Sitting away from other major population centers, Madison, Wis., is a hidden Midwestern gem. Its downtown is between two lakes, Mendota and Monona, making Madison one of only two major U.S. cities built on an isthmus (the other is Seattle). With a population of about 260,000, its beating heart is a mix of the Wisconsin State Capitol and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a combination that gives the town its unique personality. When it comes to residential real estate, the downtown market has been hot lately. One contributor has been the youthful, tech-centric staff at Epic, the health records software company located on a campus 11 miles south in Verona, one of 14 communities comprising greater Madison. But Madison’s most expensive housing is in historic Maple Bluff. The roughly 1,300-person village has waterfront properties, bungalows and colonials, not to mention the 16,000-square-foot governor’s residence.

Event of the year

Eighty-thousand rabid fans pack into the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium for games during college football season. If you’re not wearing Badgers red from fall to winter, it’s because you’re wearing Green Bay Packers green on Sundays.

Advice for the buyer

“In terms of the highest-end real estate around Madison, we’re talking Maple Bluff,” says Susi Haviland, a realtor with Stark Company Realtors. “It’s on the lake, which is where you’re going to get the highest prices. You pay a lot—or you give up a lot—to be on the water.”

Membership to have

Maple Bluff Country Club, with roots dating back to 1899, is one of the oldest golf clubs in Wisconsin. It has an 18-hole course in addition to a swimming pool, tennis courts and a fitness center.

Notable stops and shops