Editing Waunakee, Wisconsin

{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Waunakee, Wisconsin
| settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
| image_skyline            = WaunakeeWisconsinDowntown2.jpg
| imagesize                =
| image_caption            = Downtown Waunakee on [[Wisconsin Highway 19]]
| image_flag               =
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| nickname                 =
| motto                    = The Only Waunakee in the World
| image_map                = File:Dane County Wisconsin Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Waunakee Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 260px
| map_caption              = Location of Waunakee in Dane County, Wisconsin
| pushpin_map              = Wisconsin#USA
| pushpin_label            = Waunakee
| pushpin_relief           = yes

<!-- Location -->| coordinates              = {{coord|43|11|14|N|89|27|8|W|region:US-IL_type:city(15,000)|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Wisconsin|County]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Wisconsin}}
| subdivision_name2        = [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane]]

<!-- Government -->| established_title        =
| established_date         = <!-- Area -->
| government_footnotes     =
| government_type          = Village Board
| leader_title             = Village President
| leader_name              = Kristin Runge<ref>{{cite web |title=Board of Trustees |url=http://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/86/Board-of-Trustees |website=Village of Waunakee |access-date=July 7, 2019}}</ref>
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_55.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           =
| area_total_km2           = 18.58
| area_total_sq_mi         = 7.17
| area_land_km2            = 18.57
| area_land_sq_mi          = 7.17
| area_water_km2           = 0.01
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=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
| population_total         = 14879
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
| population_density_km2   = 756.74
| population_density_sq_mi = 1959.83

<!-- General information -->| population_est           =
| pop_est_as_of            =
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code              = 53597
| area_code                = [[Area code 608|608]]
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/}}
| footnotes                =
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = −6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = −5
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 55-84350<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 1576318<ref name="GR3" />
| pop_est_footnotes        =
| name                     =
}}

'''Waunakee''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|w|ɔː|n|ə|ˈ|k|iː}})<ref>'[http://www.misspronouncer.com/villages/waunakee.html Miss Pronouncer: Wisconsin's Pronunciation Guide]: Waunakee, Wisconsin</ref> is a village in [[Dane County, Wisconsin]], United States. The population was 14,879 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. A suburb of [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], it is part of the [[Madison metropolitan area]]. Waunakee bills itself as "The Only Waunakee in the World".

==History==
When the [[Chicago and Northwestern Railway]] wanted to expand its line from Madison to [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], a door was opened for the development of a town. Its original location was intended to be at Packham's Mill, about where Mill Road crosses the railroad track today two miles southeast downtown. But two local settlers, Louis Baker and George Fish, platted a village on their land two miles further northwest along the railroad. Railroad officials agreed to move a train depot to the new community in exchange for $1,500 and two miles of right of way.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/103/History-of-Waunakee|title=History of Waunakee|website=Village of Waunakee|access-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref> The village was founded in 1871 and formally incorporated in 1893.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.waunakeechamber.com/pages/WaunakeeHistory|title=Village of Waunakee History|website=Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce|access-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref>

Baker and Fish did not want credit for naming the community, so they asked Simeon Mills and Mr. Hill of Madison to come up with a list. The name "Waunakee" has a Native American origin meaning "fair and pleasant valley." In their "Dictionary of Wisconsin History", on the other hand, the Wisconsin Historical Society has the village's name deriving from the [[Ojibwe|Chippewa]] name of "a friendly Indian" from the area, "Waunaki", meaning "he lives in peace".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS14158|title=Dictionary of Wisconsin History|website=Wisconsin Historical Society|access-date=October 3, 2024}}</ref>

[[Robert F. Kennedy]] and [[Ted Kennedy]] each visited the village to campaign for their brother [[John F. Kennedy|John]] before the contested Wisconsin presidential primary in March 1960.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1960-03-03/|title=Around Town|date=March 3, 1960|work=The Waunakee Tribune|access-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref> Former First Lady [[Barbara Bush]] visited the village to campaign for her son [[George W. Bush|George]] for president in October 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hngnews.com/waunakee_tribune/news/regional/article_cabde745-d7f5-5927-a638-bc1773580fc9.html|title=Barbara Bush touched hearts in Waunakee, too|last=Baumann|first=Roberta|date=April 26, 2018|work=The Waunakee Tribune|access-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref> In October 2024, [[Donald Trump]] held a rally in the village at Dane Manufacturing, the first visit by a Republican presidential nominee to Dane County since 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bahl |first=Andrew |date=October 1, 2024 |title=Trump in Waunakee isn't trying to win Dane County, just get to 24% |url=https://captimes.com/news/elections/trump-in-waunakee-isnt-trying-to-win-dane-county-just-get-to-24/article_b883eab2-802d-11ef-bb69-db0e3e748f63.html |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=The Cap Times |language=en}}</ref>

The landmark [[Waunakee Railroad Depot]], in the central part of town, is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. It now houses the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce offices.

==Geography==
Waunakee is located at {{coord|43|11|14|N|89|27|8|W|display=inline}} (43.187253, −89.452244).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has an area of {{convert|6.39|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|6.38|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 18, 2012}}</ref>

The village is bordered on the south and east by [[Westport, Wisconsin|Westport]], to the north by [[Vienna, Wisconsin|Vienna]], to the northwest by [[Dane (town), Wisconsin|Dane]], and to the west by [[Springfield, Dane County, Wisconsin|Springfield]].

Six Mile Creek, the main waterway through the community, runs west to east before making a southerly turn through the village on its way to [[Lake Mendota]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1880 = 279
| 1890 = 312
| 1900 = 443
| 1910 = 550
| 1920 = 560
| 1930 = 640
| 1940 = 773
| 1950 = 1042
| 1960 = 1611
| 1970 = 2181
| 1980 = 3866
| 1990 = 5897
| 2000 = 8995
| 2010 = 12097
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
| 2020 = 14879
| estyear = 2024
| estimate = 16587
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 18, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 12,097 people, 4,344 households, and 3,316 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1896.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 4,483 housing units at an average density of {{convert|702.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 95.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.0% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.5% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 4,344 households, of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.7% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.20.

The median age in the village was 37.9 years. 31.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 9.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 8,995 people, 3,203 households, and 2,379 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was 1,509.9 people per square mile (582.7/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 3,295 housing units at an average density of 553.1 per square mile (213.5/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the village was 98.07% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.36% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.08% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.51% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.24% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.73% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 3,203 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $59,225, and the median income for a family was $67,894. Males had a median income of $45,053 versus $30,163 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $25,952. About 0.4% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
Waunakee added a local Village Center in 2006 that acts as a nucleus for the community. It has a fitness center, senior center, meeting rooms, and a gymnasium. The Waunakee Business Park is a {{convert|160|acre|km2|adj=on}} business park development that hosts large and small business operations. Recent years have seen two redevelopments and two new apartment buildings on Main Street, a reconstruction and new streetscape on both Main Street and Century Avenue, a mural on the Waunakee Furniture building, and annual public art displays.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://waunakee.com/835/Mutts-on-Main---2019|title=Mutts on Main - 2019 {{!}} Waunakee, WI - Official Website|website=waunakee.com|access-date=July 4, 2019}}</ref>

As of 2018, the top employers in the village are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Waunakee Community Economic Profile |url=https://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/DocumentCenter/View/5640/Community-Economic-Profile |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=Village of Waunakee}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!#
!Employer
!Full-time employees
|-
|1
|Waunakee Community School District
|575
|-
|2
|NORD Gear
|310
|-
|3
|Uniek Plastics
|300
|-
|4
|Octopi Brewing
|250
|-
|5
|Suttle-Straus, Inc.
|200
|-
|6
|[[Scientific Protein Laboratories]]
|198
|-
|7
|Waunakee Manor, HCC
|158
|-
|8
|Piggly Wiggly
|145
|-
|9
|[[GFL Environmental]]
|115
|-
|10
|Dane Manufacturing
|100
|}

==Government==
[[File:Waunakee Village Hall.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Waunakee Village Hall]]

Waunakee is governed by a board consisting of a president and six trustees. The president and trustees are elected to two-year terms during spring elections.<ref name="BoardOverview">[http://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/86/Board-of-Trustees Waunakee Board of Trustees Overview]</ref> The Village President of Waunakee since April 2023 is Kristin Runge.<ref name=":0">[http://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/DocumentCenter/View/1080/Village-Presidents-By-Date Village Presidents by date]</ref>

The village is represented in the Wisconsin State Assembly by [[Alex Joers]] and in the State Senate by [[Dianne Hesselbein]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/results.aspx?address=&lat=43.192477513813735&lon=-89.45933074951003|title=Find Your Legislator|website=Wisconsin Legislative Districts Interactive Map|access-date=July 7, 2019}}</ref> The village's representative on the Dane County Board is David Boetcher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pdf.countyofdane.com/board/SupervisoryDistrict25.pdf|title=Supervisory District 25 Map|website=Dane County|access-date=July 7, 2019}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Waunakee Village Presidents<ref name=":0" />
!Village President
!Tenure
|-
|Henry Heller
|1893–1899
|-
|Jacob Buhlman
|1900–1901
|-
|Lawrence Freney
|1901–1904
|-
|Henry Heller
|1904–1906
|-
|J.P. O'Malley
|1906–1908
|-
|George E. Lester
|1908–1909
|-
|Almon W. Cameron
|1909–1914
|-
|Herman J. Doll
|1914–1924
|-
|J.H. Koltes
|1924–1927
|-
|Roy W. Cameron
|1927–1931
|-
|Julius Diederich
|1931–1934
|-
|Herman J. Doll
|1934–1941
|-
|Julius Diederich
|1941–1947
|-
|Roy W. Cameron
|1947–1951
|-
|Harvey Solveson
|1951–1953
|-
|Francis Bowles
|1953–1955
|-
|Roy W. Cameron
|1955–1957
|-
|Joseph Hellenbrand
|1957–1965
|-
|Peter Barbian
|1965–1967
|-
|Ed Hellenbrand
|1967–1973
|-
|Allan Dittman
|1973–1975
|-
|Ann Helt
|1975–1981
|-
|Math Laufenberg
|1981–1987
|-
|Tom Marx
|1987–1990
|-
|Maureen O'Malley
|1990–1995
|-
|Tom Marx
|1995–1997
|-
|Tim Nixon
|1997–2001
|-
|Rich Murphy
|2001–2003
|-
|John Laubmeier
|2003–2015
|-
|Chris Zellner
|2015–2023
|-
|Kristin Runge
|2023-
|}

===Election results===
<div style=display:inline-table>
{{Static row numbers}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers" border=1 style=text-align:right
|+ Waunakee village vote<br /> by party in presidential elections
|-
! Year
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Third party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2024 United States presidential election|2024]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2020 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/124#race0004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621034216/https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/124#race0004 |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''62.46%''' ''6,433''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.95% ''3,703''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.90% ''196''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2020 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/124#race0004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621034216/https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/124#race0004 |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''63.10%''' ''5,952''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.20% ''3,324''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.70% ''159''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2016 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/89 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621031227/https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/89 |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.50%''' ''4,354''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.90% ''2,842''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|6.60% ''512''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2012 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/54 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621031227/https://elections.countyofdane.com/Election-Result/54 |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.50%''' ''4,059''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|43.82% ''3,202''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2008 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/elections/elect2008d.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621031227/https://elections.countyofdane.com/elections/elect2008d.html |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''58.75%''' ''3,880''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.14% ''2,651''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2004 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/elections/elect2004d.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621031227/https://elections.countyofdane.com/elections/elect2004d.html |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.33%''' ''2,988''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|49.00% ''2,909''
|
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2000 United States presidential election|2000]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dane County Elections |title=2000 General Election Results |url=https://elections.countyofdane.com/elections/elect2000c.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621031227/https://elections.countyofdane.com/elections/elect2000c.html |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.08%''' ''2,659''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.62% ''1,892''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.30% ''107''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1996 United States presidential election|1996]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1996 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1996-11-07/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.93%''' ''1,725''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.30% ''1,399''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|7.76% ''263''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1992 United States presidential election|1992]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1992 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1992-11-05/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''42.97%''' ''1,411''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.67% ''1,270''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|18.36% ''603''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1988 United States presidential election|1988]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1988 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1988-11-10/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.53%''' ''1,234''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|49.47% ''1,208''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1984 United States presidential election|1984]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1984 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1984-11-08/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.99% ''946''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.01%''' ''1,111''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1980 United States presidential election|1980]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1980 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1980-11-13/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.65%''' ''960''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.35% ''765''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1976 United States presidential election|1976]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1976 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1976-11-11/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.32%''' ''815''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|43.68% ''632''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1972 United States presidential election|1972]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1972 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1972-11-09/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''54.26%''' ''630''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.74% ''531''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1968 United States presidential election|1968]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1968 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1968-11-07/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''62.60%''' ''539''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.40% ''322''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1968 United States presidential election|1964]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1964 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1964-11-05/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''80.79%''' ''656''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|19.21% ''156''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1960 United States presidential election|1960]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1960 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1960-11-10/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''69.44%''' ''500''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|30.56% ''220''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1956 United States presidential election|1956]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1956 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1956-11-08/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.81% ''247''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''56.67%''' ''327''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1952 United States presidential election|1952]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1956 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1952-11-06/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|41.80% ''232''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''58.20%''' ''323''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1948 United States presidential election|1948]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1948 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1948-11-04/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''60.55%''' ''264''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.30% ''167''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1940 United States presidential election|1940]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1940 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1940-11-07/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.32%''' ''241''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.68% ''152''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1936 United States presidential election|1936]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1936 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1936-11-04/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''73.35%''' ''256''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|24.07% ''167''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1928 United States presidential election|1928]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waunakee Election Results |title=1928 General Election Results |url=https://waunakeelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/waunakee-tribune/1928-11-08/ |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''76.20%''' ''269''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|23.80% ''84''
|}
</div>

==Education==
Waunakee is served by the Waunakee Community School District, whose schools include:
* Arboretum Elementary School (serves eastern/southeastern part of school district)
* Heritage Elementary School (serves southern and central part of school district)
* Prairie Elementary School (serves northern and western part of school district)
* Waunakee Intermediate School
* Waunakee Community Middle School
* [[Waunakee Community High School]]

The three public elementary schools serve students from kindergarten through 4th grade, the intermediate school 5th and 6th grades, the middle school 7th and 8th grades, and the high school grades 9 through 12. The community broke ground to build a new middle school in September 2024, which is scheduled to open fall of 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Chad |date=September 20, 2024 |title=Waunakee Community School District breaks ground on new middle school |url=https://www.wkow.com/news/education/waunakee-community-school-district-breaks-ground-on-new-middle-school/article_17f7a6d8-778b-11ef-8305-fb94599bb21c.html |access-date=March 11, 2025 |website=WKOW |language=en}}</ref>

Private schools include St. John the Baptist Catholic School and [[Madison Country Day School]].

==Transportation==
[[File:Waunakee Rauilroad Depot - panoramio.jpg|thumb|[[Waunakee station]]]]

Major highways:
* [[Interstate 39]]/[[Interstate 90|90]]/[[Interstate 94|94]] (concurrently) – has an exit for Waunakee at Wisconsin Highway 19, east of the city
* [[U.S. Route 12]] – runs 4 miles west of Waunakee, with a connection via WIS-19
* [[Wisconsin Highway 19]] – heads west to [[Springfield Corners, Wisconsin|Springfield Corners]], U.S. 12, and [[Mazomanie, Wisconsin|Mazomanie]]; east to I-39/90/94 and [[Sun Prairie, Wisconsin|Sun Prairie]]
* [[Wisconsin Highway 113]] – heads north to [[Dane, Wisconsin|Dane]], [[Lodi, Wisconsin|Lodi]], [[Merrimac Ferry]], and [[Baraboo, Wisconsin|Baraboo]]; south to [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]]

The Waunakee Airport (FAA ID 6P3) is a privately owned general aviation airport {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} south of the village center. A number of homes are along the runway, and many have hangars, allowing the airport to function as an [[airpark]]. Commercial air service is provided by [[Dane County Regional Airport]].

A [[Wisconsin and Southern Railroad|Wisconsin and Southern railroad]] line runs through town en route to Dane, Lodi, Baraboo, and [[Reedsburg, Wisconsin|Reedsburg]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://watcocompanies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/WSOR1.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 1, 2016 |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818110117/https://watcocompanies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/WSOR1.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Waunakee station]] previously served passengers until 1963.

==Notable people==
<!--Only notable people with articles on Wikipedia to be added, sorted alphabetically by surname-->
{{div col}}
* [[Martha Bablitch]], Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals; lived in Waunakee
* [[John Bennett (athlete)|John Bennett]], [[1956 Summer Olympics]] long jump silver medalist; lived in Waunakee
* [[Ernest J. Briskey]], Vice President, Technical and Administration of [[Campbell Soup Company]]; Dean of Agricultural Science of [[Oregon State University]]; lived in Waunakee
* [[Ron Dayne]], [[Heisman Trophy]] winner (1999), [[College Football Hall of Fame]]r, [[NFL]] player; lived in Waunakee
* [[Bernice Fitz-Gibbon]], advertising executive; born outside of Waunakee
* [[Edward E. Fitzgibbon]], Wisconsin State Representative; born and lived outside of Waunakee
* [[Pat Ford (ice hockey)|Pat Ford]], ice hockey player; lives in Waunakee
* [[Lawrence Johnson (American football)|Lawrence Johnson]], [[NFL]] cornerback; lives in Waunakee
* [[Kenneth A. Koon]], [[Army National Guard]] general; native of Waunakee
* [[Mike Moh]], martial artist/actor; lives in Waunakee
* [[David D. O'Malley]], Wisconsin State Representative; lived in Waunakee
* [[Cy Pieh]], [[Major League Baseball]] player; born in Waunakee
* [[Robert Campbell Reeve]], founder of [[Reeve Aleutian Airways]]; born in Waunakee
* [[Jack Salzwedel]], chairman and CEO of [[American Family Insurance]]; lives in Waunakee
* [[Kelly Sheffield]], [[Wisconsin Badgers women's volleyball]] coach; lives in Waunakee
* [[Georgia Thompson]], civil servant; lived in Waunakee
* [[J.B. Van Hollen]], former [[Attorney General]] of Wisconsin; lives in Waunakee
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.vil.waunakee.wi.us/ Village of Waunakee]
* [http://www.waunakeetribune.com/ ''Waunakee Tribune'' newspaper]
* Sanborn fire insurance map: [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/12383 1894]

{{Madison}}
{{Dane County, Wisconsin}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Madison, Wisconsin, metropolitan statistical area]]
[[Category:Villages in Dane County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Villages in Wisconsin]]