What it's like to live in Middleton
Middleton is a small city in Wisconsin with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Middleton deals with home prices well above the national average, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- High home prices
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
How Middleton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Middleton
Based on Middleton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,874
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,480 a year
- 38% of Middleton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$96,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,420
- Homes cost 5.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,437/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,437 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $484,200. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $484,200 · 38% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Dane County is 2.6%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Dane County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 67% below US
110 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 890/100k · Middleton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 26% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 13°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 71% above US
62% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ice Age National Scenic Trail (61 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Middleton's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,437/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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