Best places to live in Wisconsin (2026)

All 18 ranked places in Wisconsin, by all-round score.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1New Berlin, WISuburb · 3-bed $443k · very safe65
2. 2Brookfield, WISuburb · 3-bed $466k · very safe64
3. 3Wauwatosa, WISuburb · 3-bed $405k · very safe62
4. 4Racine, WISuburb · 3-bed $231k · safe62
5. 5Waukesha, WISuburb · 3-bed $402k · very safe62
6. 6Madison, WICollege town · 3-bed $430k · safe59
7. 7West Allis, WISuburb · 3-bed $276k · safe58
8. 8Kenosha, WISmall city · 3-bed $291k · safe57
9. 9Appleton, WISmall city · 3-bed $292k · very safe56
10. 10Janesville, WISmall city · 3-bed $297k · safe53
11. 11Milwaukee, WIBig city · 3-bed $232k · higher crime53
12. 12Fond du Lac, WISmall city · 3-bed $252k · safe53
13. 13Oshkosh, WISmall city · 3-bed $261k · very safe52
14. 14Green Bay, WISmall city · 3-bed $285k · safe51
15. 15Eau Claire, WISmall city · 3-bed $299k · safe50
16. 16La Crosse, WISmall city · 3-bed $272k · safe50
17. 17Sheboygan, WISmall city · 3-bed $260k · safe49
18. 18Sturgeon Bay, WISmall town · 3-bed $425k · very safe46

Cheapest places to live in Wisconsin

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Racine, WISuburb · rent $1,590/mo · cost of living 96$231k
2. 2Milwaukee, WIBig city · rent $1,650/mo · cost of living 97$232k
3. 3Fond du Lac, WISmall city · rent $1,520/mo · cost of living 92$252k
4. 4Sheboygan, WISmall city · rent $1,350/mo · cost of living 94$260k
5. 5Oshkosh, WISmall city · rent $1,540/mo · cost of living 93$261k

Safest places to live in Wisconsin

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Sturgeon Bay, WISmall town · violent crime 0.1× the US rate45 per 100k
2. 2New Berlin, WISuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate50 per 100k
3. 3Waukesha, WISuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate92 per 100k
4. 4Brookfield, WISuburb · violent crime 0.3× the US rate96 per 100k
5. 5Wauwatosa, WISuburb · violent crime 0.3× the US rate117 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Wisconsin

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Sheboygan, WI2 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves87
2. 2Green Bay, WI2 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves83
3. 3Sturgeon Bay, WI0 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly cold waves, flooding82
4. 4New Berlin, WI5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves81
5. 5Appleton, WI5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly cold waves, flooding80

Best places to live for families in Wisconsin

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Brookfield, WISuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $466k76
2. 2New Berlin, WISuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $443k75
3. 3Wauwatosa, WISuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $405k73
4. 4Waukesha, WISuburb · kids below average · safety excellent · 3-bed $402k69
5. 5Appleton, WISmall city · kids good · safety excellent · 3-bed $292k68

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.