Greatest Locations to Stay in Wisconsin

In case you’re studying this, you’re in all probability contemplating someplace in Wisconsin as a spot to name house. And why not? With all of the inexperienced forests, rolling hills, extensive plains, pleasant folks, Packers events and cheese curds, it’s a state that has one thing for everybody (and possibly greater than one thing!).

However what a part of Wisconsin is greatest? Effectively, that is dependent upon what you’re on the lookout for—and we’re right here to present you some pointers.

So, “come’ere as soon as” and let’s check out the perfect locations to reside in Wisconsin.

An Intro to the Badger State

Wisconsin is called the Badger State, and that’s not due to the well-known College of Wisconsin mascot. See, again within the 1820s, miners got here to Wisconsin on the lookout for riches within the hills. Sadly, they didn’t appear to seek out sufficient to construct or purchase a home, so that they dug themselves little burrows in these hills. Of us made enjoyable of the miners by calling them badgers.

These days, most Wisconsinites don’t reside in holes (although some would possibly). The truth is, people in Wisconsin are fairly pleasant—at all times keen to assist out their neighbors and strike up an excellent dialog with a “how’s by you?” They share that trait with their Minnesota-nice cousins to the west, regardless that their soccer groups are bitter rivals.

Talking of soccer, that’s a lifestyle in Wisconsin. The state just about shuts down when the Inexperienced Bay Packers are taking part in. Don’t be stunned when you get invited to a Packers occasion to have “a pair two, tree” beers together with your neighbors. And it’ll be tremendous simple to get there—most cities have good, gridded roadways.

Wisconsinites additionally love the outside. Wisconsin has a number of the most lovely pure surroundings within the nation, together with lakes, rivers and forests. Winters are fairly harsh in Wisconsin, so when spring and summer time come to heat issues up, people wish to get outdoors—even leaving work early to begin the weekend (known as summer time migration Fridays). These summers are good, however they may also be scorching, humid and filled with bugs.

Wisconsin is understood throughout the nation and world wide as America’s Dairyland. The state is the second-largest producer of milk in America and the primary producer of cheese (26% of your complete nation’s provide!).^1,2 That’s why people who reside in Wisconsin are sometimes known as Cheeseheads. Cheese curds and ice cream are favorites of Wisconsinites. Cranberries are additionally an enormous Wisconsin crop, with the state rising greater than half of the world’s provide.³

However all these Packers events, Cheesehead hats and inexperienced hills include a worth. Relying on the place you land, the price of dwelling in Wisconsin will be above the nationwide common—particularly within the cities. Wisconsin additionally has a state revenue tax, but it surely’s fairly low in comparison with different states’ revenue taxes, as is the gross sales tax. Nevertheless, Wisconsin is the eighth-highest on the subject of property taxes.⁴ So make sure you issue that into your price range when you’re planning on shopping for a house.

Greatest Locations to Stay in Wisconsin

Earlier than we go down our checklist of places, let’s get one factor straight: All “greatest locations” lists are subjective, together with this one. Whereas we did use some information (inhabitants, house and hire costs, and so on.), it’s simply our opinion, so what’s greatest for you’ll in the end rely in your private likes and dislikes. For instance, some folks love metropolis life, whereas others choose a spot within the suburbs or a cabin within the woods.

The excellent news is that Wisconsin affords just about any sort of homelife you’d need—from seaside bum to urbanite to nation boy. And so as to add a little bit extra authenticity to our checklist, we consulted a number of pleasant former Cheeseheads, who graciously gave us perception primarily based on their very own private experiences.

Now, let’s have a look at some nice cities in Wisconsin.

Appleton

Town of Appleton describes itself as “One Nice Place,” and it’s simple to see why. It’s the most important of what are known as the Fox Cities, a cluster of 19 communities alongside the Fox River and the northern shore of Lake Winnebago. So Appleton has all of the big-city perks with out the big-city value of dwelling: an enormous shopping center, a world airport, a thriving downtown and extra. The business in Appleton is fairly various—with all the pieces from well being care to schooling to manufacturing (plastics, pencils and paper, oh my!).^5,6

Downtown Appleton affords numerous retailers and eating places to pattern, in addition to a historical past museum and the Fox Cities Performing Arts Heart. There are additionally parades and festivals all year long, with veterans being the main target of many. Essentially the most well-known occasion in Appleton is the four-day Mile of Music, that includes over 200 artists performing all authentic songs. And don’t overlook about all of the enjoyable water-based recreation on each Lake Winnebago and the Fox River, which runs straight by city.

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all property sorts.}

Eau Claire

Town of Eau Claire was integrated in 1872 on the assembly level of the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers. The title comes from the French phrases for “clear water” as a result of, because the story goes, early French pioneers shouted, “Voici l’eau claire!” (“Right here’s the clear water!”) after they first laid eyes on the realm. Given its standing as a river city, Eau Claire began life as a logging and lumber metropolis. At this time, Eau Claire is a middle for industries like manufacturing, well being care and retail.¹³ Each the Mayo Clinic and Nestlé have satellite tv for pc amenities in Eau Claire, and the house enchancment retailer Menards is headquartered within the metropolis.

During the last 20 years, Eau Claire has reinvented itself because the Indie Capital of the Midwest—similar to locations like Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas. That is little question as a result of youthful affect of the College of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The downtown space has been revitalized with public artwork shows, retailers, eating places (the locals love the recent beef sandwiches at Ray’s Place), interconnected bike and strolling paths alongside the rivers, and many reside music festivals. And the Pablo Heart on the Confluence hosts each reside performances and artwork displays.

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all property sorts.}

Inexperienced Bay

If you concentrate on it, the state of Wisconsin sort of appears to be like like a mitten—and Inexperienced Bay is positioned within the nook between the mainland and the “thumb” of the Door Peninsula. Town is Wisconsin’s oldest (its settlement dates again to the 1700s) and the town’s structure displays this lengthy historical past, with completely different kinds and quite a lot of neighborhoods to suit any price range. Inexperienced Bay faces its namesake physique of water to the north and is break up proper down the center by the Fox River, which has fostered a pleasant rivalry with the east and west sides.

However regardless of which facet they name house, the parents who reside in Inexperienced Bay are a hardworking bunch who specialise in two massive industries: cheese and paper.²⁰ The truth is, the world’s first splinter-free bathroom paper was invented in Inexperienced Bay (and we thank them for that!). Inexperienced Bay can be the most important hub for cheese manufacturing and transport within the U.S. (you would say it’s the Cheesehead capital).²¹

Inexperienced Bay residents love the town’s small-town really feel and big-city facilities. There are 67 parks in Inexperienced Bay that present outside recreation of all stripes, together with a riverfront boardwalk. And don’t overlook the Bay Seaside Amusement Park and the NEW (North East Wisconsin) Zoo and Journey Park.

If soccer is a lifestyle in Wisconsin (and it’s), then Inexperienced Bay is the house turf. There’s a purpose why Inexperienced Bay known as Titletown and Packerland. The colours of the Inexperienced Bay Packers will be discovered in every single place. Visitors could also be nonexistent within the state throughout sport days, however in Inexperienced Bay, there’s at all times visitors attending to Lambeau Area—the Packers’ house stadium and the tallest construction within the metropolis. These people love their soccer a lot that the Packers are the one professional staff owned by its followers!

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all property sorts.}

La Crosse

Between the bluffs to the east and the banks of the Mississippi River on “Wisconsin’s West Coast” is La Crosse. Town was named by French explorers within the early 1800s who noticed a tribe of Native Individuals taking part in a sport in an open discipline that was an early model of lacrosse (which the French tailored from them). That open discipline turned the town.

La Crosse will not be very massive by way of sq. mileage, however there’s lots of appeal and exercise packed into it. You’re by no means too removed from any of the town’s highlights—just like the downtown, farmers markets, meals co-ops, museums, arts district, conference middle and extra. The College of Wisconsin-La Crosse retains the native tradition youthful and can be one of many metropolis’s largest employers.²⁸ Different industries embrace well being care, manufacturing and retail.²⁹

Outside recreation is massive in La Crosse. Town has many parks and inexperienced areas, in addition to strolling and biking trails alongside the riverbank and mountain climbing trails within the bluffs. Riverside Park is the town’s outside gathering place and the situation for a lot of of La Crosse’s group occasions like Moon Tunes, Oktoberfest USA and Riverfest. You may also get a trip on the La Crosse Queen, a real Mississippi paddle-wheel boat, on the park’s dock. And through winter, people wish to hit the slopes at Mt. La Crosse Ski Space.

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all property sorts.}

Madison

Inexperienced Bay often is the capital of Wisconsin soccer, however Madison is the precise state capital. Madison’s founder, James Doty, was an enormous fan of the Founding Fathers of the US, naming the town after James Madison—and 38 metropolis streets for the opposite signers of the Structure. Doty additionally had a factor for water, as Madison is positioned on a skinny strip of land between two lakes: Mendota and Monona, which makes for superior views regardless of the place you reside.

The Wisconsin Capitol is kind of actually central to life in Madison. Not solely is it centrally positioned on prime of a hill, however there’s additionally a regulation that claims no constructing within the metropolis will be taller than the Capitol’s columns! The state of Wisconsin can be one of many metropolis’s prime employers, proper behind the College of Wisconsin-Madison and UW Well being.³⁶

However the Capitol isn’t all enterprise. There’s a farmers market on the hill each Saturday from April by November, and the adjoining downtown space hosts numerous occasions all year long. Plus, there are tons of outlets, eating places and museums to discover. Madison additionally has essentially the most parks and playgrounds per capita of any metropolis within the U.S.³⁷ The State Road pedestrian mall extends the downtown space from the Capitol all the best way over to the UW campus, the place the locals cheer on the Badgers in soccer, hockey and basketball. With all this exercise, it’s no surprise that Madison is each the state’s second-largest and fastest-growing metropolis.³⁸

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a two-bedroom condo.}

Milwaukee

We’re all considering it—the town of Milwaukee has a reputation that’s enjoyable to say. And the origin of the title is shrouded in a thriller that goes again to the 1600s. Most historians imagine that the title is predicated on a Native American phrase which means “gathering place by the waters” or “the great land.” However why can’t or not it’s each?

Planted on the shore of Lake Michigan on the assembly of three rivers (Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic), Milwaukee is “good land” that’s been a “gathering place” for folks from all walks of life for a whole lot of years. Its mixture of cultures have all contributed to the town’s identification by meals, artwork, structure and extra. The truth is, the town is called the Beer Capital of the World due to its German immigrants. Brewing isn’t as massive at present although. Town’s largest industries embrace manufacturing, well being care and know-how.⁴⁵ It’s additionally house to some well-known corporations like Miller Brewing, Kohl’s and Harley-Davidson.

Milwaukee’s native tradition undoubtedly embraces a big-city vibe (it’s the state’s greatest metropolis, in any case).⁴⁶ There’s a lot to see and do, particularly after a revitalization effort during the last 15 years. The downtown space is house to the Historic Third Ward—an arts and tradition district with distinctive retailers and eating places, together with the Milwaukee Public Market. Town additionally has a three-mile riverwalk that unites neighborhoods with native points of interest.

Talking of points of interest, there are loads to take a look at, just like the Milwaukee County Zoo, Discovery World, the Milwaukee Artwork Museum and extra. The Henry Maier Competition Park hosts Summerfest, the most important music pageant on the planet. And sports activities followers have two professional groups to root for: the Brewers (MLB) and the Bucks (NBA).

Greatest Milwaukee Suburbs

It’s true that lots of people wish to reside in Milwaukee, however some could not wish to cope with all the issues which might be related to an enormous metropolis (crime, excessive property taxes, and so on.). So listed below are a number of of the encompassing suburbs that make for a straightforward commute into Milwaukee.

Brookfield
Elm Grove
Fox Level
Hartland
Mequon
Muskego
Shorewood
Thiensville
Waukesha
Wauwatosa

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a two-bedroom condo.}

Sheboygan

One other Wisconsin metropolis that has a enjoyable title is Sheboygan (it simply sort of bounces, doesn’t it?). The title comes from a Chippewa phrase which means “passage between the lakes,” and it’s technically between Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago (although it’s actually proper on the Lake Michigan coast).

Integrated in 1846, Sheboygan prides itself on being the Metropolis of 4 C’s: church buildings, kids, cheese and chairs. The primary two are its social basis (religion and household) and the final two are a nod to the historical past of its business. Although furnishings making has declined within the final 40 years, cheese and meals processing are nonetheless an enormous a part of the economic system, as are metallic manufacturing, papermaking and well being care. And firms like Sargento, Kohler and Johnsonville Foodservice are primarily based within the Sheboygan space.⁵³

Cheese could also be a prime meals export, however Sheboygan is actually all about bratwurst, because of its German immigrant heritage. Town is called the Brat Capital of the World, and Sheboyganites are very severe about their brats, with frying being the solely option to cook dinner them. There’s even a brat oath on the town’s web site! So that you’ll discover numerous eating places and bars within the metropolis’s downtown space that fry up brats. And naturally, there’s an annual Brat Days pageant.

Sheboygan is also referred to as the Malibu of the Midwest as a result of it has a number of the greatest lake browsing wherever (who knew?). And the browsing is outwardly even higher within the winter courtesy of the excessive winds off the lake (brrrr!). Alongside the lakeshore, you’ll discover the boardwalk and an old school shanty village with tons extra enjoyable retailers, espresso homes and eating places.

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo sorts.}

Wausau

Wausau (pronounced “wah-sah”) is sort of proper smack-dab within the middle of the state. The title is a Chippewa phrase meaning “faraway place,” and it’s a fairly good description. Based in 1852, Wausau has develop into generally known as Wisconsin’s outside base camp—a jumping-off level to all of the wilderness-fueled journey that northern Wisconsin has to supply.

There are 122 parks in Marathon County, to not point out the miles and miles of mountain climbing and biking trails that encompass Wausau. The Wisconsin River, which cuts by the town, affords alternatives for boating, kayaking and extra. Downtown even has a man-made stretch of white water that’s used for worldwide rafting competitions.

Not the outdoorsy kind? There’s nonetheless loads to do in Wausau. Regardless of its rustic repute, the town is tremendous fashionable. The humanities and tradition scene radiates from the historic 400 Block—with an artwork museum, a theater, public artwork shows, retailers and eating places. The youngsters will love indoor actions like Wausau on Water and the close by Sawmill Journey Park. And each summer time, Wausau hosts Concert events on the Sq., a preferred sequence of music performances within the open air.

Wausau is so in tune with nature that its native economic system depends on it. Each tourism and agriculture are massive business sectors. The truth is, Wausau makes Wisconsin the most important producer of ginseng within the U.S. Different prime industries in Wausau embrace well being care, meals processing and manufacturing.⁶⁰

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embrace the town collectively with the encompassing city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo sorts.}

Greatest Locations to Stay in Wisconsin for Households

Wisconsin always comes up extremely rated as an excellent place to lift a household. With numerous outside actions and nice faculties, the alternatives for household enjoyable and progress are infinite. Listed here are a number of communities to look into when you’re coming to the Badger State together with your cubs.

Appleton
Brookfield
Elm Grove
Hartland
Mequon
Middleton
River Hills
Thiensville
Whitefish Bay

Greatest Locations to Stay in Wisconsin for Younger Professionals

Younger and on the lookout for a enjoyable place to spend some money on an evening in town (inside Child Step and budgetary limits, after all)? Wisconsin is filled with cities with nice arts and tradition scenes—and shut suburbs that provide all of the facilities with a decrease value of dwelling. Take a look at these cities with a youthful vibe.

Brookfield
Elm Grove
Kohler
La Crosse
Madison
Milwaukee
Shorewood
Wauwatosa

Greatest Locations to Stay in Wisconsin for Retirees

Retirees love settling in Wisconsin for its peace and quiet (outdoors Inexperienced Bay, anyway), inexperienced panorama and comparatively low value of dwelling (outdoors the cities). And the truth that Wisconsin doesn’t tax Social Safety advantages helps too.⁶⁷ Listed here are a number of locations you would possibly wish to have a look at when you’re considering of dwelling the Wisconsin life after your time within the workforce is finished.

Brookfield
Elm Grove
Sturgeon Bay
Waupun
Wausau

Able to Transfer to Wisconsin?

Has this data left you chomping on the bit for all of the brats and cheese curds you may deal with? Able to reside that woodsy Wisconsin life and develop into a Cheesehead? An actual property agent could make the transition to the Badger State a easy one—guiding you thru the method from begin to end. And never simply any actual property agent. For a quick and simple option to discover native Wisconsin brokers, look no additional than our community of RamseyTrusted professionals.

We solely advocate brokers who know the realm and are fully devoted to serving to you discover the right place. And we belief them to maintain you the Ramsey means—with honesty and integrity.