Features

• Dane County encompasses 1,201.89 square miles
• There are 37 lakes and 489 miles of streams and rivers in Dane County
• The major rivers of the area are Little Sugar, Sugar, Yahara, Maunesha, Pecatonica, Rock River, Wisconsin River
• The natural vegetation of the area includes Oak savanna, sedge meadows, and scattered patches of prairie bluestem and composites.
• Average temperatures range from 20 to 75 degree fahrenheit
• Population estimates for 2005 are 458,106 people who live in the county
• 2.5 million people visit Dane County each year.

Awards

Dane County receives numerous awards each year for its quality of life, entertainment, and business. A more thorough list is available at the Madison Visitor's Bureau.

• Madison is rated 53rd in the top 100 Best Places to Live, a survey by CNN Money Magazine.
• Dane County Named One of Nation's Top 20 Nature-Friendly Communities by Nature-Friendly Communities in June, 2005
• Madison is rated as the 4th brainiest medium-sized city in the US by BizJournals.com.
• Forbes considers Madison one of the Best Places for Business and Careers in May, 2005
• Expansion Management Magazine ranked the public school system in Madison as #8 in the nation
• Sports Illustrated on Campus ranks Madison as the # 1 Best College Sports Towns in September, 2003