What it's like to live in Waunakee
Waunakee 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. Waunakee 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
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- High home prices
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 52" per year
How Waunakee compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Waunakee
Based on Waunakee's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,648
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,960 a year
- 36% of Waunakee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$103,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $51,590
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,324/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,324 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are steep, with a median around $515,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $515,900 · 36% 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▼ 69% below US
112 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 210/100k · Waunakee Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 15°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 77% above US
64% 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 and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 (56 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Waunakee'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 ($1,324/mo) equals 13% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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