5 Popular Madison Neighborhoods For Black Families, Young Professionals & Singles ‒ Wisconsin
When you think of Wisconsin, you probably think of cheese, beer, maybe some adorable Midwest accents. Many people don’t know that Wisconsin is a hub bursting with culture and a perfect place to settle down or explore new adventures.
If, as a black person, you’re thinking of moving to the state of Wisconsin, check out these top Madison suburbs for young Black professionals and singles.
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3 Best Madison Suburbs For Black Families
Finding the best place for your family can be tricky. Thankfully, Madison has some terrific suburbs that make it a great place to plant roots. Without further ado, here are the best Madison neighborhoods for Black families.
Verona
Kicking off our list is the idyllic suburb of Verona. With a tight-knit community of just more than 13,000 people, Verona offers its residents a real suburban feel. As you’d expect, there are many parks and activities to do outdoors.
Additionally, the public schools in Verona are highly rated, so you can rest assured that your children are receiving the absolute best when it comes to education. It’s also a great spot to raise a family because it’s incredibly safe, with average crime rates far below national averages.
How safe? Out of 100,000 people, only seven were victims of robbery in 2020 (opposed to the national average of 135). Additionally, theft in Verona is half of the national average; in 2020, 1,073 residents of the Madison suburb were victims of robbery, whereas the national average sits at about 2,050. All in all, Verona is a very safe neighborhood.
Verona is also highly rated on many review sites. While the population isn’t very diverse (in 2021, the town is 90% white and 4% Black), it’s widely known that the Verona community is generally welcoming and open. While you may, due to your skin color, feel like you stick out a little, Verona checks all of our other boxes and is a great place to raise a family.
Maple Bluff
Maple Bluff is a gorgeous, small, quaint town; it offers everything you’d want in a town where you are raising your family. Maple Bluff also has a strong community. It’s not uncommon for residents and other entities to rally and raise money for its parks by hosting events and tournaments.
Consisting of a cozy population of just 1,405 people, Maple Bluff is a peaceful place to raise a family. It has a distinctly rural feel, and most of the population is of an older generation.
Because the community takes things a little slower and is smaller, its crime rate is incredibly low. In 2020, the town had zero reports of assault, robbery, or murder per 100,000 people ‒ an astonishing feat for even the smallest family towns. Additionally, there were only 379 reports of theft compared to the national average of about 2,043.
Because the crime rates are so low, Maple Bluff is a perfect place to settle down. While the pace might be a little too slow-paced for some people, other families will surely be able to find the charm nestled into this peaceful Madison gem.
Fitchburg
If you’re looking for a little more life and action, Fitchburg could be the place for you and your family. Fitchburg is a lively hybrid between city and suburb. Because more urban elements are integrated into this neighborhood, Fitchburg offers families some more of the excitement of city living.
Fitchburg also has lots of places and public parks, making this a wonderful place to raise children. There also are plenty of places for adults, making Fitchburg a great location for parents, too. The city is dotted with breweries, trendy brunch spots, and bowling alleys, so there’s never a shortage of activities.
And other people have caught on to the greatness of this Madison suburb. In fact, Fitchburg is growing at a fast rate of 2.07% annually. Fitchburg reached its highest population in 2021 with 32,096 residents.
Most of the residents in Fitchburg are in their early 30s ‒ undoubtedly, people coming to the community to marry and start their families. As for demographics, white people make up 73.68%, and Black people make up 9.44%.
2 Best Madison Neighborhoods for Young Black Professionals & Singles
It can be overwhelming to find your next spot when you’re young and single. Luckily, Madison has no shortage of places to land if you’re a young black professional. Here are the top Madison suburbs for young African American professionals and singles.
Middleton
In 2007, Money Magazine chose Middleton as the best place to live, and it’s easy to see why. Middleton offers residents a fun mix of urban-meets-suburban to keep residents stimulated.
In Middleton, you’ll find an excess of good bars, hip restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. During the day, wander into The Frugal Muse Books Music & Video, or take a scenic boat tour of the town with Bunbury Tours.
There’s no way to slice it: Middleton is a predominantly white community (86.18% of the population is white), with 4.57% of the community’s residents being Asian and only 2.86% being Black.
However, it’s very safe. Crime rates are far below national averages, so you can feel secure walking around with friends at night.
Shorewood Hills
With a modest population of just more than 2,200 residents, Shorewood Hills offers residents a dense suburb while still retaining that small-town feel. Shorewood Hills offers a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. See the latest film at Sundance Cinema, or visit another popular destination by catching some coffee at the famed Cat Cafe.
Not only are there hip establishments to visit, but Shorewood Hills also has plenty of outdoor activities for those looking to take long hikes or enjoy Mother Nature. With nearly 50 hiking trails and 508 miles to traverse, Shorewood Hills has an abundance of natural sights to peruse and enjoy.
Because of all of the great activities to do, Shorewood Hills has been ranked as No. 2 in all of Wisconsin for best young professionals. See what all the fuss is about and plan a trip soon!
Is Madison Safe?
Like all of Wisconsin, Madison as a whole is a fairly safe city. In fact, it’s safer than 16% of U.S. cities. Residents of Madison can have peace of mind with stats such as how low the city’s crime rate is. For example, in 2020, Madison reported an average of 217 robberies per 100,000 residents. That number is very low compared to the national average of 267,988.
Still, Madison is a city, so you must be wary of your surroundings and protect yourself and your loved ones from possible crime.
What Is Madison’s Demographic?
Madison is a city with a demographic of mostly white people. According to World Population, white people make up 78.59% of Madison, while Asian people make up 8.95%, and Black people make up 7.01%.
Of course, this doesn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Wisconsin and the Midwest seem to have a heavy white population. Only 6.1% of the population in Wisconsin is Black. According to recent studies, most of the Black people in Wisconsin tend to be in Milwaukee, Dane, Racine, Kenosha, Rock, and Waukesha.
The Best Madison Neighborhood
There are so many great neighborhoods to choose from for Black families and young Black singles and professionals.
Verona, in particular, seems to stand out with its low crime rates, outdoor activities, and great school system. Even though the demographic is skewed to mostly white people, residents of Verona seem to be very welcoming to Black families and young professionals.
Best Madison Neighborhoods For Black Families, Conclusion
Madison, Wisconsin, is a terrific city with plenty of neighborhoods to plant roots and start a new chapter. Whether you’re moving to Madison with a family or on your own, there isn’t a shortage of excellent neighborhoods from which to choose.
