Dane County, Wisconsin
Among the top 5% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 12% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 46% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 96% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
- top 3% for walkability
- top 6% for broadband access
- bottom 5% for estimated total tax burden
Dane County is a county in Wisconsin with about 560,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, broadband access, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and estimated total tax burden.
Official websitecountyofdane.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
72%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in1.6 in
humid 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$84k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 22% of US counties
Home Value$343k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 10% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.78%better than 6% of US counties
Income Tax7.60%better than 11% of US counties
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.72%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment2.3%better than 90% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)19°F12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation38.7 in40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall43.8 inbetter than 16% of US counties
Sunny Days212 daysbetter than 25% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 82% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk93.9better than 6% of US counties
Air Quality50 AQIbetter than 16% of US counties
School Quality70.4better than 75% of US counties
Violent Crime777/100kbetter than 50% of US counties
Property Crime1699/100kbetter than 20% of US counties
Community
Population559,89196th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.510th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3459th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0053rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+541st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)77.8%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.0%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.8%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.9%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 75% of US counties
Walkability11.3/20better than 97% of US counties
Airport Distance78 mibetter than 63% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.8%better than 94% of US counties
Amenities Nearby16.34better than 94% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 40% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Dane County an affordable place to live?
- Dane County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 22% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Dane County?
- The median home value in Dane County is $343k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Dane County?
- Median household income in Dane County is $84k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Dane County?
- Median gross rent in Dane County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Dane County safe?
- Dane County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 777/100k (better than 50%). Property crime is 1699/100k.
- What is the weather like in Dane County?
- Dane County averages 72°F in July and 19°F in January, with 38.7 in of annual precipitation and about 212 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Dane County?
- Public-school quality in Dane County is above average, scoring better than 75% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Dane County?
- The average one-way commute in Dane County is 21 min.
Other counties in Wisconsin
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)