DeForest ( də-FOR-ist) is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Yahara River. The population was 10,811 at the 2020 census. A suburb north of Madison, it is part of the Madison metropolitan area.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How DeForest ranks

All →

#1Most new homes in WI #19Fastest growing in WI #33Most active in WI All WI rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code53532

Area code608

Living in DeForest

Housing in DeForest

$451K▲ 2.8% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical DeForest home is worth about $451,000, up 2.8% in a year, 33% above the Wisconsin typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market60

Sale-to-list100.2%

Sold in May22

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in DeForest

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

DeForest reports less crime per resident than 70% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

DeForest 0.4

Wisconsin 2.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

DeForest 7.3

Wisconsin 10.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in DeForest

Full picture →

Most working residents leave DeForest for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Madison (41%), Sun Prairie (6%) and Middleton (3%). Half commute less than 12 miles.

Madison

41%

Sun Prairie

Middleton

Waunakee

10%Work in townlive and work in DeForest 12 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 6,210Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in DeForest →

Health in DeForest

Health Grade A

Healthier than 87% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Wisconsin

19better than WI·2worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 11 are too close to call.

Conditions 9▲ 3 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 2▲ 2▼ 3 close Mind 2▲ 3 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

7%Fewer older adults who have lost all their teethWI 9.9% · better 8.6%Fewer adults facing food insecurityWI 12.1% · better 74.1%Fewer adults getting a yearly checkupWI 77.6% · worse

Care nearby

University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics AuthorityMadison · 11.4 mi · ER

Children's Dental Center - Sun PrairieSun Prairie · 5.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for DeForest · CMS · HRSAHealth in DeForest →

Natural hazards in DeForest

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 39% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

5Does DeForest flood?paid flood claims since 1993 7Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to DeForest MapDeForest vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in DeForest →

Climate in DeForest

Full climate →

DeForest has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

30° / 14°Winter

57° / 35°Spring

81° / 58°Summer

60° / 39°Fall

How much snow does DeForest get?About 43 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 6, with the last in spring around May 4.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.5° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in DeForest →

Schools in DeForest

All DeForest schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools DeForest’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 52% of Wisconsin’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how DeForest’s schools compare in WI →

DistrictDe Forest Area School DistrictSchools5

Eagle Point Elementary B-Elementary · Grades K–3 · 389 students Yahara Elementary B-Elementary · Grades K–3 · 329 students De Forest Middle BMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 602 students De Forest High B-High · Grades 9–12 · 1,137 students Early Learning ProgramPrekindergarten · Grades PK · 297 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within WI. Ratings are from neighbors.