Waunakee receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Verona
Waunakee
Opportunity
83 · Top 5%
vs83 · Top 4%
Growth
77 · Top 8%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
58 · Top 42%
vs91 · Top 3%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
87 · Top 1%
vs83 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Verona | Waunakee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,232 | 15,687 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,606 | $125,220 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,577 | $64,261 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,841/sq mi | 2,120/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $420,400 | $515,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,605 | $1,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 77.4% | 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 | 64.3% | 63.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.4% | 2.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 203 | 170 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 10.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 185.9% | 37.1% | 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 | 14 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.74 | 12.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.7% | 64.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.5% | 52.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.3% | 9.3% | 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.
Full profiles: Verona, WI · Waunakee, WI · How this is calculated: methodology