County profile · Wisconsin
Dane County, WI market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Dane County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 590,375
- +4.9% since 2020
- Households
- 251,529
- Median household income
- $89,975
- +21.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $394,800
- Jobs located here
- 369,475
- Highest market score
- 91
- Urgent care and walk-in clinics, #1 of 325 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Dane County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Dane County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 590,375 people live in Dane County, in 251,529 households. Population estimates show Dane County grew 4.9% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Dane County is $89,975 a year, 11% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 21.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Dane County spend the most on medical and dental services (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on vehicle insurance (74).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Dane County are for urgent care and walk-in clinics (91), convenience stores (90) and grocery and convenience stores (86). Dane County ranks #1 of 325 scored counties for urgent care and walk-in clinics.
Dane County is part of the Madison metro area. For its number of households, Dane County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for landscaping and lawn care companies (44% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for tire shops (50% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Dane County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Dane County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 91 | #1 of 325 | 5 | 0.2 | $78.8M | 321 | 6 |
| Convenience stores | 90 | #35 of 2,261 | 149 | 5.9 | $10.9M | 138 | 11 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 86 | #93 of 2,402 | 385 | 15.3 | $4.2M | 124 | 94 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 84 | #34 of 1,707 | 121 | 4.8 | $6.3M | 132 | 128 |
| Tire shops | 83 | #58 of 1,530 | 47 | 1.9 | $5.3M | 210 | 19 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 81 | #60 of 1,327 | 47 | 1.9 | $5.3M | 171 | 41 |
| Laundromats | 81 | #61 of 785 | 35 | 1.4 | $15.9M | 127 | 6 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 81 | #87 of 1,656 | 171 | 6.8 | $2.3M | 129 | 158 |
| Grocery stores | 81 | #172 of 2,070 | 130 | 5.2 | $12.5M | 134 | 83 |
| Dry cleaners | 80 | #20 of 507 | 24 | 1.0 | $23.1M | 148 | 12 |
| Car washes and detailing | 78 | #77 of 1,451 | 73 | 2.9 | $3.4M | 135 | 25 |
| Pizza | 77 | #140 of 2,090 | 179 | 7.1 | $6.1M | 121 | 431 |
| Auto repair and car care | 77 | #186 of 2,401 | 663 | 26.4 | $373K | 139 | 254 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 76 | #211 of 2,222 | 295 | 11.7 | $3.7M | 122 | 431 |
| Home repair trades | 75 | #108 of 2,057 | 280 | 11.1 | $2.7M | 112 | 305 |
| Auto repair shops | 75 | #214 of 2,378 | 412 | 16.4 | $601K | 135 | 187 |
| Gas stations | 73 | #316 of 2,358 | 161 | 6.4 | $3.8M | 158 | 161 |
| Pest control | 71 | #85 of 699 | 29 | 1.2 | $11.8M | 116 | 19 |
| Nail salons | 71 | #139 of 1,328 | 143 | 5.7 | $1.9M | 116 | 37 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 71 | #252 of 1,886 | 273 | 10.9 | $1.4M | 147 | 182 |
| Electricians | 70 | #168 of 1,160 | 65 | 2.6 | $11.7M | 97 | 133 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 70 | #207 of 1,302 | 129 | 5.1 | $3.1M | 97 | 38 |
| Barbershops | 70 | #220 of 1,356 | 78 | 3.1 | $3.6M | 188 | 25 |
| Physical therapy | 69 | #250 of 1,422 | 145 | 5.8 | $2.7M | 113 | 94 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 69 | #295 of 1,889 | 191 | 7.6 | $5.8M | 139 | 173 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 69 | #411 of 2,087 | 304 | 12.1 | $1.8M | 144 | 160 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 67 | #463 of 2,210 | 448 | 17.8 | $1.2M | 141 | 178 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 67 | #464 of 2,405 | 1,298 | 51.6 | $848K | 128 | 481 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 67 | #492 of 2,405 | 2,496 | 99.2 | $441K | 119 | 1,070 |
| Roofing and gutters | 66 | #233 of 1,177 | 94 | 3.7 | $8.1M | 95 | 44 |
| Funeral homes | 65 | #350 of 1,472 | 31 | 1.2 | $897K | 132 | 24 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 64 | #195 of 887 | 88 | 3.5 | Index only | 112 | 22 |
| Home inspectors | 63 | #103 of 415 | 16 | 0.6 | Index only | 91 | 11 |
| Pet stores | 62 | #288 of 974 | 53 | 2.1 | $4.6M | 101 | 26 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 62 | #422 of 1,461 | 96 | 3.8 | $2.5M | 99 | 76 |
| Pet businesses | 60 | #660 of 2,200 | 293 | 11.6 | $827K | 94 | 206 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 59 | #167 of 479 | 20 | 0.8 | $12.4M | 90 | 18 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 58 | #705 of 2,063 | 300 | 11.9 | $3.7M | 99 | 155 |
| Gyms | 56 | #688 of 1,792 | 220 | 8.7 | $1.3M | 97 | 149 |
| Spas and skin care | 55 | #710 of 1,769 | 282 | 11.2 | $982K | 112 | 72 |
| Chiropractors | 54 | #637 of 1,490 | 191 | 7.6 | $2.1M | 86 | 120 |
| Veterinarians | 54 | #645 of 1,485 | 115 | 4.6 | $2.1M | 77 | 104 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 53 | #1,066 of 2,394 | 2,890 | 114.9 | $136K | 89 | 598 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 51 | #642 of 1,334 | 150 | 6.0 | $1.9M | 92 | 132 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 51 | #1,012 of 2,088 | 443 | 17.6 | $627K | 95 | 281 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 50 | #716 of 1,493 | 174 | 6.9 | $2M | 67 | 241 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 50 | #1,185 of 2,385 | 1,239 | 49.3 | $224K | 105 | 338 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 49 | #400 of 777 | 73 | 2.9 | $3.8M | 94 | 149 |
| Child care and preschools | 49 | #853 of 1,611 | 165 | 6.6 | $779K | 78 | 202 |
| Hair salons | 49 | #1,251 of 2,339 | 711 | 28.3 | $390K | 91 | 198 |
| House cleaning | 46 | #497 of 847 | 62 | 2.5 | $5.5M | 87 | 183 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 46 | #1,023 of 1,771 | 265 | 10.5 | $1.3M | 77 | 443 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 41 | #1,536 of 2,176 | 715 | 28.4 | Index only | 99 | 332 |
| Real estate | 40 | #1,632 of 2,229 | 926 | 36.8 | Index only | 96 | 588 |
| Property management | 36 | #688 of 910 | 107 | 4.3 | Index only | 65 | 178 |
| Insurance agencies | 35 | #1,661 of 2,272 | 370 | 14.7 | $989K | 79 | 234 |
Household spending in Dane County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $247.4M | $984 | 103 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $608M | $2,417 | 93 |
| Food away from home | $1.1B | $4,376 | 108 |
| Groceries | $1.6B | $6,448 | 102 |
| Personal care products and services | $277M | $1,101 | 110 |
| Child care and other personal services | $128.6M | $511 | 88 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $277.9M | $1,105 | 112 |
| Medical and dental services | $393.8M | $1,566 | 122 |
| Pets | $242.3M | $963 | 106 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $555.3M | $2,208 | 107 |
| Vehicle insurance | $365.7M | $1,454 | 74 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $758.8M | $3,017 | 100 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $343.2M | $1,364 | 96 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $3.8B | $15,268 | 92 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Dane County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 590,375+4.9% since 2020
- Households
- 251,529
- Median age
- 38.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 57%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 1,197 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 479
- Median household income
- $89,975+21.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $119,712
- Median home value
- $394,800
- Jobs located here
- 369,475
- Daytime population
- 644,560Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Dane County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Dane County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Wisconsin 8
- Columbia County, WI58,272 people
- Green County, WI37,017 people
- Jefferson County, WI86,003 people
- Rock County, WI164,350 people
- Sauk County, WI66,009 people
- Iowa County, WI23,867 people
- Dodge County, WI88,742 people
- Lafayette County, WI16,942 people
Questions
How fast is Dane County, WI growing?
Population estimates put Dane County at 590,375 people in 2025, up 4.9% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 251,529 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 21.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in Dane County, WI spend?
Households in Dane County spend about $3.8B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.6B on groceries and $1.1B on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Dane County runs highest on medical and dental services (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on vehicle insurance (74).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Dane County, WI?
Of the business types scored in Dane County, urgent care and walk-in clinics (91), convenience stores (90) and grocery and convenience stores (86) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For urgent care and walk-in clinics, that ranks #1 of 325 scored counties.
How does Dane County, WI compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Dane County is $89,975, 11% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 4.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $394,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for landscaping and lawn care companies (44% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for tire shops (50% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in Dane County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Dane County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Dane County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Dane County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.