Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Among the top 14% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 40% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 46% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 86% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 52% of US places
- top 7% for sales tax
- top 13% for walkability
- bottom 4% for monthly owner costs
Sun Prairie is a mid-size city in Wisconsin with about 36,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include sales tax, walkability, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on air quality and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Sun Prairie is $313k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Sun Prairie is $90k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Sun Prairie is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Sun Prairie has a violent crime rate of 932/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Sun Prairie is 22 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
72%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in1.5 in
humid 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$90k80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 33% of US places
Home Value$313k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 22% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$9kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.90%better than 12% of US places
Income Tax7.60%better than 20% of US places
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US places
Estimated total tax burden16.07%better than 14% of US places
Unemployment1.6%better than 71% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)19°F11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.1 in35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall51.8 inbetter than 12% of US places
Sunny Days212 daysbetter than 29% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 64% of US places
Comfortable Days93 daysbetter than 76% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk35.3better than 86% of US places
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 9% of US places
School Quality91.5better than 82% of US places
Violent Crime932/100kbetter than 39% of US places
Property Crime1546/100kbetter than 29% of US places
Community
Population35,84796th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.734th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3770th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9644th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+543rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.3%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.7%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.6%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.8%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.6%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 72% of US places
Walkability10.3/20better than 87% of US places
Airport Distance69 mibetter than 55% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.0%better than 72% of US places
Amenities Nearby53.56better than 41% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 44% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sun Prairie an affordable place to live?
- Sun Prairie is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 33% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Sun Prairie safe?
- Sun Prairie is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 932/100k (better than 39%). Property crime is 1546/100k.
- What is the weather like in Sun Prairie?
- Sun Prairie averages 72°F in July and 19°F in January, with 37.1 in of annual precipitation and about 212 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Sun Prairie?
- Public-school quality in Sun Prairie is above average, scoring better than 82% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Sun Prairie?
- The average one-way commute in Sun Prairie is 22 min.