Sun Prairie vs Waunakee
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin versus Waunakee, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Sun Prairie and Waunakee score about the same overall (46 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Sun Prairie | Waunakee |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $90k | $132k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $313k | $443k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $9k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.90% | 1.65% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.07% | 15.02% |
| Unemployment | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.1 in | 37.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 51.8 in | 51.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.3 | 61.1 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 91.5 | 49.7 |
| Violent Crime | 932/100k | 141/100k |
| Property Crime | 1546/100k | 308/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 35,847 | 14,794 |
| Median Age | 37.7 | 39.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.12 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 76.3% | 88.2% |
| Black (%) | 7.7% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.6% | 5.3% |
| Asian (%) | 6.8% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 9.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 69 mi | 79 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.0% | 96.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 53.56 | 102.74 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Sun Prairie or Waunakee more affordable?
- Waunakee has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Sun Prairie's $50k and Waunakee's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Sun Prairie versus $1k in Waunakee.
- Is Sun Prairie or Waunakee safer?
- Waunakee has the lower violent crime rate. Sun Prairie reports 932/100k and Waunakee reports 141/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Sun Prairie or Waunakee?
- The median home value is $313k in Sun Prairie and $443k in Waunakee, so homes are more affordable in Sun Prairie.