Places › Wisconsin › West Bend

Living in West Bend, WI

Small city in Wisconsin

West Bend is a small city in Wisconsin, home to about 32,000 people, with 1.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is West Bend a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 10 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 79°F
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.6× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Great outdoors: plenty of parks

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 29% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 1.3 million people live within 31 mi

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

Key facts

Population
32,000
1.3 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
30°F / 79°F
Average daily highs · 54″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$348k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,650/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
97
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,734
State income tax per resident · 1.43% property tax
Safety
0.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
10
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Good
Tests above US average · 17 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
29%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MKE
35 mi away

Living in West Bend: common questions

What is the cost of living in West Bend?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $348k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,650 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 97, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in West Bend?

Wisconsin collects about $1,734 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.43% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is West Bend safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in West Bend?

Public schools in West Bend test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 17 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in West Bend?

West Bend has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 30°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 54″ of snow a year.

Does West Bend get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.13 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to West Bend?

The nearest major airport is MKE, about 35 mi away.

How West Bend scores

Each bar compares West Bend with the other 1,990 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 sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesBelow average
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsGood
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyGood
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like West Bend

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Lower Paxton, PASmall city60 $311k$1,920/moNo crime data Chesterfield, MISuburb64 $350k$1,720/moVery safe Spring, PASmall city60 $309k$1,940/moNo crime data Susquehanna, PASmall city57 $202k$1,920/moNo crime data Oak Creek, WISuburb66 $420k$1,650/moVery safe Hampden, PASmall city67 $392k$1,920/moNo crime data

Nearby

Menomonee Falls, WISuburb · 18 mi away70 $405k$1,650/moVery safe Brookfield, WISuburb · 25 mi away65 $466k$1,650/moVery safe Wauwatosa, WISuburb · 26 mi away63 $405k$1,650/moVery safe Milwaukee, WIBig city · 27 mi away49 $232k$1,650/moHigher crime Fond du Lac, WISmall city · 28 mi away53 $252k$1,520/moSafe Waukesha, WISuburb · 28 mi away61 $402k$1,650/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Wisconsin.

Is West Bend right for you?

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

Take the free quiz →

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.