Middleton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Middleton
Sun Prairie
Opportunity
80 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs87 · Top 39%
Schools
84 · Top 8%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Middleton | Sun Prairie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,301 | 37,570 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,524 | $90,942 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,443 | $47,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,372/sq mi | 2,869/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $484,200 | $365,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,437 | $1,419 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.7% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.7% | 50.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 433 | 93 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 19.4 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | -40.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 37.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.78 | 12.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.7% | 42.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.6% | 36.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.8% | 33.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
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Middleton
79
Your Score
79
Area Score
Sun Prairie
76
Your Score
75
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Middleton, WI · Sun Prairie, WI · How this is calculated: methodology