{{About|the Town of Sun Prairie|the adjacent city|Sun Prairie, Wisconsin}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Town of Sun Prairie | settlement_type = [[Administrative divisions of Wisconsin#Town|Town]] | nickname = | motto = <!-- Images --> | image_skyline = Sun Prairie Town Hall.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Town hall | image_flag = | image_seal = <!-- Maps --> | image_map = Dane County Wisconsin incorporated and unincorporated areas Sun Prairie (town) highlighted.svg | mapsize = 260px | map_caption = Location in [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County]] and the state of [[Wisconsin]].
<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}} | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Wisconsin}} | subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Wisconsin|County]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane]]
<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | established_title = | established_date = <!-- Area --> | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 81.2 | area_land_km2 = 81.2 | area_water_km2 = 0.0 | area_total_sq_mi = 31.4 | area_land_sq_mi = 31.4 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.0
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]] | population_footnotes = | population_total = 2,391 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = <!-- General information --> | timezone = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]] | utc_offset = -6 | timezone_DST = CDT | utc_offset_DST = -5 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref> | elevation_m = 283 | elevation_ft = 928 | coordinates = {{coord|43|9|16|N|89|11|51|W|region:US-WI|display=inline}} | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = [[Area code 608|608]] | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 55-78625<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> | blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank1_info = 1584256<ref name="GR3" /> | website = https://www.townofsunprairie.wi.gov/ | footnotes = }} The '''Town<ref>"Towns" in Wisconsin perform most of the same functions as townships in many other states. see 'Wisconsin Blue Book 2022,' Town, pp 354-355</ref> of Sun Prairie''' is located in [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County]], [[Wisconsin]], United States. The population was 2,391 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Sun Prairie town, Dane County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Sun+Prairie+town,+Dane+County,+Wisconsin |access-date=March 3, 2026 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The [[Sun Prairie, Wisconsin|City of Sun Prairie]] is located partially within the town. The unincorporated communities of Pierceville and Schey Acres are also located in the town.
==History== President [[Martin Van Buren]] commissioned a party of 45 men, including [[Augustus A. Bird]], to build a territory capitol in [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]]. The group of men left [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] on May 26, 1837, and traveled for days in the rain. On June 9, the group emerged at the edge of the prairie and with the sun shining for the first time in days, carved the words "Sun Prairie" into a tree. Charles Bird returned to the area two years later and became the first settler.<ref name="OurCommunity">{{cite web |title=Our Community: History |url=http://www.cityofsunprairie.com/docs/department_home.php?department_id=22&main_id=1191 |publisher=City of Sun Prairie |work=www.cityofsunprairie.com |accessdate=July 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080713135336/http://www.cityofsunprairie.com/docs/department_home.php?department_id=22&main_id=1191 |archive-date=July 13, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dictionary of Wisconsin History |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=3739&keyword=sun+prairie |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society |work=www.wisconsinhistory.org |accessdate=July 25, 2008}}</ref> The town of Sun Prairie was created on February 2, 1846.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dictionary of Wisconsin History |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=7608&keyword=sun+prairie |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society |work=www.wisconsinhistory.org |accessdate=July 25, 2008}}</ref>
==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 31.4 square miles (81.2 km{{sup|2}}), all land.
==Demographics== At the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]] there were 23,008 people, 806 households, and 653 families in the town. The population density was 73.6 people per square mile (28.4/km{{sup|2}}). There were 830 housing units at an average density of 26.5 per square mile (10.2/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 97.36% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 1.60% of the population were [[Hispanic]] or [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino]] of any race.<ref name="GR2" /> Of the 806 households 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.1% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 12.3% of households were one person and 4.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.11.
The age distribution was 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.7 males.
The median household income was $60,938 and the median family income was $62,154. Males had a median income of $33,352 versus $27,713 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,954. About 0.7% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including none of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
==Notable people== [[File:GK.SPsign.jpg|right|thumb|The Town of Sun Prairie is the birthplace of [[Georgia O'Keeffe]].]] * [[Georgia O'Keeffe]], artist
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.townofsunprairie.wi.gov/ Town of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin website] {{Dane County, Wisconsin}}
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[[Category:Towns in Dane County, Wisconsin]] [[Category:Madison metropolitan area]] [[Category:Towns in Wisconsin]] [[Category:1839 establishments in Wisconsin Territory]] [[Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1839]]