$351,778Average Value$321Average Price per Sq Ft0Homes For Sale
Eken Park is experiencing a post-industrial revitalization
Eken Park originated as housing for industrial workers in Madison's Northside, but it’s transforming into a green, residential neighborhood known for community events and craftsmanship. The major Oscar Meyer plant on Packers Avenue, closed in 2017, is being redeveloped into a mixture of housing, green space and employers. Neighbors socialize while tending to the community garden, visiting local pubs or participating in family events at Eken Park. Eken Park's competitive home prices, easy transportation access and wealth of local businesses contribute to its continuing rebirth.
Eken Park is in the shadow of the old Oscar Mayer Plant, undergoing major redevelopment
Various home styles, including ranchers and Cape Cods, can be found in Eken Park.
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Vintage, competitively priced homes attract first-time buyers
Most of Eken Park’s homes were built from the 1920s to the 1950s, and they tend to be compact bungalow and ranch-style homes. “They’re certainly small starter homes, but they provide people access to the housing market,” says Matt Deadman, a real estate agent with Real Broker LLC and broker-owner of Matt Deadman Homes. Properties larger than 1,500 square feet have sold from the upper $400,000s to the upper $500,000s, while smaller homes sold from the low $200,000s to the high $400,000s. Eken Park’s median sale price of $340,000 is lower than neighboring Emerson East's $395,000 and the city’s $415,000, reflecting its older and smaller stock. “It’s an affordable option for the near-east side neighborhoods of Willy, Atwood and Shane that people want to get into. It still allows them affordable housing with walkable amenities, and it’s just very close to the Capitol,” Deadman says. Sidewalks are common, and some streets have dense trees and shrubs along each curb.
Modest, quaint homes can be found on many quiet residential streets.
A green Cape Cod/Colonial-style house in the Eken Park neighborhood.
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An old factory is giving way to new homes and creative spaces
Though Eken Park’s housing stock is almost entirely midcentury-built, the closed Oscar Mayer headquarters is being converted into OM Station, a mixture of new offices, creative spaces and low-cost residences. The project, taken over by OM Development in the summer of 2025, is also slated to include rapid-transit buses and the creation of greenways. Creatives already utilize the plant by learning crafts like welding, stained glass and screen printing at The Bodgery, a membership-based makerspace.
Eken Park is close to major Madison conveniences
Eken Park is located between U.S. Route 151 and Wisconsin Highway 113, connecting the neighborhood to:
Dane County Regional Airport, two miles away
Downtown Madison, three miles away
UnityPoint Health – Meriter Hospital, five miles away
For residents who prefer public transportation, the B and D lines of the Metro Transit bus system can ferry commuters downtown within 20 minutes. Within Eken Park, bicycle lanes on major roads like Commercial Avenue make cycling easy, and every road has sidewalks for pedestrians.
Eken Park is served by Madison Metro.
With a short drive down East Washington Ave, Eken Park residents can reach downtown.
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Green spaces like Demetral Park surround the neighborhood
Eken Park takes its name from a small green space that includes a playground and open spaces for field sports and picnics. Several other parks surround the neighborhood, including Demetral Park—which includes a dog park and spaces for baseball and volleyball—and McCormick Park, which has its own dog park in addition to a community garden. The East Madison Little League plays at four baseball diamonds at the neighborhood’s northwest edge. Cyclists and joggers can travel along the neighborhood’s edges via the Starkweather Creek Path. North of Eken Park, the 18-hole Bridges Golf Course is open to the public.
The signage for Washington Manor Park in the Eken Park neighborhood
A caterpillar sculpture/play equipment at Eken Park in Madison, WI.
The playground equipment at Washington Manor Park in Eken Park.
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Eclectic small businesses mix with chain restaurants
The neighborhood is surrounded by both small businesses and chain restaurants. While Washington Avenue is home to the local McDonald’s and Taco Bell, local streets like Commercial Avenue feature local mainstays. “It’s got a number of very eclectic bars and restaurants that people really seem to like: the Tip Top Tavern, Ogden’s. I think people really like being able to walk to those,” Deadman says. Visitors to the Tip Top Tavern can order pub classics like Reuben sandwiches, burgers and cheese curds. Across the street, Ogden’s North Street Diner serves breakfast and lunch foods from the early morning until 2 PM. Dexter’s Pub hosts events like trivia nights and the classic Wisconsin fish fry. Nearby grocery options include Pick ‘n Save and the Madison Oriental Market.
The exterior of Tip Top Tavern, at the corner of North Street and Commercial Ave
Close-up detail of the beer tap handles at Tip Top Tavern's bar, in Eken Park.
Locals gather inside the Tip Top Tavern, a cozy bar and grill in Eken Park.
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Eken Park hosts an annual festival inspired by the circus
Eken Park hosted performances by the Ringling Brothers Circus during the 1920s, and that tradition is kept alive by the Eken Park Festival a century later. The festival, held every August, includes live music, craft stations, food vendors and a children’s parade where kids can show off the crafts and banners they made. The event is hosted by the North Street Neighborhood Association, which also hosts monthly neighborhood socials at Dexter’s Pub.
Public schools are blocks away from home
Students can attend the Madison Metropolitan School District, including Emerson Elementary School, two blocks outside Eken Park. The highly rated Madison East High School, also close by, sorts students into four Small Learning Community Neighborhoods to help them build stronger relationships with teachers and other students. The state’s school choice policy means that students can apply for other public schools in the same district, or attend private schools.
Emerson Elementary School is located in Madison.
Sherman Middle School
The entrance and signage for Madison East High School in Emerson East.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Eken Park
US
Homicide
4
4
Sexual Assault
5
4
Assault with Weapon
4
4
Robbery
3
4
Burglary
5
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
5
4
Larceny
5
4
Crime Score
4
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Eken Park Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Eken Park, Madison sell after 25 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Eken Park, Madison over the last 12 months is $345,000, up 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
