Neighborhood Guide · Dane County
McFarland sits just southeast of Madison on the east shore of Lake Waubesa, with the Yahara River running right through the village. It was platted in 1856 by William McFarland, a railroad man, and his 1857 boarding house on Exchange Street is still the place to get breakfast. Today it has its own school district, a mile-long boardwalk across the lake, and a festival every September that brings out the whole town.
Our team has helped buyers, sellers, and relocating families across Dane County since 2012, and our founder, Cait Berry, is a sixth-generation Madisonian. McFarland is one of those places people often find after looking everywhere else, and it surprises them how different it feels depending on where you land. This guide is what we walk our own clients through: where each part of the village sits, what drives home values, what it costs to own here, and how the year actually feels. If you only have a minute, jump to the section you need.
8,991
Residents (2020 Census)
1 mile
Boardwalk across Lake Waubesa
$475,000
Median single-family sale, 2026 so far
74
Homes sold, January to September 2026
Market figures: Village of McFarland single-family sales, January to September 2026, South Central Wisconsin MLS.
The honest version
We would rather you find the right town than the wrong house. Here is how we talk about McFarland with our own clients.
Getting around
US Highway 51 runs north and south through the village toward the Beltline and Stoughton, and Siggelkow Road heads west to the interstate. Here is what typical drives look like outside of rush hour.
One thing we always mention: on a nice day, the Lower Yahara River Trail takes you from McDaniel Park across the lake to the Capital City Trail, and from there you can ride all the way into Madison. If you will be commuting at peak times, we are happy to map your actual route from any home you are considering.
The market
Homes in McFarland range from lake-adjacent properties and older established neighborhoods to newer subdivisions built with parks and paths in mind. In our experience, home values here are shaped most by:
In other words, two homes can look similar online but live very differently once you are there. When we price a home or write an offer here, we pull the sales from that specific part of the village, not the village-wide median.
The five September sales ran from the $300,000s to the $700,000s.
With so few condo sales, one sale can move the median a lot.
The 2026 median so far is about 4% higher than 2025's.
Well-priced homes are still selling in about a week.
In other words, one month with only five sales can swing the numbers, but the bigger picture is steady: McFarland prices are up a little for the year, and homes are moving quickly. Year-over-year changes compare September 2026 with September 2025.
Source: South Central Wisconsin MLS, Village of McFarland, report pulled October 20, 2026.
Compare the areas
McFarland is small, but the neighborhoods feel distinct. Locals usually describe where they live by the lake, a street, or a park rather than a subdivision name. Start with what matters most to you, then read the notes below.
Lake Waubesa and the Yahara River
Exchange Street and the village core
Highland Oaks, Fieldstone, and Autumn Grove
Parkside and condo living
The ways buyers usually describe where a McFarland home sits.
This is the version of McFarland most people picture. Life here revolves around the water, with boats, kayaks, and evening walks along the lake built into everyday routines. It feels relaxed and a little tucked away.
People usually say they are near the lake, close to McDaniel Park, or along the Yahara rather than naming a neighborhood.
The most walkable and connected part of town, close to the library, Arnold Larson Park, the McFarland House Cafe, and the places people naturally gather.
If someone says they live near Exchange Street, Main Street, or the library, this is the part of town they usually mean.
Newer homes and quieter streets, with Highland Oaks Park and its playground and shelter at the center.
Tucked in and quiet, this pocket appeals to buyers who want a calm residential feel without being far from everything else.
If you hear someone say they are off Falling Leaves Lane, this is the area they are talking about.
Where the conversation usually goes for buyers who want lower-maintenance living while staying in McFarland, including Parkside and Waubesa Shores.
Do your research
McFarland is served by the McFarland School District, with one school for each grade band: McFarland Primary School (4K through 2nd grade), Waubesa Intermediate School (3rd through 5th), Indian Mound Middle School (6th through 8th), and McFarland High School. The district also runs online charter schools, including Wisconsin Virtual Academy. Check the district boundary map for the exact edges of the district.
District boundaries do not always match mailing addresses. Always confirm by address.
Schools matter here, but locals usually talk about them in terms of routines rather than rankings: walking routes, drop-off, and how the school day fits into family life. What makes a school the right fit is personal, so we encourage every buyer to do their own research. The district's website, the Wisconsin DPI school report cards, and an in-person visit are great places to start. When you are serious about a home, we will confirm the school district for that exact address before you write an offer.
Beyond the price
Purchase price is only part of the picture. These are the numbers we walk through with buyers before they fall in love with a house.
When the village adopted its 2026 budget, the Leader Independent reported a village rate of $5.78 per $1,000 of assessed value, down 20 cents from the year before. The school district, Dane County, and Madison College are added on top, so we pull the actual tax bill for every home you consider.
Water and sewer come from the village's own utility, and curbside garbage and recycling are handled through the village. Pickup days are on the village's garbage and recycling page.
Both MGE and Alliant Energy list McFarland in their service areas, so the provider depends on the address. We confirm it for every home you consider.
Condos and some newer neighborhoods have association dues and rules, so we request the documents early. Waterfront homes can also come with piers, shoreline upkeep, and permits.
Figures are a starting point, not a quote. Tax rates change every year and depend on the exact parcel.
A year in mcfarland
The best way to understand a town is to know what everyone is doing each season. Here is how a year in McFarland tends to go.
Winter
Lake Waubesa freezes over and the ice fishing shanties head out, and the E.D. Locke Public Library is a favorite stop on cold afternoons.
Spring
The McFarland Farmers' Market opens on Saturday mornings in May, the Memorial Day parade comes through town, and boats go back in on Lake Waubesa.
Summer
Families spend afternoons at the McDaniel Park beach, paddlers and cyclists cross the boardwalk, and Friday fish fry is a weekly event. For the Fourth, locals head to the fireworks in Monona or Stoughton.
Fall
The McFarland Community Festival takes over downtown on the fourth weekend of September with a carnival, a parade, live music, and a 5K, and Friday nights belong to Spartans football.
Holidays
Winter Wonderland in the Village, usually the first Saturday in December, brings business open houses, a craft fair, a Santa parade, and a bonfire.
Where locals go
These are the places we send clients when they ask what they would actually do on a Saturday here.
A mile-long boardwalk across Lake Waubesa from McDaniel Park to the Capital City Trail.
The village beach on Lake Waubesa, with a shelter and a kayak launch.
Camping, a fishing pier, and a boat launch where the Yahara leaves Lake Waubesa.
Trails, a campground, and a boat launch across the lake, now named for William G. Lunney.
The Lewis Mound Group, Woodland-era burial mounds overlooking Lake Waubesa.
The downtown gazebo at Farwell and Main.
Soccer fields and a skate park on the north side of the village.
Story times, events, and a good book on Milwaukee Street.
Breakfast, sandwiches, and Chocolate Shoppe ice cream in William McFarland's 1857 boarding house.
Scratch-made breakfast and lunch on Highway 51.
Coffee, breakfast, and a big patio on Farwell Street.
Thin-crust tavern pizza on Main Street since 1974.
A Lake Waubesa supper club known for its Friday fish fry.
Prime rib, broasted chicken, and a salad bar, run by the same family since 1985.
A lakeside bar and grill across the water that you can get to by boat.
A wine bar with flatbreads, a patio, and live music.
Relocating to McFarland
A lot of our McFarland buyers are moving to the Madison area for work and want a lake town with its own schools and an easy drive into the city. You don't know what you don't know about a new town, and that is exactly where a local team earns its keep. Here is how we usually do it.
01
We start with your commute, your budget, your must-haves, and your timeline, and talk about how McFarland compares to Monona, Cottage Grove, and Stoughton.
02
We narrow the village down to the two or three areas that fit and tell you why, including the tradeoffs.
03
If you cannot be here, we tour homes live on video, drive the street at night and on a weekday morning, and confirm the school district for the exact address.
04
When you do fly in, the weekend is mapped out so you see the right homes and the neighborhoods around them.
05
We handle inspection, appraisal, and the local details from here, and keep you updated every step of the way.
Already in McFarland?
If you love the village but have outgrown the house, or you are ready for something closer to the lake or lower maintenance, the biggest question is usually whether to buy first or sell first. The answer depends on your equity, your financing, and how much inventory is available in the part of town you want next. We will lay out both paths with real numbers for your home, then help you decide which order makes sense.
Questions we hear
For a lot of buyers, yes. McFarland has Lake Waubesa, its own school district, parks and trails that get used year-round, and an easy drive to Madison and Monona. The tradeoffs are a small downtown and not many homes for sale at any one time.
McFarland is just southeast of Madison along Highway 51. Downtown Madison is about 15 to 20 minutes away outside of rush hour, Monona is about 10 minutes, and the airport is about 20.
McFarland is in the McFarland School District, with McFarland Primary, Waubesa Intermediate, Indian Mound Middle, and McFarland High School. District lines do not always match mailing addresses, so always confirm by address.
The village's 2026 budget set a village rate of $5.78 per $1,000 of assessed value, according to the Leader Independent. School, county, and Madison College taxes are added on top, so we pull the actual bill for every home you consider.
In September 2026, the median single-family sale in the Village of McFarland was $523,014, and homes sold in a median of 4 days. The 2026 median so far is $475,000, about 4% higher than 2025's.
The festival is held downtown on the fourth weekend of September, with a carnival, a parade, live music, a 5K, and plenty of food.
Yes. McDaniel Park has a beach and a kayak launch, Babcock County Park has a boat launch and fishing pier, and the Lower Yahara River Trail boardwalk crosses the lake toward Madison.
Talk to the Insiders Realty team
In McFarland, two homes can look similar online but live very differently once you are there. Whether you are moving from across the country or across town, we will help you narrow down the neighborhoods, understand the real costs, and make a plan. Grab 15 minutes with us this week.
9,230 people live in McFarland, WI, where the median age is 40.9 and the average individual income is $53,329. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Population
Median Age
Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.
Average individual Income
