Population 8,467 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Monona
Household size in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.06 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.07 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Monona is a place of small households, averaging 2.14 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.06, even as the national average fell. Only 14 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.4 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.7 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.7, Monona is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 45.2, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Monona (8.6%), below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Madison area.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Monona
Renters in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.3% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.5% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.5% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Monona rent their homes (39.5%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. About a third of owners (33.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the west. The renter share has risen 2.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.6% of homes in Monona are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Madison area. Vacancy has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Monona is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $916 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $902 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $952 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,476 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$559 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Monona costs $1,476 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the wider Madison area ($1,366). Rent has climbed $559 a month since 2006–10, up 61%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 27.0% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Monona
Bachelor's degrees in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.8% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.7% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.4% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.5% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Monona: 57.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 13.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.1% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.6% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.4% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.1% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Monona: 97.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Monona has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Monona
| Period | Monona | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Monona has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Monona compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monona | 2.14 | 44.7 | 8.6% | 39.5% | 5.6% | 1963 | $1,476 | 57.5% | 97.1% | 2.3% |
| Madison area | 2.30 | 38.9 | 8.2% | 39.7% | 5.5% | 1983 | $1,366 | 50.6% | 95.1% | 2.6% |
| McFarland | 2.48 | 41.0 | 12.9% | 21.3% | 2.6% | 1992 | $1,587 | 51.7% | 98.4% | 2.7% |
| Maple Bluff | 2.43 | 45.2 | 5.1% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 1960 | $1,862 | 82.4% | 99.3% | 1.0% |
| Shorewood Hills | 2.37 | 37.4 | 4.6% | 45.7% | 4.0% | 1980 | $1,857 | 91.2% | 98.9% | 1.6% |
| Fitchburg | 2.14 | 36.3 | 8.3% | 48.9% | 3.1% | 1993 | $1,463 | 56.8% | 94.4% | 2.7% |
| Cottage Grove | 2.42 | 39.7 | 4.1% | 24.3% | 3.3% | 1998 | $1,533 | 51.2% | 98.2% | 2.2% |
| Middleton | 2.27 | 41.3 | 8.3% | 45.2% | 4.9% | 1989 | $1,552 | 65.6% | 96.0% | 2.5% |
| Sun Prairie | 2.47 | 37.8 | 9.9% | 35.6% | 3.3% | 1995 | $1,482 | 51.7% | 97.0% | 2.3% |
| Oregon | 2.51 | 40.6 | 10.7% | 23.3% | 3.0% | 1991 | $1,482 | 50.6% | 97.7% | 1.9% |
| Waunakee | 2.63 | 42.3 | 9.8% | 23.5% | 4.7% | 1995 | $1,375 | 59.9% | 97.9% | 1.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lander, WY · Lake Dallas, TX · Lake Hallie, WI · Woodfin, NC · Lake Mills, WI · Woodfield, SC · Lake of the Woods, VA · Woodbury, TN · Lake Park, GA · Lakes, AK
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Monona. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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