Waunakee, WI

Census place 5584350 · pop 15,687

C69/ 100
👍 Solid
B
in WI
📍 Wisconsin ranks #7 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.2% · top 1%
🚽 Cost$515,900 · bottom 18%
Taxes
1.53% property · US 0.99%5.72% sales · US 7.00%up to 7.65% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$515,90018

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$515,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Property-tax burden1.53%25

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.53% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Rent$1,959/mo37

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,959/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level91/10046

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

91/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level42 AQI57

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

42 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity33.1%61

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Commute time22 min62

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Income inequality0.4172

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking9.9%80

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Homeownership77.4%82

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

77.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Physical inactivity19.2%82

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

19.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+14.3%88

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+14.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Median household income$125,22089

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$125,220 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poor mental health13.7%89

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

13.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Uninsured adults5.2%92

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Broadband access96.8%92

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

96.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Bachelor's degree or higher63.8%93

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

63.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate2.8%97

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

2.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.2%99

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Waunakee: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Waunakee, WI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Waunakee scores 69/100 — a C (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is housing cost. Wisconsin overall ranks #7 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Waunakee, WI expensive to live in?
Waunakee has a median home value of $515,900 and typical rent around $1,959/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Waunakee, WI?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($515,900) — 18/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Waunakee, WI best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.2%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.