Sun Prairie, WI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Wisconsin·Sun Prairie

Dane County · Madison · population 39,253

Growing fast
Sun Prairie, WI
Image: Wikipedia · Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
73
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Sun Prairie stands

At or near all-time high. population growing 2.2% per year.

Median home $442,312
1-year +2.9%
5-yr CAGR +5.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +2.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$442k$225k$303k$382k$460k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,600/mo$1,174$1,435$1,696202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent126128100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 23.0
Lean rent

At a 23.0 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Sun Prairie. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
65 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
82 · w16%
Rent YoY
63 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
69 · w10%
Long thesis

Sun Prairie has been growing population at 2.2% per year while home values compounded +5.8% annually. Demand-driven appreciation — the kind that persists as long as people keep showing up, which they currently are.

Short thesis

Sun Prairie's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 39,253. It anchors the Madison metro area. The population has grown 2.2% per year on average between 2020 and 2024 — among the faster-growing communities in the state. The median home value in Sun Prairie is $442,312 as of 2026-04, up 2.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Sun Prairie average $1,600 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.7%). The composite momentum score is 73 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●People are voting with their feet: population growing 2.2% per year since 2020 — that’s faster than ~80% of US cities.
●Healthy 5-year run: +5.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.9% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Sun Prairie (Wikipedia)

Sun Prairie is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 35,967 at the 2020 census. It is the most populous suburb of Madison, the state capital, and is part of the Madison metropolitan area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Dane County right now.

NWS active alerts (WI)Wisconsin Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Dane County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Sun Prairie

Onalaska, WI72 · RisingWaunakee, WI74 · RisingHolmen, WI76 · RisingOregon, WI73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Sun Prairie

ToolCan I afford Sun Prairie?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Sun Prairie rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Sun Prairie to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolSun Prairie cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
27° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
188
~52% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
47″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Sun Prairie listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Madison area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$72,500
Wisconsin state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareDairy/Food

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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