Population 19,985 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waunakee
Household size in Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
At 2.63 people per household, Waunakee sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Madison area, where it has 2.30 people. Household size has edged down from 2.66 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have larger 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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.5 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.3 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Waunakee is 42.3 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 40.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Waunakee (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Locally, though, single parents are more common here than in the wider Madison area (8.2%). The single-parent share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Waunakee
Renters in Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.3% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.5% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.5% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Waunakee is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three in ten owners (28.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.6 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Waunakee: just 4.7% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. The picture is much the same across the Madison area. Vacancy is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Waunakee 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 1990 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $819 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,054 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,078 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,375 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$556 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Waunakee pays $1,375 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $556 a month from 2006–10, a 68% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 24.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the south.
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 Waunakee
Bachelor's degrees in Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.9% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.3% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.3% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.9% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Waunakee is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (59.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 14.0 points, in line with the national trend. Only nine 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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.0% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.6% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.5% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.9% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Waunakee: 97.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Waunakee 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 Waunakee
| Period | Waunakee | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Waunakee has been strong: just 1.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.4 points from 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).
Waunakee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waunakee | 2.63 | 42.3 | 9.8% | 23.5% | 4.7% | 1995 | $1,375 | 59.9% | 97.9% | 1.4% |
| Ashton Corners | 2.28 | 52.3 | 4.5% | 22.3% | 3.1% | 1990 | $1,313 | 58.5% | 95.8% | 3.5% |
| Norway Grove | 2.85 | 39.3 | 3.1% | 8.0% | 1.7% | 1985 | $1,200 | 46.5% | 97.4% | 2.2% |
| Springfield Corners | 2.62 | 48.2 | 3.7% | 10.6% | 3.0% | 1978 | $1,358 | 36.7% | 93.3% | 1.3% |
| Dane | 2.68 | 39.7 | 4.3% | 23.2% | 1.5% | 1975 | $1,002 | 28.4% | 96.8% | 1.2% |
| Maple Bluff | 2.43 | 45.2 | 5.1% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 1960 | $1,862 | 82.4% | 99.3% | 1.0% |
| Windsor | 2.51 | 39.0 | 11.5% | 28.0% | 10.1% | 1999 | $1,482 | 45.1% | 95.4% | 2.0% |
| Middleton | 2.27 | 41.3 | 8.3% | 45.2% | 4.9% | 1989 | $1,552 | 65.6% | 96.0% | 2.5% |
| DeForest | 2.61 | 41.7 | 11.0% | 19.5% | 5.1% | 1993 | $1,355 | 42.1% | 96.9% | 2.0% |
| Shorewood Hills | 2.37 | 37.4 | 4.6% | 45.7% | 4.0% | 1980 | $1,857 | 91.2% | 98.9% | 1.6% |
| Martinsville | 2.20 | 56.7 | 2.0% | 12.9% | 4.6% | 1977 | $1,474 | 43.5% | 99.0% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Clarksville, IN · Tinton Falls, NJ · Tehachapi, CA · Douglas, AZ · Deridder, LA · Cottage Lake, WA · Copiague, NY · Comerio, PR · Columbia City, IN · Colonia, NJ
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 Waunakee. 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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