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Dane County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

Dane County, Wisconsin has a population of 572,674, the 2nd most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $89,975 and the median home value is $394,800. The poverty rate is 10.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Dane County Quick Facts

Population 572,674
Median Household Income $89,975
Median Home Value $394,800
Poverty Rate 10.6%
Unemployment Rate 2.4%
Median Age 35.7 years
Homeownership Rate 57.1%
Affordability Ratio 4.4x
Bachelor's Degree+ 55.3%
High School Graduation 96.4%
Cities/Places 28
Population 572,674 2nd of 72
Median Income $89,975 16% higher than state
Poverty Rate 10.6%
Unemployment 2.4%

How Dane County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population564,777572,674+1.4%
Median household income$88,108$89,975+2.1%
Median home value$366,100$394,800+7.8%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.5%
$25K-$50K 15.1%
$50K-$100K 28.2%
$100K+ 45.3%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.3%
$10K-$15K
2.4%
$15K-$20K
2.4%
$20K-$25K
2.5%
$25K-$30K
2.6%
$30K-$35K
3.1%
$35K-$40K
3.0%
$40K-$45K
2.9%
$45K-$50K
3.6%
$50K-$60K
5.9%
$60K-$75K
9.9%
$75K-$100K
12.4%
$100K-$125K
11.0%
$125K-$150K
7.9%
$150K-$200K
11.9%
$200K+
14.4%

Employment

2.4% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%
70.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 57.1%
Renter 42.9%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.4x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,398/mo 18.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

41out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 37 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Dane County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Madison278,001$78,05016.4%$372,900
Sun Prairie37,570$90,9426.2%$365,700
Fitchburg32,619$86,5169.3%$417,200
Middleton22,301$89,5247.6%$484,200
Waunakee15,687$125,2202.8%$515,900
Verona15,232$119,6061.4%$420,400
Stoughton13,033$79,5517.1%$293,500
Oregon11,547$102,9784.7%$417,200
DeForest11,501$106,4195.7%$359,600
Windsor9,452$120,0484.5%$425,600
McFarland9,160$97,5003.8%$390,100
Monona8,527$87,7739.5%$427,900
Cottage Grove8,513$139,3133.6%$449,700
Mount Horeb7,736$107,8562.8%$388,900
Edgerton6,014$72,4898.6%$266,900
Cross Plains4,107$105,1451.3%$376,500
Marshall3,778$85,94212.3%$238,900
Belleville2,579$88,3044.0%$308,500
Deerfield2,541$91,0293.9%$315,900
Shorewood Hills2,149$153,5425.3%$939,900
Black Earth1,736$75,6256.1%$290,800
Mazomanie1,694$86,02310.0%$289,400
Cambridge1,617$87,9178.8%$325,200
Brooklyn1,408$108,9295.8%$268,900
Maple Bluff1,329$198,7503.0%$882,700
Dane1,067$108,3753.9%$350,000
Blue Mounds795$83,7507.4%$337,700
Rockdale201$96,25018.9%$291,700

Explore Wisconsin Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Dane County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 572,674. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 28 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dane County is 35.7 years. This is 11% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dane County is $89,975. This is 16% higher than the state median of $77,485. It is also 11% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.6%. This is about the same as the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 2.4%. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $394,800. Housing costs are 48% higher than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 57.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% lower than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dane County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.8%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (6.1% vs 2.9%).

Education

55.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Dane County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 66% higher than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.4%. Notably, 22.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dane County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Wisconsin and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dane County, Wisconsin?

Dane County has a population of 572,674, making it the 2nd most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Dane County?

The median household income in Dane County is $89,975 with a poverty rate of 10.6%.

How many cities are in Dane County, Wisconsin?

Dane County contains 28 Census-designated places.