Ah, Madison! It has been lovingly described as "twenty-five square miles surrounded by reality." But however you describe Madison from the moment you arrive -- no matter what the season -- you will be struck by the natural beauty and vitality that is Madison and Dane County.

From the shimmering blue-green of the four lakes that rim Madison to the soft, rolling hills that make up Dane County, you will be captured. And there in the middle of Dane County is Madison, and in the middle of Madison stands the state Capitol building. (A magnificent structure that you'll be able to spot from hundreds of locations around Dane County.)

The economic strength, robust employment and quality of life found in the area helped both Madison and adjoining Middleton capture Money Magazine's designation as No. 1 cities in America! And both cities regularly appear on just about any list of quality cities that any magazine writer can dream up! Lake Monona, Lake Mendota, Lake Kegonsa and Lake Waubesa -- four beautiful and inviting bodies of water that surround Madison -- the "Capitol City." (And, boaters, yes, all four lakes are connected by locks!) Try to resist! Visit once -- and you'll want to stay forever!

But if Madison's natural beauty isn't enough to excite you, how about sampling these:

• The weekly Farmer's Market
• The Art Fair on the Square
• The Taste of Madison - Food, food and more food!
• Frank Lloyd Wright's Monona Terrace -- 50 years in the making!
• The Henry Vilas Zoo (maybe the only FREE zoo in the world!)
• The University of Wisconsin
• The UW Football team, which routinely can be found in a bowl game on New Year's Day!
• Nationally ranked UW women's volleyball and basketball squads
• The UW Hockey team, which has won five NCAA Hockey titles!
• The UW Union Terrace
• State Street -- an eclectic blend of culture and shopping that links the Capitol to the UW
• More bike trails and bike lanes than you can roll over
• A community that prides itself on physical activity, jogging, health food stores, and being outdoors
• The state legislature
• National headquarters of many high profile companies
• The youthful vitality of nearly 60,000 public, private and technical college students
• Bookstores everywhere! (Madison ranks second in the nation in per capita book purchases!)
• One of the best cities to start and succeed in a new business
• Hundreds of restaurants (Madison has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation!)
• One of the highest per capita family incomes in the nation
• More insurance, legal and accounting jobs per capita than any other city in the nation
• Coffee shops on every corner!
• A thriving music, art and theater district
• One of the cleanest cities you'll ever visit!
• A bus and cab transportation system that excels

Madison Area Facts

Population
City of Madison: 228,775 (2007)
Dane County: 476,785 (2007)

Housing
City of Madison: Median value of house/condo (2007) $215,800
Dane County: Median value of house/condo (2007) $218,300

Weather
Average High Temperatures:
Spring: 56.1 deg F
Summer: 80.8 deg F
Autumn: 59.2 deg F
Winter: 28.4 deg F

Average Precipitation: 30.84" Average Annual Snowfall: 42"

Income
Madison Median Household Income-2007 - $50,991
Dane County Median Household Income-2007 - $52,948