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METRO AREA

Madison Metro

Madison, WI · 4 counties · 709,685 residents (2025 est.) · 3,309 sq mi
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The short version

With 691,830 people, Madison is a metro area. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. This is an unusually credentialed place: 50% of adults have a four-year degree. The population is up 29% since 2000. 8% of residents were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 21 minutes on average.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
50% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
691,830
+29%since 2000
from 535,421 in 2000
709,685 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
209 / sq mi
+29%since 2000
from 162 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
37.1
+9%since 2000
from 34.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
3,309 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
440K508K577K646K715K19902000201020202024Madison
2024692K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(34,881)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.4%(37,321)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.9%(40,845)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.8%(46,873)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.3%(64,181)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.8%(102,107)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.7%(94,679)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(79,392)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.8%(81,337)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.7%(67,292)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.4%(30,758)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(12,164)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$88,936
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,153 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$51,478
+114%since 2000
from $24,099 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
57.2%
+20.0 ptssince 2009
from 37.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.445
+3%since 2010
from 0.430 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services6.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance3.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$373,185
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $139,112 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,319
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $611 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
60.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 61.1% in 2000
39.5% rent
Vacancy rate
4.4%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.23 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.1%
−10.7 ptssince 2009
from 29.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
43.4%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.2
+15%since 2009
from 3.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
62
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(478,359)
Black3.2%(17,380)
Hispanic / Latino2.9%(15,616)
Asian2.8%(14,999)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic78.4%(542,658)
Black4.5%(30,830)
Hispanic / Latino7.1%(49,241)
Asian5.2%(35,927)
Other4.8%(33,174)
Diversity Score
46
+53%since 2009
from 30 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
33
−5%since 2020
from 35 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.3%(29,418)
South American0.9%(6,292)
Puerto Rican0.6%(4,268)
Central American0.5%(3,561)
Colombian0.4%(2,446)
Spaniard0.2%(1,626)
Nicaraguan0.2%(1,412)
Cuban0.2%(1,272)
Venezuelan0.2%(1,216)
Ecuadorian0.1%(792)
Guatemalan0.1%(623)
Honduran0.1%(599)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Uruguayan0.1%(547)
Argentine0.1%(533)
Dominican0.1%(376)
Salvadoran0.1%(371)
Peruvian0.1%(366)
Chilean0.1%(329)
Panamanian0%(268)
Bolivian0%(44)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.5%(10,145)
Chinese1.5%(9,983)
Hmong0.7%(4,540)
Korean0.3%(2,058)
Filipino0.2%(1,693)
Vietnamese0.2%(1,169)
Laotian0.2%(1,016)
Japanese0.1%(702)
Taiwanese0.1%(608)
Pakistani0.1%(579)
Cambodian0.1%(494)
Thai0.1%(473)
+ 11 more asian origin groups with data
Bangladeshi0.1%(359)
Indonesian0%(184)
Nepalese0%(184)
Malaysian0%(124)
Kazakh0%(95)
Burmese0%(79)
Bhutanese0%(42)
Mongolian0%(35)
Okinawan0%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(240)
Chamorro0%(122)
Ancestry
German33.5%(231,882)
Irish12.9%(89,558)
English10.1%(69,786)
Norwegian8.7%(60,263)
Polish4.8%(33,514)
Italian3.6%(24,876)
American2.6%(17,792)
Swiss2.2%(15,465)
French2.2%(15,161)
Swedish2%(13,701)
Scottish1.7%(11,990)
Dutch1.7%(11,644)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.1%(7,374)
Danish0.7%(4,823)
Welsh0.7%(4,676)
Russian0.7%(4,503)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(3,338)
British0.5%(3,150)
French Canadian0.4%(3,101)
Finnish0.3%(2,392)
Arab0.4%(2,360)
Hungarian0.3%(2,334)
Lithuanian0.3%(2,029)
Greek0.3%(1,954)
Austrian0.3%(1,849)
Ukrainian0.3%(1,825)
Belgian0.3%(1,818)
Brazilian0.2%(1,186)
Croatian0.2%(1,100)
Slovak0.2%(1,061)
Somali0.2%(1,039)
West Indian0.1%(1,004)
Portuguese0.1%(945)
Romanian0.1%(907)
Canadian0.1%(819)
Iranian0.1%(710)
Lebanese0.1%(589)
Turkish0.1%(571)
Egyptian0.1%(555)
Nigerian0.1%(514)
Jamaican0.1%(512)
Slovene0.1%(462)
Serbian0.1%(440)
Armenian0%(317)
Kenyan0.1%(310)
Latvian0%(305)
Ethiopian0%(221)
Haitian0%(218)
Bulgarian0%(207)
Israeli0%(170)
Australian0%(169)
Jordanian0%(83)
Ghanaian0%(80)
Guyanese0%(73)
Syrian0%(72)
Iraqi0%(59)
Moroccan0%(37)
Barbadian0%(26)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
50.4%
+14.6 ptssince 2000
from 35.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.1%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 90.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
19.8%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 13.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.5 min
+63%since 2000
from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
66.1%
−8.2 ptssince 2009
from 74.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.8%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
18.7%
+14.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.5%
−2.9 ptssince 2011
from 5.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
69.7%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 73.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
81.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 83.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
53.1%
+10.5 ptssince 2009
from 42.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.2%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
49.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
7.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.8%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2012
from 9.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
3.7%
−3.3 ptssince 2013
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.1%
+8.3 ptssince 2017
from 83.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.7%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 94.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
83.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 82.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
89.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 89.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 4.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40.8%(117,982)
Married49.4%(142,737)
Widowed2%(5,681)
Divorced7.8%(22,461)
Women 15+
Never married35.2%(102,190)
Married47.9%(138,877)
Widowed6.2%(17,852)
Divorced10.7%(31,003)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
3.7%
−3.3 ptssince 2013
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
70.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 71.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
12.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 11.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
82.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 25.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)21.7%(5,731)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.4%(4,858)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35.2%(9,303)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(1,467)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(417)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 26,413 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro

Largest cities

MadisonCENTRAL286,233Sun Prairie39,227Fitchburg34,615Middleton23,115Verona16,821Waunakee16,411Stoughton13,256DeForest13,094Oregon12,015Monroe10,581Windsor10,085Portage9,956McFarland9,145Cottage Grove8,930Monona8,664Mount Horeb7,725Edgerton6,121Columbus5,400Lake Wisconsin5,384Dodgeville5,076Cross Plains4,182Marshall3,696Brodhead3,214Lodi3,190Poynette2,924Belleville2,705Deerfield2,619Mineral Point2,555New Glarus2,266Pardeeville2,248

The 30 most populous of 63 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

4 component counties

Dane CountyCENTRAL590,375Columbia County58,132Green County37,227Iowa County23,951
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Madison

Des Moines
Pop 758,539
Colorado Springs
Pop 781,796
Kiryas Joel
Pop 718,377
New Haven
Pop 578,741
Places similar to Madison
Head to head

Compare Madison side by side

MADISON VS
Des Moines
Income$86,618−3%
Home value$270,939−27%
Population758,539+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MADISON VS
Colorado Springs
Income$90,201+1%
Home value$461,611+24%
Population781,796+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MADISON VS
Kiryas Joel
Income$98,151+10%
Home value$393,273+5%
Population718,377+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MADISON VS
New Haven
Income$88,197−1%
Home value$353,100−5%
Population578,741−18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Madison, WI?

Madison, WI has about 691,830 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Madison, WI?

The typical household in Madison, WI earns about $88,936 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Madison, WI expensive?

In Madison, WI, the median home is worth about $373,185, and the typical rent is about $1,319 a month.

How educated are people in Madison, WI?

About 50.4% of adults age 25 and over in Madison, WI hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Madison, WI?

About 10.1% of people in Madison, WI live below the federal poverty line.

Has Madison, WI grown since 1990?

Yes, Madison, WI has grown since 1990. The population has added about 229,168 residents, a change of about 50 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Madison, WI: population, income & housing data · CensusEasy