ATC High Voltage Power Line - panoramio (1), 2013
Burke’s story
Burke in pictures
Census counts: 2,990 in 2000, 3,265 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2013 and 6 maps from 1890 on.
Explore the history →Population
3,089
2025 Census estimate · −4.4% since 2020
Typical home
$532K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$104K
median
Median age
43.8
years
Jobs based here
2,556
A job hub
TownGrade
A
#49 of 357 in WI
Is Burke a good place to live?
Burke grades A overall, ranked 49th of 357 in Wisconsin, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns and it has 10 miles of trail. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $104K. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $532K, 6 years of the Madison metro’s $89K median household income. On walkability, just 19 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. 13% of the land in Burke is conserved, above both the Wisconsin town median (3.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 10 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on history.
What makes Burke stand out
Where Burke beats most towns.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,530 people come to Burke for work
Where Burke’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,556jobs based in Burke
2%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Burke grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Burke is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 8% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.9 of 20; 2.5% of households have no carAOpen →HealthUnitypoint Health - Meriter 7.9 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeB+Open →SchoolsBeat 67% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.8; 52% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 29 attractions →Camp Randall Stadium and 24 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Burke. Close and well known come first.
8 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
8 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
27 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
25 mi State parkAztalan State Park
40 mi Canyon & gorgeDells of the Wisconsin River
5 mi GardenOlbrich Botanical GardensSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Aztalan State Park: Joshua Mayer - Flickr user wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dells of the Wisconsin River: atramos, CC BY 2.0 · Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Chief-O at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Burke: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Burke, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSun Prairie Utilities1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTown’s haulerTown site
SchoolsDeForest Area School DistrictSun Prairie Area School District2 districts serve Burke; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Burke ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes53590, 53718, 53532, 5370453590 42% · 53718 31% · 53532 16% · 53704 10%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Burke.
Burke draws workers from Madison and beyond and has fewer 90° days than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin; it also has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Wisconsin.
OutdoorsA
In Burke, 13.4% of the land is conserved
The trail network density for Burke comes to 0.8 miles per square mile, above both Wisconsin’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4). 10 miles of trail in 9 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Cherokee Marsh State Fishery Area, at 712 acres.
#76for trails in WI
13.4%
conserved · 1,182 of 8,848 acres
10 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Token Creek County Park | 7.7 mi | 491 |
| 2. Cherokee Marsh North Unit | 1.6 mi | 697 |
| 3. Burke Park | 0.8 mi | 36 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Burke stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with fewer of its residents who live below the poverty line
2,556 jobs are based in Burke, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Half of commuters travel less than 9 miles. For Burke, the mean commuting time is 19 minutes. Most working residents leave Burke for work: only 2% work in town. The town had 2,556 jobs in 2023, up 157 from 2013.
2%work in town
| Burke | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 1% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $104,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Burke2%
Madison51%
Sun Prairie8%
Middleton3%
Waunakee2%
9 mi
median commute distance
2,556
jobs based in Burke
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C+
Burke’s grade for cost of living is a C+
At 6 years of the Madison metro’s $89K median household income, the typical home (about $532K) costs more against local pay than in 85% of Wisconsin towns; that ratio is one input to that grade.
Burke’s going rate for rent is $1,633 a month. Homes in the town are typically worth about $532,000, up 1.8% in a year, 58% above the Wisconsin typical home. The share of households in Burke who are owner-occupiers: 93%.
$532KZillow home value
| Burke | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 93% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,633 a month | $1,076 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Burke$532K
Wisconsin$337K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthA
Burke’s grade for health is an A
Against the Wisconsin average, Burke comes out ahead on 16 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 2. Among adults in the town, 74% had a checkup this year. Two figures for adults locally: 21% binge drink, 29% sleep under 7 hours.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Burke | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
16 better14 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Burke | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with COPD | 4.7% | 6.5% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults getting a yearly checkup | 74.1% | 77.6% |
Unitypoint Health - Meriter
7.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
90th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Natural hazards: very low risk in Burke, mostly inland flooding
Households in Burke have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2011. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 39% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 25% to cold waves.
8risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Burke’s year
The Madison Dane Rgnl Ap weather station records that about 9 days a year reach 90°: fewer than most of the country, but more than 77% of Wisconsin places with climate records. January nights average 10.4°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 77% of Wisconsin places with climate records; July afternoons average 82.7°.
The January low for Burke comes to 10°F. About 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
| Burke | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 10°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 83°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall39–60°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Burke
19pages on Burke
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Burke
Herzing University-MadisonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Madison2.8 mi$13,450 tuitionMadison Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Madison3.3 mi$4,977 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison7.4 mi$11,603 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Burke residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
Get outside
10 miles of trails in Burke
13.4% of the town is conserved land, across 9 parks and preserves.
3
Burke Park0.8 mi of trails · 36 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Burke
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Burke is a town in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,265 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated communities of Burke and Seminary Springs are in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 20 sq mi
- Elevation
- 938 ft
- Area code
- 608
Burke’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Burke.
It grades higher overall than all 4 graded towns on its borders; DeForest (A) comes closest.
MadisonDeForestSun PrairieWindsorSun PrairieBurke
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke | #49 | A | C+ | — | B+ | A |
| Madison | #289 | C+ | D | C | C | A |
| DeForest | #68 | A | C | B+ | B+ | A |
| Sun Prairie | #149 | B+ | C− | B− | B | A |
| Windsor | #119 | A− | C | — | B+ | A− |
| Sun Prairie | — | — | C | — | B | A |
Sun Prairie has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Burke, Windsor and Sun Prairie report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Burke with a neighbor →
Questions about Burke
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Burke, WI a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Burke grades A overall, better than 92% of U.S. towns and #49 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A for health and B+ for schools.
Is Burke, WI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.