County · Wisconsin
Dane County, Wisconsin
Dane County, Wisconsin. Dane County had 590,375 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.1% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). It holds 60 places (28 cities, villages and boroughs and 32 towns and townships) and 125 census tracts. GEOID 55025.
Dane County is one of the 4 counties of the Madison, WI metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).
Residents, July 2025 estimate
590,375
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 561,504 · ACS 2020-2024: 572,674
Median household income
$89,975
±$1,284 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$394,800
±$3,871 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,398
±$17 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
How many people live in Dane County, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 561,504 residents in Dane County. The Census Bureau estimates 590,375 for July 1, 2025, up 5.1% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 572,674 over 1,196 square miles of land.
| Measure | Dane County | Wisconsin | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 572,674 | 5,914,872 | +36,596 |
| Households | 251,529±1,049 | 2,479,480 | +28,600 |
| Average household size | 2.21±0.01 | 2.33 | −0.13 |
| Housing units | 261,061±191 | 2,778,572 | +28,137 |
Dane County's population since 2000
From 426,526 in 2000 to 590,375 in 2025: up 38.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov
What cities and towns are in Dane County?
Dane County holds 60 places: 28 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 32 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government). The largest is Madison with 286,233 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.
| Madison | 269,840 | $78,050 |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Prairie | 35,967 | $90,942 |
| Fitchburg | 29,609 | $86,516 |
| Middleton | 21,827 | $89,524 |
| Waunakee | 14,879 | $125,220 |
| Verona | 14,030 | $119,606 |
| Stoughton | 13,173 | $79,551 |
| Oregon | 11,179 | $102,978 |
| DeForest | 10,811 | $106,419 |
| McFarland | 8,991 | $97,500 |
| Windsor | 8,754 | $120,048 |
| Monona | 8,624 | $87,773 |
| Mount Horeb | 7,754 | $107,856 |
| Cottage Grove | 7,303 | $139,313 |
| Middleton (town) | 6,792 | $203,646 |
| Dunn (town), Dane County | 4,880 | $127,734 |
| Bristol (town) | 4,447 | $141,010 |
| Westport (town) | 4,191 | $83,750 |
| Cross Plains | 4,104 | $105,145 |
| Cottage Grove (town) | 3,791 | $87,218 |
| Marshall | 3,787 | $85,942 |
| Burke (town) | 3,265 | $104,025 |
| Oregon (town) | 3,125 | $150,536 |
| Pleasant Springs (town) | 3,078 | $119,273 |
| Springfield (town), Dane County | 2,929 | $135,216 |
| Deerfield | 2,507 | $91,029 |
| Sun Prairie (town) | 2,391 | $127,321 |
| Shorewood Hills | 2,169 | $153,542 |
| Albion (town), Dane County | 2,069 | $107,750 |
| Springdale (town) | 2,056 | $129,271 |
| Rutland (town) | 1,977 | $105,000 |
| Verona (town) | 1,947 | $150,000 |
| Belleville | 2,491 | $88,304 |
| Dunkirk (town) | 1,881 | $102,604 |
| Roxbury (town) | 1,871 | $132,188 |
| Mazomanie | 1,768 | $86,023 |
| Deerfield (town), Dane County | 1,684 | $118,125 |
| Vienna (town) | 1,666 | $139,583 |
| Blooming Grove (town) | 1,622 | $90,000 |
| Cambridge | 1,638 | $87,917 |
| Cross Plains (town) | 1,494 | $162,000 |
| Black Earth | 1,493 | $75,625 |
| Maple Bluff | 1,368 | $198,750 |
| Medina (town) | 1,344 | $99,750 |
| Christiana (town), Dane County | 1,235 | $83,750 |
| Berry (town) | 1,168 | $83,750 |
| Dane | 1,117 | $108,375 |
| Mazomanie (town) | 1,074 | $87,679 |
| Montrose (town) | 1,064 | $102,000 |
| Brooklyn | 1,524 | $108,929 |
| Blue Mounds | 948 | $83,750 |
| Dane (town) | 934 | $95,156 |
| Blue Mounds (town) | 899 | $101,806 |
| Vermont (town) | 871 | $102,656 |
| Primrose (town) | 750 | $107,500 |
| Perry (town) | 737 | $92,500 |
| York (town), Dane County | 697 | $121,667 |
| Black Earth (town) | 510 | $136,667 |
| RockdaleGEOID 5568725 | 207 | $96,250 |
| Edgerton | 5,945 | $72,489 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dane County?
The median resident of Dane County is 35.7 years old; 19.7% are under 18 and 15.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.8%. 9.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Dane County | Wisconsin | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7±0.2 | 40.2 | +0.6 |
| Under 18 years | 19.7%±0.1 pts | 21.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.1%±0.1 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.8% | 8.0% | +1.4 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.8%±0.2 pts | 78.6% | −3.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.1%±0.2 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.1%±0.1 pts | 2.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6%±0.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.0%±0.3 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.5%±0.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3%±0.2 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 9.2%±0.4 pts | 12.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.6%±0.3 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.4%±0.3 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 55.3%±0.7 pts | 33.4% | +3.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 22.2%±0.6 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.1%±0.3 pts | 2.0% | – |
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 Dane County earn?
Half of Dane County's 251,529 households earn less than $89,975 a year (±$1,284), against $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $90,940 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dane County | Wisconsin | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,975±$1,284 | $77,485 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $119,709±$2,447 | $101,466 | – |
| Per capita income | $53,181±$1,051 | $43,373 | +$3,198 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.6%±0.6 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.7%±1.2 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.1%±0.5 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.9%±0.5 pts | 90.3% | – |
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 Dane County?
Owners occupy 57.1% of Dane County's occupied homes and renters 42.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $394,800 by its owner (±$3,871). The median renter pays $1,398 a month including utilities, and 38.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Dane County | Wisconsin | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $394,800±$3,871 | $266,500 | +$67,928 |
| Median gross rent | $1,398±$17 | $1,087 | +$65 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.6%±1.4 pts | 35.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,200±$25 | $1,689 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.1%±0.7 pts | 67.8% | −1.1 pts |
| Housing units | 261,061±191 | 2,778,572 | +28,137 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4%±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.9%±0.6 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.5%±0.7 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.8%±0.2 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.4%±0.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.4%±0.4 pts | 17.8% | – |
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 Dane County building?
Builders took permits for 6,629 new housing units across Dane County in 2025 (1,437 single-family), 11.2 per 1,000 residents.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Dane County get to work?
63.8% of Dane County's workers drive alone and 20.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.4%.
| Measure | Dane County | Wisconsin | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.3%±0.5 pts | 65.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4%±0.3 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 63.8%±0.8 pts | 74.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.6%±0.4 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.9%±0.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Walked | 4.9%±0.3 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.0%±0.7 pts | 13.1% | +15.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.6 min±0.3 | 22.2 min | −0.5 min |
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 are Dane County's census tracts?
Dane County is divided into 125 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $12,577 (Tract 16.03) to $202,813 (Tract 102).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Dane County compare with Wisconsin's other counties?
| Measure | Rank |
|---|---|
| Population | 2nd of 72 |
| Growth 2020-2025 | 3rd of 72 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th of 72 |
| Median household income | 6th of 72 |
| Median home value | 2nd of 72 |
| Median gross rent | 1st of 72 |
| Poverty rate | 33rd of 72 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1st of 72 |
| Median age | 70th of 72 |
Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Dane County 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' school search.