Dane County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 1,201.9 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 401.6 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 46.9%. On the 2000 census form, 98.2% of the population reported only one race, with 4.0% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 3.4% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.37 persons compared to an average family size of 2.97 persons. In 2008 health care and social assistance was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $43,064. Per capita income grew by 20.5% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2008) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2008)	482,705	136	Covered Employment	303,853	90
Growth (%) since 1990	31.5%	625	Avg wage per job	$43,673	249
Households (2000)	173,484	127	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	8.5%	1807
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	294,115	106	Avg wage per job	$51,248	455
Unemployment Rate (2008)	3.3	2819	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	2.5%	1356
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$43,617	166	Avg wage per job	$38,168	1630
Median Household Income (2007)	$60,794	207	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	10.5%	1169
Poverty Rate (2007)	10.9	2308	Avg wage per job	$43,064	309
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	92.2	44	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	7.0%	65
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	40.6	59	Avg wage per job	$60,634	197