Dane County vs Waukesha County
Dane County, Wisconsin versus Waukesha County, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Dane County and Waukesha County score about the same overall (46 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Dane County | Waukesha County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | $102k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $52k |
| Home Value | $343k | $353k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.78% | 1.27% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.72% | 13.90% |
| Unemployment | 2.3% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.7 in | 36.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.8 in | 41.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 92 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.9 | 88.9 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.4 | 49.0 |
| Violent Crime | 777/100k | 282/100k |
| Property Crime | 1699/100k | 692/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 559,891 | 407,290 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 43.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.34 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | R+21 |
| White (%) | 77.8% | 86.6% |
| Black (%) | 5.0% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| Asian (%) | 5.9% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 2.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 78 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 92.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.34 | 4.20 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Dane County or Waukesha County more affordable?
- Dane County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Dane County's $50k and Waukesha County's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Dane County versus $1k in Waukesha County.
- Is Dane County or Waukesha County safer?
- Waukesha County has the lower violent crime rate. Dane County reports 777/100k and Waukesha County reports 282/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Dane County or Waukesha County?
- The median home value is $343k in Dane County and $353k in Waukesha County, so homes are more affordable in Dane County.