Black Earth, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53515

Dane County, Wisconsin — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

2,268
24/sq mi
$92,625
Median income
$361,300
Median home value
32.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Black Earth pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 24%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 25%
home value, US ZIPs
24
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53515 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53515 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 96.1 square miles in Black Earth, Dane County, Wisconsin. The area is home to 2,268 residents, producing a population density of 24 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 53515 against Wisconsin and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 53515 sits at $92,625 (19% above the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $50,527. The poverty rate stands at 4.5% and the unemployment rate at 4.5%. On housing, the median home value is $361,300 (45% above the state average) with median rent at $1,058 per month, and 85.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 53515 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 32.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.4, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Dane County, so you can benchmark 53515 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 53515

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53515.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 53515, Black Earth, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

2,268

Population

96.1

Area (sq mi)

24

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 53515?

47.4

Median Age

54.2%

Male

45.8%

Female

1.4%

Foreign-Born

White 93.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$92,625

Median Household Income

+19% vs state

$50,527

Per Capita Income

4.5%

Poverty Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

24.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53515 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$92,625 Top 24% higher than 76% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 71.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,101

Total Housing Units

1,047

Occupied Units

54

Vacant Units

2.50

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.7%
Renter 14.3%

$361,300

Median Home Value

+45% vs state

$1,058

Median Rent

1978

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.9%

YoY Change (2024)

229

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+129%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53515 have increased 9.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.8% 154
2021 +11.4% 172
2022 +8.3% 186
2023 +11.9% 209
2024 +9.9% 229

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 53 business establishments in ZIP 53515, employing approximately 412 people with a combined annual payroll of $16,348,000.

53

Businesses

412

Employees

$16.3M

Annual Payroll

9

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 11 20.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 17.0%
Retail trade 7 13.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 6 11.3%
Finance and insurance 4 7.5%
Information 3 5.7%
Health care and social assistance 3 5.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 5.7%
Other services (except public administration) 3 5.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 53515 vs 53560 →

ZIP 53515 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53515 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 53515 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 53515 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
53560 Mazomanie, WI 3,458 5.3 mi
53528 Cross Plains, WI 5,734 5.7 mi
53517 Blue Mounds, WI 1,752 6.9 mi
53583 Sauk City, WI 5,747 9.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Dane County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53515 in?
ZIP code 53515 (Black Earth) is located in Dane County, Wisconsin. Dane County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dane-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 53515?
ZIP code 53515 in Black Earth, WI has a population of 2,268 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53515?
The median household income in ZIP 53515 is $92,625, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53515?
The median home value in ZIP 53515 is $361,300, which is 30% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53515?
The largest racial group in ZIP 53515 is White at 93.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53515?
ZIP code 53515 has 53 business establishments employing approximately 412 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53515?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53515 are: Construction (11), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (9), Retail trade (7). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53515?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53515 increased by 9.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 129%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 53515?
In ZIP code 53515, 71.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 53515?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53515 is 24.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 53515?
In ZIP code 53515, approximately 85.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53515?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53515 is 4.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Black Earth, WI

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.