Population 45,865 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Sun Prairie: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Sun Prairie
Household size in Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The average household in Sun Prairie has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in the Madison area as a whole, where it has 2.30 people. Household size has edged down from 2.55 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.6 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.6 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.8 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Sun Prairie is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.4, in line with the national trend. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 16 are younger.
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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Sun Prairie (9.9%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Still, single parents are more common here than in the wider Madison area (8.2%).
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 Sun Prairie
Renters in Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.0% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.6% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Sun Prairie is about as common as it is nationally: 35.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Madison area as a whole (39.7%). Among homeowners, 27.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.3 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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Sun Prairie: just 3.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Sun Prairie has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Wisconsin cities.
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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1988 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1990 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Sun Prairie is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1995, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1988 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 13 have newer 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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $931 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,021 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,086 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,482 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$551 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Sun Prairie runs $1,482 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the wider Madison area ($1,366). Rent has climbed $551 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Sun Prairie
Bachelor's degrees in Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.5% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.0% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.7% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.6 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Sun Prairie is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (51.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 14.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 18 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people 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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.6% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.0% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.4% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.0% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sun Prairie: 97.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points, as it has nationally. Sun Prairie has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of 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 Sun Prairie
| Period | Sun Prairie | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.4% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Sun Prairie has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Sun Prairie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Prairie | 2.47 | 37.8 | 9.9% | 35.6% | 3.3% | 1995 | $1,482 | 51.7% | 97.0% | 2.3% |
| Windsor | 2.51 | 39.0 | 11.5% | 28.0% | 10.1% | 1999 | $1,482 | 45.1% | 95.4% | 2.0% |
| DeForest | 2.61 | 41.7 | 11.0% | 19.5% | 5.1% | 1993 | $1,355 | 42.1% | 96.9% | 2.0% |
| North Bristol | 2.72 | 43.7 | 8.6% | 13.4% | 5.7% | 1979 | $1,545 | 42.1% | 96.1% | 1.2% |
| Cottage Grove | 2.42 | 39.7 | 4.1% | 24.3% | 3.3% | 1998 | $1,533 | 51.2% | 98.2% | 2.2% |
| Marshall | 2.56 | 41.1 | 9.9% | 21.2% | 5.4% | 1983 | $1,188 | 26.8% | 97.1% | 1.8% |
| Morrisonville | 2.67 | 38.9 | 3.7% | 19.5% | 6.1% | 1982 | $1,261 | 40.1% | 98.4% | 0.4% |
| Maple Bluff | 2.43 | 45.2 | 5.1% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 1960 | $1,862 | 82.4% | 99.3% | 1.0% |
| York Center | 3.19 | 39.9 | 5.6% | 7.8% | 4.6% | 1982 | $1,405 | 33.2% | 95.8% | 0.7% |
| Nora | 2.63 | 39.8 | 12.0% | 11.1% | 2.0% | 1981 | $1,004 | 36.7% | 96.3% | 1.3% |
| Norway Grove | 2.85 | 39.3 | 3.1% | 8.0% | 1.7% | 1985 | $1,200 | 46.5% | 97.4% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Belleville, MI · Buda, TX · Bullhead City, AZ · Burlington, VT · Chatsworth, CA · Clifton Park, NY · Clovis, NM · Eagle Mountain, UT · Egg Harbor Township, NJ · Stanton, CA
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 Sun Prairie. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.