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
184.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1409.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
35,000 residents36,000 residents37,000 residents38,000 residents39,000 residents40,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 36,013 residents 39,227 residents ▲ +8.9%
Sun Prairie's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
267
housing units authorized
Single-Family
82
detached homes
Multifamily
185
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2022 654
2023 445
2024 267

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2022 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.5 minutes
Drive Alone
71.7%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
18.3%
Other
1.8%

Based on 19,857 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sun Prairie sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,694/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Oak Creek
36,473 people
Beloit
36,554 people
Franklin
35,751 people
Greenfield
37,361 people
Manitowoc
34,553 people
Menomonee Falls
38,963 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sun Prairie's 36,455 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Elmont, NY
36,436 people
Claremont, CA
36,553 people
Commack, NY
36,353 people
Hilliard, OH
36,560 people
Manchester, CT
36,561 people
Merrillville, IN
36,343 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sun Prairie's $90,521 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

West Melbourne, FL
$90,521 median income
Fife, WA
$90,515 median income
Pataskala, OH
$90,513 median income
Sunriver, OR
$90,529 median income
Zachary, LA
$90,507 median income
Carroll Valley, PA
$90,505 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sun Prairie, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sun Prairie, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 76.7% 8.2% 7.3% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 76.7% Black or African American 8.2% Asian 7.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 6.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sun Prairie compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sun Prairie (this city) 36,455 $90,521
Oak Creek 36,473 $93,120
Beloit 36,554 $59,975
Franklin 35,751 $108,342
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sun Prairie, WI?

What is the population of Sun Prairie, WI? +

The population of Sun Prairie, WI stands at 36,455 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sun Prairie, WI? +

Sun Prairie households earn a median of $90,521 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sun Prairie? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sun Prairie; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Sun Prairie, WI safe? +

Sun Prairie has a total crime rate of 1594.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sun Prairie, WI? +

Homes in Sun Prairie carry a median value of $339,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.