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Living in
Fitchburg.
About
Life in Fitchburg
Your commute to downtown Madison averages just over 20 minutes, and Metro Transit offers multiple routes plus a Bus Rapid Transit system coming by 2027, so you have actual alternatives to driving. Housing is notably expensive for the region, with median home prices at $417,200 and rent around $1,373 per month, so this isn't a budget suburb—you're paying for proximity and stability. The job market is tight with 2.4% unemployment, and with 57% of residents holding college degrees, you're in an educated, professional community with reasonable diversity: nearly a quarter of residents are people of color.
Fitchburg at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Foreign-Born
13.8%
Broadband Internet
95.9%
of households
Population Growth
+11.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fitchburg: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fitchburg, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (23.1%), and 10.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.6%
of residents
65 and Older
15.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.9%
of households
Married Couples
37.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.02
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 26% above WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Fitchburg
In Fitchburg, rent runs 26% above the WI average, and home values are 57% above the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,187
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $503,818 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts below WI average
Unemployment in Fitchburg and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Fitchburg is 1 percentage points lower than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Fitchburg Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Madison, WI metro area
Commute18.9 min avg
How Fitchburg residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fitchburg, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 77 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 104 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fitchburg runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
150.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
909.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fitchburg Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Dane County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Dane County, which includes Fitchburg, the most common type is winter weather, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Winter Weather | $40,000 |
| 2024 | 34 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.3M |
| 2023 | 18 | Winter Storm | $144,000 |
| 2022 | 33 | Winter Weather | $388,000 |
| 2021 | 22 | Winter Weather | $32,000 |
| 2020 | 19 | Winter Weather | $40,500 |
| 2019 | 33 | Winter Weather | $204,500 |
| 2018 | 29 | Winter Weather | $37.9M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Dane County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Dane County, which includes Fitchburg, is typically good — 246 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
246
per year
Moderate Days
113
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Dane County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fitchburg has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
31°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.2"
Annual Snowfall
38.5"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
157
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 11°F | 1.67" |
| Feb | 32°F | 14°F | 1.71" |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.34" |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 4.22" |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.55" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.74" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.70" |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 4.08" |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.92" |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 2.99" |
| Nov | 46°F | 29°F | 2.34" |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 1.92" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fitchburg
Uninsured
6.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Fitchburg's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Ssm Health St Mary's Hospital - Madison
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Madison
Unitypoint Health - Meriter
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Madison
Madison VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Madison
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fitchburg
Fitchburg's student/teacher ratio is 10.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 57.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
57.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Fitchburg (within 15 miles)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
6.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 36,902 students · in-state tuition $12,166 · 90% graduate · median earnings $80,330 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,107 students · in-state tuition $37,120 · 64% graduate · median earnings $64,869 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 70 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fitchburg
Fitchburg has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ice Age National Scenic Trail (70 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
70 mi awayEffigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fitchburg
Fitchburg Public Library
5530 Lacy Rd., Fitchburg
Cities Near Fitchburg
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fitchburg?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fitchburg FAQ
Is Fitchburg, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Fitchburg's median rent is $1,373/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $86,516/year. Median home value is $417,200.
Is Fitchburg, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Fitchburg's violent crime rate was 151 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 910 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fitchburg, Wisconsin?⌄
Fitchburg has an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fitchburg, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Fitchburg is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,373/month and median household income is $86,516/year. The median home value is $417,200. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fitchburg, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Fitchburg is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from