What’s the best part of Madison? It could be where everyone knows their neighbor. Or it could be where home prices are the highest, meaning it’s where everyone wants to live.
Instead of relying on public opinion and speculation, we wanted to get the facts straight and find out which neighborhoods in Madison are the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Whether you live in the sticks or in an apartment building downtown, you want a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood offers different perks and benefits.
Smaller neighborhoods usually have obvious benefits — less crime, a slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. But not all Madison neighborhoods are created equal. Some are better than others. But which ones?
If you’re thinking of moving to Wisconsin and Madison is on the top of your list, check out the best neighborhoods for 2026.
$102,132 median income · $329,300 median home value
$81,822 median income · $474,740 median home value
$138,904 median income · $336,800 median home value
$124,493 median income · $573,400 median home value
$110,367 median income · $423,567 median home value
$128,683 median income · $421,750 median home value
$106,276 median income · $306,200 median home value
$89,852 median income · $297,850 median home value
$101,008 median income · $358,200 median home value
$81,566 median income · $247,950 median home value
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Wisconsin’s statewide median.
Wisconsin statewide median: $77,485
Wisconsin statewide median: $330,171
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the best Madison, WI neighborhoods in 2026
To rank the best neighborhoods in Madison, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 96 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Madison.” We’re lookin’ at you, Westmorland.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Madison, Wisconsin has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Madison.
The full plate
Table: Best Madison neighborhoods for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westmorland | 2,252 | $329,300 | $102,132 |
| 2 | Regent | 6,221 | $474,740 | $81,822 |
| 3 | Country Grove | 1,139 | $336,800 | $138,904 |
| 4 | Blackhawk | 1,265 | $573,400 | $124,493 |
| 5 | Dudgeon-Monroe | 2,898 | $423,567 | $110,367 |
| 6 | Hawk’s Landing | 1,738 | $421,750 | $128,683 |
| 7 | Midvale Heights Community | 3,223 | $306,200 | $106,276 |
| 8 | McClellan Park | 3,778 | $297,850 | $89,852 |
| 9 | Highlands Community | 674 | $358,200 | $101,008 |
| 10 | Wexford | 2,590 | $247,950 | $81,566 |
| 11 | Stonefield Woods-Ridge | 232 | $358,200 | $146,254 |
| 12 | Radio Park | 274 | $338,400 | $97,708 |
| 13 | Vilas | 2,690 | $393,950 | $66,756 |
| 14 | Glacier Ridge | 1,014 | $278,900 | $143,886 |
| 15 | Maple-Prairie | 1,778 | $273,700 | $77,938 |
| 16 | Stone Meadows | 2,838 | $262,900 | $104,056 |
| 17 | Parkwood Hills | 1,647 | $209,700 | $110,640 |
| 18 | Wisconsin Co-Op Housing | 338 | $326,800 | $78,611 |
| 19 | Nakoma League | 1,572 | $288,000 | $143,179 |
| 20 | Tenney-Lapham | 4,879 | $371,140 | $67,453 |
| 21 | Sunset Village | 1,770 | $317,767 | $84,373 |
| 22 | Walnut Grove | 937 | $308,500 | $94,248 |
| 23 | Old Middleton Greenway | 665 | $350,350 | $83,362 |
| 24 | Schenk-Atwood | 4,789 | $272,680 | $81,000 |
| 25 | Summit Woods | 537 | $288,000 | $105,845 |
| 26 | Vanchamasshe | 139 | $338,400 | $97,708 |
| 27 | Woodland Hills | 432 | $358,200 | $101,008 |
| 28 | Hill Farms-University Neighborh | 3,267 | $274,000 | $73,024 |
| 29 | Reston Heights | 1,452 | $252,950 | $105,851 |
| 30 | Spring Harbor | 1,797 | $282,100 | $81,466 |
| 31 | Sherman Village | 2,390 | $207,500 | $72,214 |
| 32 | Glen Oak Hills | 728 | $291,900 | $100,197 |
| 33 | Sauk Creek | 1,497 | $271,500 | $89,212 |
| 34 | Faircrest | 1,245 | $268,250 | $80,758 |
| 35 | Sunset Hills | 203 | $298,900 | $106,806 |
| 36 | Lerdahl Park | 154 | $269,300 | $71,875 |
| 37 | University Apartments | 840 | $412,500 | $40,139 |
| 38 | Greenbush | 2,818 | $334,900 | $59,184 |
| 39 | Heistand | 3,209 | $235,100 | $58,059 |
| 40 | Orchard Ridge Community | 3,327 | $255,225 | $56,321 |
| 41 | Capitol | 31,387 | $428,850 | $39,062 |
| 42 | Oakbridge Community | 1,326 | $234,500 | $75,496 |
| 43 | Meadowood | 2,734 | $238,200 | $68,768 |
| 44 | Westchester Gardens | 830 | $225,300 | $70,599 |
| 45 | Elvehjem | 3,357 | $224,850 | $78,383 |
| 46 | North Lake Mendota | 677 | $269,300 | $71,875 |
| 47 | Marquette | 5,461 | $298,833 | $71,139 |
| 48 | Skyview Meadows | 725 | $230,500 | $81,042 |
| 49 | Westhaven Trails | 1,524 | $236,650 | $87,812 |
| 50 | Bay Creek | 2,490 | $300,250 | $66,551 |
| 51 | Heritage Heights | 2,180 | $198,267 | $76,411 |
| 52 | Ridgewood | 2,651 | $233,200 | $53,236 |
| 53 | Prairie Hills | 3,081 | $226,050 | $62,680 |
| 54 | Whitetail Ridge | 480 | $210,300 | $52,750 |
| 55 | Lake View Hill | 2,091 | $190,850 | $55,250 |
| 56 | Lake Edge | 2,196 | $209,933 | $74,321 |
| 57 | Greentree | 1,765 | $235,850 | $72,622 |
| 58 | Glendale | 2,287 | $209,067 | $67,380 |
| 59 | Emerson East | 1,537 | $183,700 | $68,885 |
| 60 | Junction Ridge | 1,793 | $241,850 | $90,054 |
| 61 | High Crossing | 551 | $209,450 | $86,672 |
| 62 | Waunona | 1,596 | $208,150 | $55,919 |
| 63 | Tamarack Trails Community | 361 | $308,500 | $94,248 |
| 64 | East Buckeye | 506 | $254,600 | $97,778 |
| 65 | Moorland-Rimrock | 2,155 | $195,650 | $68,280 |
| 66 | Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahar | 2,206 | $202,750 | $67,254 |
| 67 | Allied Community | 4,480 | $167,900 | $37,268 |
| 68 | Brentwood Village | 1,034 | $190,600 | $46,466 |
| 69 | Indian Springs | 381 | $171,500 | $55,556 |
| 70 | Rolling Meadows | 2,046 | $197,850 | $74,734 |
| 71 | Bluff Acres | 3,043 | $164,800 | $52,563 |
| 72 | Brittingham Apartments | 45 | $292,100 | $23,235 |
| 73 | High Point Estates | 1,056 | $268,233 | $80,900 |
| 74 | Burr Oaks | 3,696 | $165,500 | $45,865 |
| 75 | Sherman | 2,875 | $175,967 | $54,565 |
| 76 | Sheridan Triangle | 377 | $190,600 | $46,466 |
| 77 | East Bluff | 121 | $207,500 | $69,516 |
| 78 | Bram’s Addition | 1,539 | $180,100 | $33,788 |
| 79 | Carpenter-Ridgeway | 1,230 | $169,600 | $46,607 |
| 80 | Worthington Park | 651 | $167,700 | $44,375 |
| 81 | Eastmorland | 2,469 | $158,800 | $62,229 |
| 82 | Broadway-Lakepoint | 797 | $186,900 | $56,681 |
| 83 | Hawthorne | 1,244 | $171,700 | $52,579 |
| 84 | Leopold | 1,472 | $109,400 | $33,371 |
| 85 | Nobel Park | 653 | $174,200 | $40,985 |
| 86 | Marbella | 145 | $208,100 | $64,310 |
| 87 | Eken Park | 2,111 | $174,950 | $42,750 |
| 88 | Dunn’s Marsh | 1,260 | $166,300 | $30,342 |
| 89 | Berkley Oaks | 1,063 | $110,500 | $41,699 |
| 90 | Norman Acres | 270 | $164,800 | $40,732 |
| 91 | Park Ridge | 364 | $201,500 | $50,500 |
| 92 | Sherman Terrace | 230 | $96,300 | $33,200 |
| 93 | Bayview | 118 | $209,300 | $26,429 |
| 94 | Mayfair Park | 842 | $199,750 | $44,282 |
| 95 | Clarendon Hills | 177 | $167,600 | $37,176 |
| 96 | Vera Court | 145 | $174,200 | $40,985 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 96 Madison neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: Putting a bow on our analysis of the best neighborhoods in Madison
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Madison where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Madison are Westmorland, Regent, Country Grove, Blackhawk, Dudgeon-Monroe, Hawk’s Landing, Midvale Heights Community, McClellan Park, Highlands Community, and Wexford.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Madison aren’t all good. Vera Court takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Madison.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below. Not sold on Wisconsin? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Neighborhoods In Madison FAQs
What is the best neighborhood in Madison?
Westmorland is the best neighborhood in Madison for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Regent and Country Grove are next.
What are the best neighborhoods in Madison?
The best neighborhoods in Madison are Westmorland, Regent, Country Grove, Blackhawk, Dudgeon-Monroe, Hawk’s Landing, Midvale Heights Community, McClellan Park, Highlands Community, and Wexford. We ranked all 96 neighborhoods in the city.
How expensive is Westmorland?
The median household income in Westmorland is $102,132 and the median home costs $329,300. The best blocks in Madison rarely come at a discount.
How do you rank Madison neighborhoods?
Each neighborhood is scored on income, home values, population density, unemployment, and crime, using Census tract data. The neighborhood with the best combined score, Westmorland, takes the top spot.
Which Madison neighborhood ranked last?
Vera Court came in last of the 96 neighborhoods we scored. Every city has a bottom of the table; in Madison the numbers put it there.
