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Living in Sturgeon Bay, WI

Small town in Wisconsin

Sturgeon Bay is a small town in Wisconsin, home to about 9,702 people, with 49,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Sturgeon Bay a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 76°F
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.1× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
  • Low natural disaster risk: 0 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 49,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Sturgeon Bay ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
9,702
49,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
28°F / 76°F
Average daily highs · 57″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$425k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,390/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,734
State income tax per resident · 1.84% property tax
Safety
0.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
0 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly cold waves, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
2
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
28%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MKE
132 mi away

Living in Sturgeon Bay: common questions

What is the cost of living in Sturgeon Bay?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $425k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,390 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Sturgeon Bay?

Wisconsin collects about $1,734 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.84% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Sturgeon Bay safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Sturgeon Bay?

Sturgeon Bay has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 28°F and summer days around 76°F, with roughly 57″ of snow a year.

Does Sturgeon Bay get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from cold waves and flooding: 0 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.44 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Sturgeon Bay?

The nearest major airport is MKE, about 132 mi away.

How Sturgeon Bay scores

Each bar compares Sturgeon Bay with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Tight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Below average

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Is Sturgeon Bay right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.