Wisconsin Elevation ToolsOpen Property on the map →

Property · Click a point

Select a Wisconsin property boundary for terrain analysis

This Wisconsin property boundary map loads the parcel under your click from the statewide parcel map and uses it as the analysis area for every other tool. Contours, slope, drainage, winter sun and the property report are then clipped to the parcel rather than a rectangle drawn by eye.

It is the starting point for most jobs on this site: find the place by address or name, select the parcel, then pick the question you want answered. It queries the public statewide parcel aggregation. Local gaps, outdated geometry and missing identifiers can occur; the panel reports when no usable parcel is found.

Free to run · pay to download

Free to run, and free to save as a PNG image of the map. This tool has no file export of its own. For the terrain as a file, Download Data exports contours, a GeoTIFF or a 3D mesh with a pass: US$29 for 24 hours, US$99 for 30 days or US$399 for 12 months.

Open Property on the map →Pass prices and what’s included

Who uses this

  • Buyers. Measure the parcel they are actually buying, not the field next door.
  • Architects and designers. Start a site analysis from the parcel boundary and parcel ID.
  • Real estate agents. Pull terrain facts for a listing in a couple of clicks.

When to use it

  • You want contours, slope, sunlight or drainage clipped to a parcel rather than a rectangle drawn by eye.
  • You are comparing several properties and want each one measured on the same footing.
  • You need the parcel number, county and acreage alongside the terrain.

Tools for your job

Property is one step in a bigger question. These are the jobs it helps with, and the tools that go with it.

For the job: Buying a lot or rural acreage

What is the ground like, and how does it compare with the others on my list?

  1. 1.Property (this tool) — Selects the county parcel so every other tool is clipped to the boundary.
  2. 2.Property Report — A PDF with contours, slope, aspect, winter sun, drainage and elevation for that one parcel.
  3. 3.Saved Properties — Up to 5 places side by side: elevation, slope, winter sun and drainage.
  4. 4.Water & Drainage — Terrain flow paths and potential ponding; rainfall and flood extent are not modeled.

How to use it

  1. Open Property and zoom in until parcel lines appear on the map.
  2. Click inside the parcel. The boundary is fetched and drawn as the analysis area.
  3. Search an address or place name in the top bar to jump to the area instead of panning.
  4. Switch to any area tool. Its results are clipped to the parcel until you clear or redraw the area.

Step by step: a Madison parcel

We select a parcel in Madison, in Dane County, so the other tools measure only inside it.

1.Open Property from the tool rail and zoom in until the parcel lines show. The panel asks for a click.

2.One click inside the lot fetches its boundary from the statewide parcel map, with the parcel ID, county and acreage in the panel. The outline is now the analysis area for every other tool.

What it showed

  • The boundary follows the local government’s parcel map, including corners you would never draw by eye. It is a GIS map, not a survey.
  • Switch to Slope & Aspect, Sunlight or Water & Drainage. Each is clipped to this outline until you clear it.
Try it yourself on a Madison parcel →

How it works

The click queries the Wisconsin Statewide Parcel Map Initiative’s public service directly. The returned local-government parcel polygon supplies its identifier, county and available site details. County lookup is only needed when no parcel is returned.

The polygon becomes a cookie cutter: terrain is loaded for its bounding box, and every tool masks its result to the polygon so nothing outside the boundary is counted.

Reading the results

The panel shows the parcel number, the county, and the site address and acreage where the county publishes them, with the county’s own disclaimer.

Downloads from the other tools carry the parcel in their metadata.

Limits and caveats

  • Parcel lines are the assessor’s maps, drawn for property tax, not surveys. They can differ from fences, corners and recorded surveys on the ground. For a boundary question or a setback, hire a licensed land surveyor.
  • The statewide aggregation includes all Wisconsin counties, but local gaps, outdated boundaries and missing identifiers can occur. If no usable parcel is returned, draw or upload the boundary instead.
  • Very large rural parcels may exceed a tool’s area limit. The tool will say so; draw a smaller area inside the parcel instead.
  • The statewide parcel service is a live external dependency. If it is down, no boundary is selected and a notice asks you to try again.

Data and attribution

Results come from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) bare-earth elevation model: lidar at 3.3 ft per pixel where it has been flown, with older lidar at about 9.8 ft per pixel and coarser sources at about 33 ft per pixel elsewhere, with elevations above NAVD 88. The optional surface model is limited to Brown County. Outside usable regional data, Sunlight, Viewshed and Sightline fall back to bare earth; Object Heights needs usable surface data. Surface and ground source dates can differ.

USGS 3DEP elevation data and USGS maps are U.S. Government works in the public domain: you may use the results, including commercially. A credit to the USGS 3D Elevation Program is appreciated, and every file you download carries it. Wisconsin parcel boundaries are aggregated local-government data, not legal surveys; the parcel disclaimer accompanies the selection. Brown County surface data is credited separately when used. The Esri aerial basemap follows Esri’s terms and is display-only; downloadable aerial photos use USGS NAIP.

Questions

Are parcel lines survey accurate?

No. Parcel maps are drawn by counties and municipalities for assessment and records, and the lines can differ from fences, corners and recorded surveys on the ground. For a boundary question or a setback, hire a licensed land surveyor.

Can I search by address?

Yes. The search bar takes a street address or a place name anywhere in Wisconsin and jumps there; then click the parcel. Searching by parcel number is not available yet.

Why does my county say it is not covered?

Each county publishes its own parcel data, and only the counties with an open web service are wired in so far. You can still draw the area by hand or upload a boundary file and use every tool.

Ready to try it?

Open Property on the map →

Free to use, no account. The parcel is looked up from the county’s service through this site’s server. Downloading the results needs a pass: see pricing.