Cambridge, WI · standard
ZIP Code 53523
Dane County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,949
- 39/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $102,188
- Median income Above-median income area
- $345,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 41.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cambridge pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 18%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 27%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 39
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53523 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 53523 (Cambridge, WI) rose +1.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 228.8 in 2023 to 231.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 53523 covers 125.6 square miles in Cambridge, Dane County, Wisconsin (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,949 residents on file, a density of 39 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 53523 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $102,188 (31% above the average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $53,297. The poverty rate is 8.8%, with unemployment at 5.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $345,300 (39% above the average Wisconsin ZIP), while 80.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,211.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 41.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Dane County, so 53523 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 53523
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cambridge, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53523.
- Construction
Construction
23 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
19 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
19 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
14 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
13 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 53523, Cambridge, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
4,949
Population
125.6
Area (sq mi)
39
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 53523?
48.6
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
2.3%
Foreign-Born
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?
$102,188
Median Household Income
+31% vs state ZIP avg
$53,297
Per Capita Income
8.8%
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
28.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 53523 ranks among Wisconsin ZIPs
Cambridge, WI household income vs. every Wisconsin ZIP code
Median household income among 755 reporting Wisconsin ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$102,188 Top 10% higher than 90% of 755 Wisconsin ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Wisconsin 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,370housing units
2,370
Total Housing Units
2,158
Occupied Units
212
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$345,300
Median Home Value
+39% vs state ZIP avg
$1,211
Median Rent
1976
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+1.1%
YoY Change (2024)
231
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+131%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 53523 have increased 1.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +131% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -1.4% | 163 |
| 2021 | +5.4% | 172 |
| 2022 | +22.0% | 209 |
| 2023 | +9.3% | 229 |
| 2024 | +1.1% | 231 |
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 139 business establishments in ZIP 53523, employing approximately 862 people with a combined annual payroll of $30,156,000.
139
Businesses
862
Employees
$30.2M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 23 | 16.6% |
| Retail trade | 19 | 13.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 19 | 13.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 14 | 10.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 13 | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 12 | 8.6% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 6 | 4.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 2.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 2.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 2.9% |
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 53523 vs 53531 →
ZIP 53523 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53534
Edgerton (53534)
11,512 residents
- 53551
Lake Mills (53551)
8,273 residents
- 53523
Cambridge (53523)
4,949 residents
- 53531 4,338
Deerfield (53531)
4,338 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53523 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53523 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53531
Deerfield (53531)
$105,000 median income
- 53523
Cambridge (53523)
$102,188 median income
- 53551
Lake Mills (53551)
$94,401 median income
- 53534
Edgerton (53534)
$89,045 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 53523 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 53523, both outside WI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,949 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Dane County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 53523 in?
ZIP code 53523 (Cambridge) 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 53523?
ZIP code 53523 in Cambridge, WI has a population of 4,949 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53523?
The median household income in ZIP 53523 is $102,188, which is 34% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53523?
The median home value in ZIP 53523 is $345,300, which is 24% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53523?
The largest racial group in ZIP 53523 is White at 93.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53523?
ZIP code 53523 has 139 business establishments employing approximately 862 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53523?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53523 are: Construction (23), Retail trade (19), Other services (except public administration) (19). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53523?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53523 increased by 1.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 131%. 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 53523?
In ZIP code 53523, 64.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 41.8% 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 53523?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53523 is 28.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 53523?
In ZIP code 53523, approximately 80.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53523?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53523 is 8.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 53523's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 53523 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cambridge, WI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.