Waunakee, WI · standard
ZIP Code 53597
Dane County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 16,844
- 126/sq mi High-density area
- $117,000
- Median income Above-median income area
- $493,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 58.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Waunakee pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 11%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 13%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 126
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53597 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 53597 (Waunakee, WI) rose +7.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 223.0 in 2023 to 240.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 53597 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waunakee, Dane County, Wisconsin, home to 16,844 residents across 134.2 square miles, a density of 126 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 53597 skews affluent, with a median household income of $117,000 (50% above the average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $64,751. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 3.4% and unemployment is 1.3%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $493,200 (98% above the average Wisconsin ZIP), while 75.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,376.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 58.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.3, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Dane County, so 53597 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 53597
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waunakee, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53597.
- Construction
Construction
78 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
74 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
63 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
46 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
46 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 53597, Waunakee, 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
16,844
Population
134.2
Area (sq mi)
126
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 53597?
42.3
Median Age
50.1%
Male
49.9%
Female
5.4%
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?
$117,000
Median Household Income
+50% vs state ZIP avg
$64,751
Per Capita Income
3.4%
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Unemployment Rate
21.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 53597 ranks among Wisconsin ZIPs
Waunakee, 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)
$117,000 Top 3% higher than 97% 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
8,744housing units
8,744
Total Housing Units
8,460
Occupied Units
284
Vacant Units
2.52
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$493,200
Median Home Value
+98% vs state ZIP avg
$1,376
Median Rent
1996
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
+7.7%
YoY Change (2024)
240
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+140%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 53597 have increased 7.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +140% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.8% | 167 |
| 2021 | +8.1% | 181 |
| 2022 | +14.2% | 206 |
| 2023 | +8.2% | 223 |
| 2024 | +7.7% | 240 |
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 553 business establishments in ZIP 53597, employing approximately 6,178 people with a combined annual payroll of $380,779,000.
553
Businesses
6,178
Employees
$380.8M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 78 | 14.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 74 | 13.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 63 | 11.4% |
| Retail trade | 46 | 8.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 46 | 8.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 46 | 8.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 37 | 6.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 31 | 5.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 28 | 5.1% |
| Manufacturing | 26 | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 3.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 17 | 3.1% |
| Information | 16 | 2.9% |
| Educational services | 16 | 2.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 1.6% |
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 53597 vs 53705 →
ZIP 53597 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53704
Madison (53704)
44,034 residents
- 53562
Middleton (53562)
23,627 residents
- 53705
Madison (53705)
23,494 residents
- 53597 16,844
Waunakee (53597)
16,844 residents
- 53715 12,136
Madison (53715)
12,136 residents
- 53717 11,962
Madison (53717)
11,962 residents
- 53726 5,177
Madison (53726)
5,177 residents
- 53706 5,133
Madison (53706)
5,133 residents
- 53598 2,511
Windsor (53598)
2,511 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53597 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53597 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53597
Waunakee (53597)
$117,000 median income
- 53529
Dane (53529)
$107,560 median income
- 53598
Windsor (53598)
$106,476 median income
- 53562
Middleton (53562)
$101,381 median income
- 53717
Madison (53717)
$98,180 median income
- 53705
Madison (53705)
$88,549 median income
- 53704
Madison (53704)
$74,034 median income
- 53726
Madison (53726)
$47,754 median income
- 53715 $38,996
Madison (53715)
$38,996 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 53597 ranks the highest of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53705 | Madison, WI | 23,494 | 7.5 mi |
| 53529 | Dane, WI | 2,031 | 5.0 mi |
| 53792 | Madison, WI | 0 | 7.4 mi |
| 53598 | Windsor, WI | 2,511 | 6.2 mi |
| 53726 | Madison, WI | 5,177 | 8.0 mi |
| 53562 | Middleton, WI | 23,627 | 6.3 mi |
| 53706 | Madison, WI | 5,133 | 7.8 mi |
| 53704 | Madison, WI | 44,034 | 6.4 mi |
| 53717 | Madison, WI | 11,962 | 8.1 mi |
| 53715 | Madison, WI | 12,136 | 9.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 53597, 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 (16,844 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 53597 in?
ZIP code 53597 (Waunakee) 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 53597?
ZIP code 53597 in Waunakee, WI has a population of 16,844 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53597?
The median household income in ZIP 53597 is $117,000, which is 53% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53597?
The median home value in ZIP 53597 is $493,200, which is 77% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53597?
The largest racial group in ZIP 53597 is White at 87.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53597?
ZIP code 53597 has 553 business establishments employing approximately 6,178 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53597?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53597 are: Construction (78), Professional, scientific, and technical services (74), Health care and social assistance (63). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53597?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53597 increased by 7.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 140%. 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 53597?
In ZIP code 53597, 74.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 58.7% 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 53597?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53597 is 21.7 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 53597?
In ZIP code 53597, approximately 75.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53597?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53597 is 3.4% 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 53597's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 53597 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Waunakee, WI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.