Dane County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 561,504 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin, after Milwaukee County. The county seat is Madison, which is also the state capital.
Dane County is the fastest growing county in Wisconsin and contains nearly 10% of the state's population, up from about 5% in 1950. It forms the core of the Madison metropolitan area and is part of the broader Madison–Janesville–Beloit combined statistical area.
History Dane County was formed in 1836 as a territorial county and organized in 1839. It was named after Nathan Dane, a Massachusetts delegate to the Congress of the Confederation who helped carve Wisconsin out of the Northwest Territory."Early Wisconsin". The Milwaukee Journal, September 26, 1896. Dane County was settled in the 1840s by settlers from New England.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (3.3%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 39 Interstate 90 Interstate 94 U.S. Route 12 U.S. Route 14 U.S. Route 18 U.S. Route 51 U.S. Route 151 Highway 19 (Wisconsin) Highway 30 (Wisconsin) Highway 69 (Wisconsin) Highway 73 (Wisconsin) Highway 78 (Wisconsin) Highway 89 (Wisconsin) Highway 92 (Wisconsin) Highway 104 (Wisconsin) Highway 106 (Wisconsin) Highway 113 (Wisconsin) Highway 134 (Wisconsin) Highway 138 (Wisconsin) Highway 188 (Wisconsin)
Railroads Freight Canadian Pacific Wisconsin and Southern Railroad
Buses
Public Transit Metro Transit
Intercity Van Galder/Coach USA Wisconsin Coach Lines/Coach USA Greyhound Lines Flixbus Badger Bus Jefferson Lines Lamers Connect Megabus
Airports Commercial Dane County Regional Airport (MSN)
General Aviation Blackhawk Airfield (87Y) Middleton Municipal Airport (C29) Verona Airport (W19) Waunakee Airport (6P3)
Adjacent counties Columbia County (north) Dodge County (northeast) Green County (south) Iowa County (west) Jefferson County (east) Rock County (southeast) Sauk County (northwest)
Demographics
In 2017, there were 5,891 births, giving a general fertility rate of 51.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the eighth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. Of these, 73 of the births occurred at home, the fifth highest number of home births for Wisconsin counties. 428 of the births were to mothers who held doctorate or professional degrees, more than any other Wisconsin county. These accounted for 7.3% of total births for the county, a higher percent than any other Wisconsin county and more than Ozaukee County which had 5.8% of births to mothers who held doctorate or professional degrees and ranked second.
Racial and ethnic composition +Dane County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)309,134341,057372,597399,488426,72195.55%92.91%87.36%81.85%76.00%Black or African American alone (NH)5,64810,30316,82924,71729,7421.75%2.81%3.95%5.06%5.30%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)7391,1221,1981,3381,2750.23%0.31%0.28%0.27%0.23%Asian alone (NH)3,3108,54614,65122,90335,5921.02%2.33%3.43%4.69%6.34%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census122145214xx0.03%0.03%0.04%Other race alone (NH)1,4343135106282,1030.44%0.09%0.12%0.13%0.37%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census6,2329,92923,903xx1.46%2.03%4.26%Hispanic or Latino (any race)3,2805,74414,38728,92541,9541.01%1.56%3.37%5.93%7.47%Total323,545367,085426,526488,073561,504 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 561,504. The population density was . There were 248,795 housing units at an average density of .
There were 238,417 households in the county, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.2% were married-couple households, 21.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 35.7 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.9 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 77.6% White, 5.4% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.2% from some other race, and 6.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.5% of the population.
86.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 13.6% lived in rural areas. Among the 248,795 housing units, 4.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 56.3% were owner-occupied and 43.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%.
2010 census At the 2010 census there were 488,073 people, 203,750 households, and 116,752 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 216,022 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 84.7% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 5.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 203,750 households 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 30.5% of households were one person and 7.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.95.
The age distribution was 21.7% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% 65 or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.
2000 census At the 2000 census there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.96% White, 4.00% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 3.45% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 3.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.4% were of German, 11.5% Norwegian, 8.9% Irish and 6.0% English ancestry. Of the 173,484 households 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.10% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.90% were non-families. 29.40% of households were one person and 7.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 22.60% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 32.50% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 9.30% 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.
Religion In 2010, the largest religious groups in Dane County by number of adherents were Catholic at 106,036 adherents, ELCA Lutheran at 48,620 adherents, United Methodist at 9,753 adherents, non-denominational Christian at 7,448 adherents, Evangelical Free at 6,075 adherents, United Church of Christ at 5,035 adherents, Wisconsin Synod Lutheran at 4,214 adherents, Missouri Synod Lutheran at 3,921 adherents, American Baptist at 3,755 adherents, and PC-USA Presbyterian at 3,664 adherents.thearda.com County Membership Report: Dane County (Wisconsin)
Government Dane County is governed by a county executive and a county board of supervisors. The county executive is elected in a countywide vote. The county executive is Melissa Agard. The board of supervisors consists of 37 members, each elected from single member districts. As the policy-making body of the county government, the board of supervisors enacts county ordinances, levies taxes, and appropriates money for services.
Economy Dane County's recent growth has been driven by new job opportunities in healthcare and technology fields.
Politics
Like most other counties anchored by an urban population center and a large public university, Dane County is solidly Democratic, with a long history in the progressive movement. It has backed the Democratic presidential nominee in every election since 1932 with the exception of the two nationwide landslide victories of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, and even then, Eisenhower's margin of victory was under 3% both times. Since then, Republicans have only crossed the 35% mark six times. Within Wisconsin, only the predominantly Native American county of Menominee is more reliably Democratic.
In state elections, the county is no less Democratic. The last Republicans the county supported at state level were Governor Tommy Thompson and Treasurer Jack Voight in 1994. The last Republican Senator to carry the county was Alexander Wiley in 1956 by less than one percent, 10 years earlier the county was the only one in the state to not vote for Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy. In the three-party era of 1930s-1940s, the county backed Wisconsin Progressive Party - National Progressives candidates, such as the La Follette brothers, Orland Steen Loomis and Herman Ekern.
County executives George Reinke, 1973–1981 Jonathan B. Barry, 1981–1988 Richard J. Phelps, 1988–1997 Kathleen Falk, April 21, 1997 – April 18, 2011 Joe Parisi, April 18, 2011 – May 3, 2024 Patrick Miles (acting), May 3, 2024 – May 17, 2024 Jamie Kuhn (interim), May 17, 2024 – November 13, 2024 Melissa Agard, November 13, 2024 – present
Recreation
County parks
Anderson Farm County Park Babcock County Park Badger Prairie County Park Brigham County Park CamRock County Park Donald County Park Festge County Park Fish Camp County Park Fish Lake County Park Goodland County Park Indian Lake County Park Jenni & Kyle Preserve La Follette County Park Lake View Hill Park Lussier County Park McCarthy Youth & Conservation County Park Mendota County Park Prairie Moraine County Park Salmo Pond County Park SIlverwood County Park Stewart Lake County Park Token Creek County Park Viking County Park Walking Iron County Park William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park Yahara Heights County Park
Communities
Cities Cities are incorporated, generally have a mayor (or a administrator/manager), an elected council, and generally provide more services than smaller administrative divisions.
Edgerton (mostly in Rock County) Fitchburg Madison (county seat) Middleton Monona Stoughton Sun Prairie (city) Verona
Villages Villages are incorporated, are governed by a Village President and Board of Trustees, and provide residential services.
Belleville (partly in Green County) Black Earth Blue Mounds Brooklyn (partly in Green County) Cambridge (partly in Jefferson County) Cottage Grove Cross Plains Dane Deerfield DeForest Maple Bluff Marshall Mazomanie McFarland Mount Horeb Oregon Rockdale Shorewood Hills Waunakee Windsor
Towns Towns may have the same name as a city or village associated with it, but it is a separate municipality. Towns are not incorporated, are governed by a town board, and only provide limited services to residents.
Albion Berry Black Earth (town) Blooming Grove Blue Mounds (town) Bristol Burke Christiana Cottage Grove (town) Cross Plains Dane