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Living in
Sun Prairie.
About
Life in Sun Prairie
If you're considering Sun Prairie, you're looking at a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class suburb that's grown 9.4% recently—it's becoming denser, not staying static. The job market is stable with a 2.7% unemployment rate, though many residents do commute to Madison (average 22.6 minutes), so weigh whether that appeals to you. Housing costs around $366k for homes and $1,419 for rent are reasonable for the region, and the median household income of $90k-plus suggests a fairly affluent demographic.
Sun Prairie at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Foreign-Born
8.9%
Broadband Internet
93.7%
of households
Population Growth
+9.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Sun Prairie: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sun Prairie, the largest foreign-born group is from India (33.5%), and 4.0% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.
Under 18
25.5%
of residents
65 and Older
14.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.7%
of households
Married Couples
47.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.35
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 31% above WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Sun Prairie
In Sun Prairie, rent runs 31% above the WI average, and home values are 37% above the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,458
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $442,291 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below WI average
Unemployment in Sun Prairie and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Sun Prairie is 0.5 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 Sun Prairie 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
Commute22 min avg
How Sun Prairie residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sun Prairie, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 68 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 106 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 58% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sun Prairie runs 58% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
139.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,067.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sun Prairie 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 Sun Prairie, 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 Sun Prairie, 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, 15°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sun Prairie has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 15°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
59°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
30°/15°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.1"
Annual Snowfall
51.8"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
147
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
126
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 12°F | 1.47" |
| Feb | 31°F | 15°F | 1.52" |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.26" |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.78" |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.10" |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 5.28" |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.51" |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.16" |
| Sep | 73°F | 51°F | 3.43" |
| Oct | 60°F | 40°F | 2.77" |
| Nov | 45°F | 29°F | 2.22" |
| Dec | 32°F | 18°F | 1.63" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sun Prairie
Uninsured
1.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Sun Prairie's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mendota Mental Health Institute
Psychiatric · 8.7 mi away · Madison
Unitypoint Health - Meriter
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.6 mi away · Madison
Ssm Health St Mary's Hospital - Madison
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.9 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.
Education12.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sun Prairie
Sun Prairie's student/teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 50.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Sun Prairie (within 15 miles)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
11.3 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, 58 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sun Prairie
Sun Prairie has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ice Age National Scenic Trail (58 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
58 mi awayEffigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sun Prairie
Sun Prairie Public Library
1350 Linnerud Dr., Sun Prairie
Cities Near Sun Prairie
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sun Prairie?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sun Prairie FAQ
Is Sun Prairie, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Sun Prairie's median rent is $1,419/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $90,942/year. Median home value is $365,700.
Is Sun Prairie, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Sun Prairie's violent crime rate was 140 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 1067 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin?⌄
Sun Prairie has an unemployment rate of 2.7%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Sun Prairie is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,419/month and median household income is $90,942/year. The median home value is $365,700. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Sun Prairie is 22 minutes, which is about 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