The Town Files

Middleton, Wisconsin

Town in Dane County · population 6,792 (2020 Census)

Map: where Middleton is in WisconsinMiddleton
Median home
$689,400
Household income
$203,646
Jan low / Jul high
10° / 82°
Snow a year
39 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
25
Median age
42.9

Middleton is a town of 6,792 people in Dane County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $689,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more upscale than 100% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 95% of Wisconsin towns.

Middleton in our rankings:

How Middleton ranks

Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.

Middleton lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement95th pctFamilies70th pctQuiet14th pctWalkability24th pctFirst-time buyers48th pctYoung professionals98th pctVibrancy88th pctHip & trendy80th pctCollege town64th pctUpscale100th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling80th pctTransit49th pctDriving34th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Middleton is worth $689,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $203,646, which is more affordable than 37% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.

Middleton vs Dane County vs typical Wisconsin townMiddletonDane CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$689,400$394,800$256,000Household income$203,646$89,975$82,217Monthly rent$3,501$1,398$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingMiddletonTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$689,400$256,000
Median rent$3,501$951
Median household income$203,646$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.4×3.1×
Homeownership94.5%86.8%
Median year built19981978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.8%—

Who lives in Middleton

PeopleMiddletonTypical Wisconsin town
Median age42.945.1
Age 65 and over15.5%21.0%
Under 1831.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher72.7%23.8%
Below the poverty line6.1%7.2%
Veterans4.5%—
Born outside the U.S.6.8%—
Work from home22.7%10.9%
Average commute19.8 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband97.9%89.1%

Weather in Middleton

July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 9.6°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.

Middleton monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing27°10°Jan31°13°Feb43°24°Mar56°35°Apr68°47°May78°58°Jun82°62°Jul80°60°Aug73°52°Sep60°39°Oct45°27°Nov32°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.510.11.610.62.45.54.11.64.65.54.74.13.62.90.32.32.22.08.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Charmany Farm station (4.7 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Middleton since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 8.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Middleton by decade01950s41960s01970s41980s21990s32000s72010s52020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 139 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 13, 2006.

Severe weather in Dane County since 1996

Storm events in Dane County since 1996 by typeHail484Heat37Flood36Tornado45Dense Fog67Lightning54Heavy Rain33Flash Flood47
NOAA Storm Events Database, Dane County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 27 deaths recorded.

Dane County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
October 18, 2018FloodDR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides
April 5, 2011SnowstormDR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
June 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Dane County

Dane County had 359,249 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,481 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Middleton itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.

Largest industries in Dane CountyHealth care & social assistan…42,450 jobs · $74,523Retail29,993 jobs · $38,610Hotels & restaurants28,299 jobs · $24,526Professional & technical serv…26,499 jobs · $104,014Manufacturing26,318 jobs · $77,670Information19,267 jobs · $142,042
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Dane County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Dane 2.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Middleton

2 public schools with 701 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Pope Farm ElementaryPK-440313.4
Sunset Ridge ElementaryPK-429813.0

Towns near Middleton

Middleton questions

Is Middleton, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Middleton scores better for retirees than 95% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 14%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).

How much does a house cost in Middleton?

The median owner-occupied home in Middleton is valued at $689,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $203,646, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.

What is the weather like in Middleton?

July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 9.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 38.5 inches of snow.

Does Middleton get tornadoes?

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Middleton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 1984. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Middleton's Census boundary (GEOID 5502551600). Comparisons use the median of Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.