Neighborhood Guide · Dane County
Nakoma sits on the hills above Lake Wingra, where curving streets follow the land instead of a grid and stone walls mark the corners. Kids walk to Thoreau Elementary on Nakoma Road, neighbors line up for the Fourth of July parade, and a short ride takes you into the UW Arboretum or down to Monroe Street for coffee. More than a century after it was platted, it still feels like a village tucked inside the city.
Our team has helped buyers, sellers, and relocating families across Dane County, and Nakoma is one of the west side neighborhoods we know best. Homes here sell quickly and often to buyers who have been waiting for the right street, so knowing the neighborhood before you need it matters. This guide covers what daily life looks like, what homes cost right now, and how to tell if it is the right fit for you.
~700
Homes in the neighborhood
1915
Year Nakoma was developed
$819,000
Median single-family sale, 2026
10
Median days on market
Market figures: Nakoma single-family sales, January 1 through October 20, 2026, South Central Wisconsin MLS.
The honest version
We would rather you find out now than after closing. Nakoma is a close-knit, established neighborhood, and it suits some buyers perfectly and frustrates others.
A little history
In 1914 and 1915, the Madison Realty Company bought farmland along Verona Road and set out to build a neighborhood that worked with the hills instead of flattening them. Landscape gardener O.C. Simonds, who also laid out Shorewood Hills, and Leonard S. Smith of the University designed the curving streets. The hills had long been used as campsites by the Ho-Chunk people and their ancestors.
The name was suggested by Charles E. Brown of the State Historical Society and is said to be a Chippewa word meaning "I do as I promise." In 1920, thirty Nakoma women founded what is now the Nakoma League, when there were just 26 homes. In 1934, Aldo Leopold spoke to the League about plans for the new UW Arboretum next door.
Nakoma was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as the Nakoma Historic District, with more than 500 contributing buildings from 1915 to 1946. The oldest is the Old Spring Tavern on Nakoma Road, built in 1854.
Getting around
Nakoma sits between Monroe Street and the Beltline, so you can be downtown, on campus, or on the highway in minutes without living on a busy corridor.
Drive times are typical, not rush hour. Bike routes connect Nakoma to the Arboretum, Lake Wingra, and the rest of the city.
The market
Nakoma is almost entirely single-family homes built between 1915 and the 1940s, with Prairie School, Craftsman, Tudor Revival, and Colonial Revival houses side by side, plus a few International-style designs from the 1930s. Because the neighborhood is fully built out, the supply never really grows. What moves value here:
In other words, two homes a block apart can sell very differently. Pricing here takes local knowledge, not a Zestimate.
Most sales landed between $800,000 and $1 million, with prices ranging from $392,000 to $1.5 million.
The top sales came on Manitou Way, Spring Trail, and Nakoma Road, each at $1 million or more.
In other words, well-priced Nakoma homes go fast. Buyers who are pre-approved and ready to tour the week a home hits the market are the ones who get it.
Source: South Central Wisconsin MLS, sold single-family homes in subdivisions named Nakoma, January 1 through October 20, 2026.
Know the neighborhood
Locals describe where they live by the street, the school, or the park rather than by plat, so that is how we break it down.
Nakoma Road, the school, and Nakoma Park
Manitou Way, Mandan Crescent, and Spring Trail
Huron Hill, Waban Hill, and the curving streets above Lake Wingra
The southern and western edges near Odana Road
Every part of Nakoma is a short walk from the school and the park, but each pocket has its own feel.
The neighborhood's main street and its oldest history, from the 1854 Old Spring Tavern to the 1915 Clements building that once held the neighborhood grocery. Thoreau Elementary and Nakoma Park are right here.
Some of Nakoma's most recognizable streets, marked by the stone walls and turrets the Nakoma League still helps maintain. Several of the year's top sales came from this pocket.
Winding streets with Tudor and Colonial Revival homes from the 1920s, like the houses on Huron Hill and Waban Hill, many with mature trees and views toward the lake.
The edge of the neighborhood closest to the Beltline and Verona Road, a favorite for commuters to Epic and the west side.
Buyers often compare Nakoma with Dudgeon-Monroe, Westmorland, and Sunset Village when they want an established west side neighborhood, and with Shorewood Hills, which shares its street designer. Nakoma tends to win on walkable schools and its location between Monroe Street and the Beltline.
Do your research
Nakoma is served by the Madison Metropolitan School District. Thoreau Elementary sits on Nakoma Road on the site of the neighborhood's original 1917 school, and Cherokee Heights Middle School is on Cherokee Drive in the neighborhood too. Thoreau students move on to Cherokee Heights, with Wright Middle School available through an application lottery, and then West High School.
Having an elementary and a middle school inside the neighborhood is one of the biggest reasons families choose Nakoma.
Boundaries can change, so always confirm the specific address with the district's attendance-area lookup, the Wisconsin DPI school report cards, and a school visit.
Beyond the price
Purchase price is only part of the picture. Here is what else to plan for.
Nakoma is in the City of Madison, so your bill includes the city, Dane County, Madison Metropolitan School District, and Madison College levies. We can pull the most recent tax bill on any home you are considering.
Nakoma's National Register listing recognizes its history. If you are planning a major exterior project, ask us and check with the city before you start.
Most homes here are 80 to 110 years old. Budget for roofs, windows, mechanicals, stonework, and tree care, and get a thorough inspection.
Every resident is automatically a member of the Nakoma League, the neighborhood's social and charitable group since 1920.
Figures are a starting point. Confirm current rates with the City of Madison and the Dane County treasurer before you buy.
A year in nakoma
The Nakoma League keeps the calendar full, and most of it happens within walking distance.
Winter
Twelfth Night Theater brings neighbors together after the holidays, and the Arboretum trails turn into a quiet winter walk.
Spring
The Spring Egg Hunt, the Tulip Dinner, and the Nakoma Garage Sale, when half the neighborhood is out on the sidewalk.
Summer
The Fourth of July Picnic and Parade, long evenings at Nakoma Park, and paddling on Lake Wingra.
Fall
The Fall Gathering, the Halloween Party, and some of the best fall color in Madison along the hill streets and in the Arboretum.
Where locals go
These are the places you will find your neighbors.
The neighborhood's playground and gathering spot at Cherokee Drive and Nakoma Road.
Miles of trails, prairie, and woods right next door.
Paddling, the beach, and the Henry Vilas Zoo, a few minutes from home.
A private club founded in 1921, with an 18-hole course designed by Tom Bendelow.
Coffee, restaurants, and local shops a short walk or bike ride away.
The turrets at Mandan Crescent and Manitou Way, and at Odana Road and Oneida Place, are the neighborhood's signature landmarks.
Some of Madison’s favorite local spots are right around Nakoma, and Monroe Street is a short walk or bike ride away.
A true neighborhood tavern and a local favorite for meeting up with friends.
A Monroe Street restaurant locals love for a night out.
The chocolate shop on Monroe Street, perfect for an after-school or after-dinner treat.
A Monroe Street café for coffee, a bite, and something good to take home.
The Monroe Street coffee shop where half the neighborhood starts its morning.
Bookstores, boutiques, and local businesses a short walk or bike ride from home.
Relocating to Nakoma
Plenty of Nakoma buyers are moving from out of state, often for UW, UW Health, or Epic. Here is how we make it work when you cannot be here every weekend.
01
We start with your commute, your school plans, and your budget, so we know whether Nakoma should be at the top of your list.
02
With only about 20 sales a year, timing matters. We tell you what is coming and what quietly sold, so you are ready when the right house appears.
03
If you cannot be here, we tour for you on video and tell you what the photos leave out, from street traffic to the condition of the basement.
04
When you fly in, we line up the homes, the schools, and Monroe Street so you see the whole neighborhood in a single trip.
05
We handle inspection, appraisal, and every deadline, and introduce you to the local lenders and contractors we trust.
Already in Madison?
If you love the west side but want walkable schools, older homes with character, and the Arboretum at the end of the street, Nakoma is often the next step. We help you time the sale of your current home with the purchase of your next one.
Questions we hear
Nakoma is on Madison's west side, on the hills above Lake Wingra between Monroe Street and the Beltline, next to the UW Arboretum.
Through October 20, 2026, the median single-family sale was $819,000 and the average was about $832,000. Most homes sold between $800,000 and $1 million.
Quickly. The median home in 2026 sold in 10 days, at about 97.8% of list price.
Thoreau Elementary, Cherokee Heights Middle (with Wright Middle by lottery), and West High, all in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Confirm a specific address with the district's attendance-area lookup.
Yes. The Nakoma Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
The Badger Tavern is a neighborhood favorite, and Monroe Street is a short walk or bike ride away for Gates & Brovi, Alimentari, Colectivo, and Madison Chocolate Company.
Curving, tree-lined streets, stone walls and turrets, a century of architecture, walkable schools, and a neighborhood league that has been bringing people together since 1920.
Talk to the Insiders Realty team
Whether you are moving across the country or across town, we will help you find the right street, price it right, and get there first.
1,744 people live in Nakoma, Madison WI, where the median age is 40 and the average individual income is $80,792. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Median Age
Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.
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