Integrity Homes · Market Reports
Dane County, Wisconsin Housing Market
Dane County covers Madison and the surrounding communities, and the six markets we track most closely each behave differently enough that the county average alone will not tell you what to do.
October 2026 Report · Based on September 2026 Closings
Created: December 1, 2025 | Last updated: October 1, 2026
The Dane County Market at a Glance
October 2026 snapshot: Dane County's median sale price is $474,900, homes sell in about 11 days, and inventory is 2.48 months (Strong Seller's Market).
| Community | Median | YoY | Median DOM | Supply | Market | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Prairie | $455,000 | +4.6% | 12 days | 1.87 mo | Extreme Seller's Market | View |
| Verona | $590,000 | +34.7% | 13 days | 1.94 mo | Extreme Seller's Market | View |
| Madison | $430,000 | +3.6% | 10 days | 2.31 mo | Strong Seller's Market | View |
| Waunakee | $590,000 | +13.5% | 10 days | 2.36 mo | Strong Seller's Market | View |
| DeForest | $469,900 | -3.5% | 26 days | 2.42 mo | Strong Seller's Market | View |
| Middleton | $590,000 | -3.8% | 21 days | 2.87 mo | Strong Seller's Market | View |
Data source: SCWMLS, September 2026 closings, snapshot October 1, 2026. Each community is reported by its city area, the standard SCWMLS unit. Data deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
What's the Big Picture Across Dane County?
Tight supply everywhere, and six communities that are not behaving the same way. The county median is $474,900, up 6.7% year over year, on 2.48 months of supply. Not one community we track reached three months.
Sun Prairie is the tightest at 1.87 months and Middleton the loosest at 2.87. That is a real spread, but it is narrow in absolute terms: every one of the six sits in seller's territory, and the difference between the tightest and the loosest is under a month and a half of inventory.
Where they genuinely diverge is on price behavior. Buyers paid over asking in DeForest, while buyers in Madison, Waunakee, Sun Prairie, Verona and Middleton landed under list. Tight supply and buyer leverage are not moving together this month, which is exactly why the county average is the wrong number to make a decision on.
John's Take: Across Dane County
John Reuter · Integrity Homes
Dane County is not slowing evenly, and the county average hides that. The median sale price rose 6.7% to $474,900, homes went under contract in a median of 11 days, and supply is 2.48 months, a Strong Seller's Market. Sales were down 12.7% to 445 and new pendings fell 23.4%, so fewer transactions, not falling prices.
The theme this month is new construction. More than a quarter of the homes for sale in the county are new builds, and only about 1 in 4 of them has an accepted offer, compared with nearly 4 in 10 resale homes. I saw the same pattern in every community I looked at, from Redtail Ridge in Middleton to Kilkenny Farms West in Waunakee to Ardent Glen in Verona.
The communities are spreading apart. Sun Prairie and Verona are now Extreme Seller's Markets, under 2 months of supply. Middleton is the loosest at 2.87 months, and buyers there paid more than 2% under asking. The $1 million and up range is the slowest everywhere, with listings averaging about 100 days.
Year to date, the county median is $469,900, up 4.4%, and sales are up 2.5%. If you are buying, the leverage is in new construction and the luxury tier. If you are selling an established home under $1 million, buyers are still showing up.
Explore Each Dane County Community
Each community has its own full October 2026 report with price range and zip code detail, plus a living guide covering schools, neighborhoods, and lifestyle.
$455,000 median · 12-day DOM · 1.87 mo · Extreme Seller's
More square footage per dollar than the Madison west side, with newer neighborhoods and fast-moving mid-range inventory.
$590,000 median · 13-day DOM · 1.94 mo · Extreme Seller's
Epic Systems keeps a floor under demand here that most suburbs do not have.
$430,000 median · 10-day DOM · 2.31 mo · Strong Seller's
The largest and most varied market in the county, spanning starter condos on the east side to lakefront estates on the west.
$590,000 median · 10-day DOM · 2.36 mo · Strong Seller's
Newer construction, larger lots, and a school district that pulls buyers from across the region.
$469,900 median · 26-day DOM · 2.42 mo · Strong Seller's
Genuine small town character north of Madison, and the most attainable values of the six.
$590,000 median · 21-day DOM · 2.87 mo · Strong Seller's
The premium suburb: walkable downtown, top rated schools, and a price premium across every range.
Dane County Housing Market: Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the median home price in Dane County, WI?
The median sale price in Dane County was $474,900 in September 2026, up 6.7% from the prior year. The year to date median is $469,900, up 4.4%.
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How long does it take to sell a house in Dane County?
The median days on market was 11 days in September 2026, compared with 11 days a year earlier. The average was 36 days.
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Is Dane County a buyer's or seller's market?
Dane County is a Strong Seller's Market with 2.48 months of supply. The tightest price range is $300,000 to $399,999 at 1.99 months.
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How many homes are for sale in Dane County right now?
As of 2026-10-01 there are 1378 active listings and 274 homes pending in Dane County, against an average of 555 sales per month.
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How many homes sold in Dane County in September 2026?
445 homes sold in Dane County in September 2026, down 12.7% from 510 a year earlier. Total volume was $240,956,855.
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Can buyers negotiate in Dane County?
Somewhat. Buyers paid an average of 0.67% under asking in September 2026, which is more room than most of Dane County offered this month.
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Are home prices going up or down in Dane County?
The September 2026 median is up 6.7% year over year. Average price per square foot is $261, up 3.6% from $252, which is the cleaner read on underlying value.
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What price range is most competitive in Dane County?
The $300,000 to $399,999 range at 1.99 months of supply. Even so, at that level buyers have time to look, and the advantage is in terms rather than in bidding the price up.
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Where do buyers have the most room in Dane County?
The $1,000,000 and above range carries 4.06 months of supply, the loosest bracket in the city and the best place to ask for terms.
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Should I wait for interest rates to drop before buying in Dane County?
Supply is 2.48 months and the year to date median is $469,900, up 4.4%. Waiting means competing for the same thin inventory later. Buy when the payment works and refinance if rates improve.
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Is now a good time to sell in Dane County?
With 2.48 months of supply, an 11 day median time to contract, and a $474,900 median sale price, sellers hold the stronger position. Price to recent comparables rather than aspirationally.
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What were new listings and pendings in Dane County?
New listings came in at 593, down 11.8%, and new pendings at 412, down 23.4%. Those two together are the best early read on the months ahead.
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Are home prices going up in Dane County long term?
Yes. Dane County has gone from a $278,500 median in 2018 to $469,900 year to date, an increase of 68.7%.
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How does Dane County compare with the rest of Dane County?
The Dane County median was $474,900 in September 2026 at 2.48 months of supply. Dane County sits at $474,900 and 2.48 months, so it is below the county median and looser on inventory.
Dane County School Districts
School quality is one of the strongest drivers of where buyers shop across the county. These are the district guides for the six communities we cover.
See the Full Dane County Market Data
Inventory Supply Gauge: Dane County
Months of Supply by Price Range: Dane County
Methodology
All market data sourced from the South Central Wisconsin MLS (SCWMLS) for Dane County. Monthly figures reflect closed transactions recorded in September 2026. Months of supply is active listings divided by the twelve month average sales per month. Data deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Dane County · $474,900 median · 11 days on market · 6 communities