Shorewood Hills is a village in
Dane County
Dane County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin after Milwaukee County, Wiscon ...
,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, United States. It was established in 1927. The population was 2,169 at the
2020 census. Entirely surrounded by the city of
Madison and
Lake Mendota
Lake Mendota is a freshwater eutrophic lake that is the northernmost and largest of the four lakes in Madison, Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. The lake borders Madison on the north, east, and south, Middleton, Wisconsin, Middleton on the west, Sho ...
, it is part of the Madison
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Shorewood Hills is located at (43.078562, -89.445332).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the village has a total area of , all of it land.
The village is bounded on the east by the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...
campus, on the south by University Avenue, on the west by the Indian Hills neighborhood of
Madison and on the north by
Lake Mendota
Lake Mendota is a freshwater eutrophic lake that is the northernmost and largest of the four lakes in Madison, Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. The lake borders Madison on the north, east, and south, Middleton, Wisconsin, Middleton on the west, Sho ...
.
City Services
Shorewood Hills is served by the Shorewood Hills Police Department. Prior to 2013, the Shorewood Hills Fire Department provided fire and emergency medical services to the village. Starting in October 2013, a contract with the city of Madison was established, in which the Madison Fire Department began providing these services to the village of Shorewood Hills.
Transportation
Shorewood Hills main
arterial road
An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights o ...
is University Avenue which connects Shorewood Hills to Downtown Madison to the east and the rest of the west side of Madison as well as
Middleton to the west. Shorewood Hills is well served by
Metro Transit via routes A, C, F, J, R, 28, 38 and 65. Shorewood Hills is served by the Shorewood
Bus Rapid Transit station on the A and F routes. The nearest commercial airport is
Dane County Regional Airport
Dane County Regional Airport (DCRA) , also known as Truax Field, is a civil-military airport located northeast of downtown Madison, Wisconsin. In the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2025� ...
. Shorewood Hills is connected to Madison's extensive bike path network. The
Wisconsin & Southern railroad passes through the village via the Prairie Subdivision.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2020, there were 2,277 people, 950 households, and 625 families living in the village. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 660 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 76.3%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 2.4%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3%
Native American, 10.7%
Asian, 0.7% from
other races, and 9.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 5.1% of the population. 11.2% of the population were born outside of the United States .
The median family income is $123,200 (mean of $206,570). 65.4% of village residents possess a graduate or professional degree and 90% have attained a bachelor's degree. This ranks the village 6th in the US in the "Average Education Index" (
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
) among all cities with a population over 1,000, ahead of Stanford, CA and Chevy Chase, MD.
There were 950 households, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.5% had a male householder with no wife present. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
The median age in the village was 40.3 years. 22.0% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 18.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.5% male and 51.5% female.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 1,565 people, 620 households, and 478 families living in the village. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 660 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 91.2%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.0%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.1%
Native American, 5.2%
Asian, 0.1% from
other races, and 2.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 3.8% of the population.
There were 620 households, of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the village was 48.4 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.1% were from 25 to 44; 35.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.
2000 census
At the 2000
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
,
there were 1,732 people, 640 households and 504 families living in the village. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 2,139.8 per square mile (825.6/km
2). There were 664 housing units at an average density of 820.3 per square mile (316.5/km
2). The racial makeup of the village was 91.97%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.44%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.12%
Native American, 2.83%
Asian, 1.62% from
other races, and 2.02% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 3.18% of the population.
There were 640 households, of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 18.0% 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 2.59 and the average family size was 2.94.
Age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 16.7% from 25 to 44, 36.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
The
median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
was $122,879, and the median family income was $131,265. Males had a median income of $93,506 versus $51,667 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the village was $57,328. About 2.3% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
The
First Unitarian Society Meeting House, designed by
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
, and suggestive of hands held together in prayer, is in Shorewood Hills.
Shorewood Hills' Blackhawk Country Club has several well-preserved
effigy mound
An effigy mound is a raised pile of earth built in the shape of a stylized animal, symbol, religious figure, human, or other figure. The Effigy Moundbuilder culture is primarily associated with the years 550–1200 CE during the Late Woodland P ...
s on its golf greens, including several linear mounds, as well as a bear-shaped mound and a large goose-shaped mound. These mounds are believed to have been built by
Mound Building people between 500 and 1500 AD.
The Radiation Center, the first private medical center to treat cancer patients with a
betatron
A betatron is a type of cyclic particle accelerator for electrons. It consists of a torus-shaped vacuum chamber with an electron source. Circling the torus is an iron transformer core with a wire winding around it. The device functions simil ...
, was opened by Dr.
O. Arthur Stiennon in 1957 in Doctors' Park at 2716 Marshall Court. In 1993, the facility was demolished and a
Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children.
RMHC has a global network of ...
was erected on the site.
[Village Heritage](_blank)
Village of Shorewood Hills.
Education
Shorewood Hills Elementary School (SHES), located near the center of the village, serves students from
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
through fifth grade, with an enrollment of approximately 500. It has three playgrounds, after-school programs, and a recreation program. It is part of the
Madison Metropolitan School District.
Politics
Shorewood Hills is governed by a Board of Trustees, composed of six Trustees, a Treasurer, and a President. In 2025, incumbent village President John Imes narrowly defeated former village trustee Rocky van Asten.
Notable people
*
Thomas D. Brock, discoverer of thermophilic bacteria that led to the development of
Polymerase Chain Reaction
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample rapidly, allowing scientists to amplify a very small sample of DNA (or a part of it) sufficiently to enable detailed st ...
(PCR).
*
Suzy Favor Hamilton, middle-distance runner.
*
Eric Heiden
Eric Arthur Heiden (born June 14, 1958) is an American physician and a former long track speed skater, road cyclist and track cyclist. He won an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at th ...
and
Beth Heiden
Elizabeth Lee Heiden Reid (born September 27, 1959) is an American athlete who excelled in speed skating, cross-country skiing, and bicycle racing. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She was a speedskating bronze medalist at the 1980 Lake Placi ...
, who won medals for
speed skating
Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long-track speed skating, short-track speed skating, and marathon speed skat ...
at the
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States.
Lake Placid was elected ...
. The Heiden siblings also achieved success in
cycling
Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...
. They were raised in Shorewood Hills and the
skating rink in the village contains a recreational facility, the "Heiden Haus", named after the Heiden family.
*
Howard Temin
Howard Martin Temin (December 10, 1934 – February 9, 1994) was an American geneticist and virologist. He discovered reverse transcriptase in the 1970s at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, for which he shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Phys ...
, discovered
reverse transcriptase
A reverse transcriptase (RT) is an enzyme used to convert RNA genome to DNA, a process termed reverse transcription. Reverse transcriptases are used by viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B to replicate their genomes, by retrotransposon mobi ...
for which he shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
References
External links
Village of Shorewood Hills Government
{{Dane County, Wisconsin
Villages in Dane County, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, metropolitan statistical area
Populated places established in 1927
1927 establishments in Wisconsin
Enclaves in the United States