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Compare towns

Middleton vs Springfield

Next-door neighbors in Dane County. The biggest differences: rent (2.9× in Middleton) and street grid (3.7× in Middleton).

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Middleton, WIAn outdoors townDane County · 6,807 people
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Springfield, WIHomes around $692KDane County · 2,859 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Where they are

Middleton and Springfield share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MiddletonSpringfieldMiddletonSpringfield
Middleton ↔ Springfield5.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Middleton$4,330/mo
Typical home $689K (Census) · tax rate 1.24% · or rent about $3,501/mo · Housing →
Springfield$4,320/mo
Typical home $692K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,190/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Middleton places higher on 12 of 18 WI lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Wisconsin ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
MiddletonSpringfield
Snow a year39″39″
January low10°F10°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)169d169d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)18th15th
Outdoors & history
MiddletonSpringfield
Trails24 mi9 mi
Conserved land5.7%5.6%
Settled—1848
National Register places11
Archive photos2412
Famous people born here7—
Community
MiddletonSpringfield
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MiddletonSpringfield
People
Population 6,807Highest 2,859Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +15.6%Highest WI: +3.6% +7.1%Lowest WI: +3.6%
Median age 42.9±2.8Lowest 7% above WI 48.9±4.6Highest 22% above WI
Springfield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31.6%±5.2Highest WI: 21.4% 20.1%±5.2Lowest WI: 21.4%
Age 65+ 15.5%±4.5Lowest WI: 18.5% 27.7%±5Highest WI: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 72.7%Highest WI: 33.4% 49.1%Lowest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.6Highest WI: 5.8% 1.7%±1.2Lowest WI: 5.8%
Middleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $203,646±$54kHighest 163% above WI $135,216±$20kLowest 75% above WI
Middleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $689,400±$40kHighest 159% above WI $554,700±$45kLowest 108% above WI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,501Highest 222% above WI $1,190±$281Lowest 9% above WI
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,574Highest 126% above WI $6,651Lowest 75% above WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±29.8Lowest WI: 43.7% 8.7%±19.4Highest WI: 43.7%
Springfield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.1%Highest WI: 10.6% 4.1%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 94.5%Highest WI: 67.8% 89.5%Lowest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1998Highest 23 yrs newer than WI 1978Lowest 3 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 11% below WI 19 minLowest 14% below WI
Work from home 22.7%±5.5Lowest WI: 13.1% 27.2%±10.4Highest WI: 13.1%
Springfield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 0.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.21Lowest 0.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Madison (47%)Madison (47%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SpringfieldFew work in Middleton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.7%Highest 5.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 24.3 miHighest 8.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 19Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 17.6Highest 4.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #45 of 262 in WI—
School district Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District—
High school in town None in town—
Wisconsin average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Middleton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Middleton’s Town Square.

Springfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Springfield’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Middleton

Towns like Middleton

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Wisconsin towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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