Dane County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Dane County, Wisconsin has a population of 572,674 across 1,197 square miles, up 4.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $62.81 bn in 2024, 14,765 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 720 7(a) approvals worth $324.4 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Dane County
How many people live in Dane County
- Population572,674
- Households251,529
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$89,975
- Median age35.7
- Median gross rent$1,398 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$394,800
- Home value to household income4.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher55.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree22.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over381,793
- Population under 18112,792
- Share under 1819.7 percent
- Population 65 and over86,269
- Share 65 and over15.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64373,613
- Civilian labor force332,250
- Unemployment rate2.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over72.2 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties2nd of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents124th
Dane County is the 2nd largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 4.4 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.7 percent against 15.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Dane County
Is Dane County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.78 percent
- Census 2020 base population561,491
- Births, 20245,570
- Deaths, 20243,887
- Natural change, 20241,683
- Net domestic migration, 2024976
- Net international migration, 20245,922
- Total net migration, 20246,898
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,182
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents561st
The county has grown 4.78 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Dane County
Where people moving to Dane County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving14,755
- People arriving, from those returns21,614
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.08 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$72,892
- Largest single originDane County Non-migrants (229,306 households)
- Largest single destination (229,306 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County Non-migrants | 229,306 | 435,867 | $26.91 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 3,718 | 5,725 | $274.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,290 | 2,009 | $91.5 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 1,169 | 1,768 | $78.9 m |
| Other flows - West | 695 | 1,131 | $57.8 m |
| Milwaukee County | 661 | 901 | $39.1 m |
| Cook County | 601 | 882 | $50.2 m |
| Rock County | 587 | 852 | $31.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Dane County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Dane County
What the Dane County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$62.81 bn
- County GDP, 2023$59.18 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.1 percent
- GDP change over five years34.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among Wisconsin counties2nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents95th
- GDP per resident$109,671
Output grew 6.1 percent in the latest year and 34.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Dane County
Who employs people in Dane County
- Covered employment, annual average359,249
- Establishments reporting18,084
- Average annual pay$74,481
- Average weekly wage$1,432
- Sector 62, employment42,450
- Sector 62, average annual pay$74,523
- Sector 44-45, employment29,993
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$38,610
- Sector 72, employment28,299
- Sector 72, average annual pay$24,526
- Sector 54, employment26,499
- Sector 54, average annual pay$104,014
- Sector 31-33, employment26,318
- Sector 51, employment19,267
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 42,450 | 2,855 | $74,523 |
| Sector 44-45 | 29,993 | 1,557 | $38,610 |
| Sector 72 | 28,299 | 1,430 | $24,526 |
| Sector 54 | 26,499 | 2,808 | $104,014 |
| Sector 31-33 | 26,318 | 560 | $77,670 |
| Sector 51 | 19,267 | 439 | $142,042 |
| Sector 23 | 17,752 | 1,312 | $83,346 |
| Sector 52 | 17,684 | 1,016 | $116,277 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 42,450 jobs, 11.8 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Dane County
What businesses operate in Dane County
- Establishments, all industries14,765
- Employment at those establishments314,435
- Annual payroll$22.38 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Dane County
What is being built in Dane County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20245,477
- Declared construction value permitted$1.16 bn
- Single family units authorised1,408
- Multifamily units authorised4,069
- Multifamily share of units74.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$211,456
- Units authorised per 1,000 households21.8
Multifamily is 74.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Dane County
How much SBA lending happens in Dane County
- 7(a) approvals recorded720
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$324.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$450,538
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,065,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)8,601
- Jobs per approval11.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active89
- Distinct industries receiving approvals217
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms60
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter608
- Franchise loans97
- Franchise share of approvals13.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (32)
- Most active lenderSummit CU (115)
- 504 approvals recorded362
- 504 gross approval dollars$362.1 m
- Average 504 approval$1,000,320
- Median 504 approval$648,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval9.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.5
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (341)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals66.5 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$686.5 m
The average approval of $450,538 sits well above the median of $200,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 8.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dane County
Do SBA loans in Dane County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded178
- Paid in full166
- Charged off12
- Charge off rate on resolved loans6.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full166
- Status: Exempt from disclosure402
- Status: Cancelled92
- Status: Charged off12
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed48
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 624410 | Child Day Care Services | 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Of the 178 loans that have reached a final outcome, 6.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, Child Day Care Services carries the highest charge off rate at 0.0 percent.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dane County
Which parts of Dane County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending30
- Madison, approvals342
- MIDDLETON, approvals53
- Sun Prairie, approvals53
- Waunakee, approvals43
- VERONA, approvals43
- Fitchburg, approvals22
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | 342 | $139,964,800 |
| MIDDLETON | 53 | $19,014,500 |
| Sun Prairie | 53 | $28,214,018 |
| Waunakee | 43 | $25,300,500 |
| VERONA | 43 | $11,367,700 |
| Fitchburg | 22 | $12,030,900 |
| Cottage Grove | 18 | $13,419,300 |
| Oregon | 18 | $12,021,000 |
Madison accounts for 342 approvals against 53 in MIDDLETON. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dane County
How big is Dane County
- Land area1,197 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties8th of 72
- Width, east to west41.9 mi
- Height, north to south30.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land478
- Establishments per square mile12.34
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Dane County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Dane County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population572,674
- Households251,529
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$89,975
- Median age35.7
Common questions
Dane County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Dane County, Wisconsin?
572,674, in 251,529 households, ranking 2nd of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Dane County growing?
The population has grown 4.78 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 5,570 births against 3,887 deaths, with net migration of 6,898. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Dane County?
$89,975. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $394,800, which is 4.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,398 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Dane County?
14,765 establishments, employing 314,435 people with an annual payroll of $22.38 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Dane County?
Average annual pay is $74,481, or $1,432 a week, across 359,249 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Dane County?
720 7(a) approvals totalling $324.4 m since FY2020, across 89 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 362 504 approvals worth $362.1 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Dane County get paid back?
Of the 178 loans that have reached a final outcome, 166 were paid in full and 12 charged off, a charge off rate of 6.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Dane County?
5,477 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.16 bn. Multifamily was 74.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Dane County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Dane County come from?
The largest single origin is Dane County Non-migrants, with 229,306 households. Arriving households report an average income of $72,892 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Dane County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Dane County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.