2024 Best Places to Live in Wisconsin

Former Resident: If you want a small town with a lot of educated professionals, good education, country clubs, and outdoor activities, Kohler's a good spot to live or visit. There's a strong carpool community to University School if you prefer a private school for your children. However, most people work for Kohler Company, so that can be a downside if you don't.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 2,142

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: Elm Grove is a beautiful small community, that is well connected and full of life. Elm Grove is a suburb of Milwaukee, and is able to maintain a village feel.... Read 23 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 6,445

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.1 out of 5  126 reviews

Current Resident: As a Brookfield resident for 11 years, I have always loved this place. Of particular interest are the public parks, which are plentiful and always amazing. I have often been to them with my younger siblings on spring and summer days, and they are always fun. Likewise, as a high schooler I found multiple employment opportunities within biking distance, or about 3 miles. Amazing place!... Read 126 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 41,342

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  31 reviews

Current Resident: Whitefish bay is a great town for those who enjoy the small town feel while also having access to high level education and extracurricular activities.... Read 31 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 14,804

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.17 out of 5  46 reviews

Current Resident: Mequon is an amazing city full of lots of parks and recreation, cafes, amazing schools, stores, restaurants, and a really great city administration and police department. The problem is, that it is a 20-minute drive to Milwaukee, where most people living in Mequon work. But still, the houses are amazing, and I feel really safe in Mequon... Read 46 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 25,102

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.04 out of 5  53 reviews

Current Resident: I moved to the area for school, and I have fallen in love with the community. The neighborhoods are peaceful and full of life, with the addition of great restaurants and access to bus lines you can experience all the best of Milwaukee. Especially being so close to the Lake.... Read 53 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 13,707

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 3.77 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: I’ve lived all over the country and Bayside is one of the most comfortable places I’ve ever lived. Safe. Reasonable cost of living. Family friendly. I’d highly recommend it!... Read 22 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 4,506

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: Fox Point is a great community. There are amazing parks and paths to hike. The schools are a wonderful place for kids to learn in and all the teachers are spectacular. One thing that would be nice to change are the roads. A lot of the roads are really bumpy but other then that Fox Point is a great place to live.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 6,811

• Suburb of Madison, WI

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  Rating 4.25 out of 5  69 reviews

Current Resident: Middleton has been an incredible place for us to raise our family. The schools are top notch and genuinely care about social emotional development just as much as academics. Middleton offers a great deal of wonderful parks, trails, boating, fishing, splash pads, swimming, shopping and dining! The list is endless! As for crime, we've personally never experienced anything scary. Our particular neighborhood has always felt very safe, inclusive and welcoming. However, I don't agree with the average home price that niche lists. Most homes are priced between $580k-$800k.... Read 69 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 21,864

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: River Hills is a small suburb of Milwaukee. Its location is ideal because it only takes a few minutes to drive into the city but its still secluded to the point where there are no loud traffic noises and it feels like a neighborhood. Many of the houses are very expensive and gorgeous. There are occasionally town events but everyone mainly does their own thing.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 1,530

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: Thiensville is a very cute and quaint little town. Many good restaurants and many community events and festivals.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 3,279

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 3.98 out of 5  139 reviews

Current Resident: I think Wauwatosa has a strong community and there is so much opportunities for new families and it is the perfect place for growing up. I think the only thing I would change would be more opportunties for the arts, like a preforming arts center and gallery.... Read 139 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 47,919

• Suburb of Madison, WI

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  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: I love Shorewood Hills but I think the police could ease up on their parking tickets. I’ve never gotten one, but it’s difficult to have friends or family over when they might be issues a ticket.... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 2,085

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.41 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Glendale. It's a scenic and safe place to live. I actually live near a lake which we use a lot. We go swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter.... Read 27 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 13,227

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Nashotah is near I94 making it an easy commute to Milwaukee and Madison. Located in Waukesha County Lake Country outdoor recreation options are abundant and nearby, with several lakes in the area and a large County park with hiking, X-country skiing, picnic areas and two dog parks. The public school system is outstanding. Home values are fairly high, with a few upscale subdivisions. There is not a lot of affordable housing. The is no public transportation. The area is generally politically conservative. The oldest restaurant in the state is located here, The Red Circle Inn, established as the midway point between Milwaukee and Madison in the days of travel by horse and buggy. Crime is not a problem. It is a quiet area, with many shopping and dining options nearby.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 1,216

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: I’ve lived in the area for a few months now in the Wind Meadows neighborhood. We’ve felt very welcome with neighbors stopping to introduce themselves and bringing wine :) This quickly has become my favorite area I’ve ever lived in. Quick walk to Lake Michigan and great amenities in the neighborhood. Area is very quite and safe and feels like it’s a 100 miles away from a metro area. Only downside is you have to drive everywhere if you need something. Other than that I would highly recommend the area.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B minus

• Population 1,688

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  38 reviews

Current Resident: Cedarburg is a pleasant and quiet town that resides in the northern suburbs of Milwaukee. It's a very safe place with an antique downtown Main Street area that caters to arts, crafts, and wines.... Read 38 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 12,213

• City in Wisconsin

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  Rating 4.01 out of 5  786 reviews

Visitor: Madison is a beautiful city, with a lot of fun activities to engage in. It is pretty safe as there are a lot of emergency stations at regular intervals, and usually there are police patrols frequently. There are a lot of restaurants with different cuisines for those who want to try different foods. The capitol building is also beautiful and the farmer's market every Saturday is a fun trip for those who want to experience Madison. The lakeshore path is the best spot for a relaxing walk or run or even for cycling. As a student, it was also easy for me to find jobs at Madison, which allowed me to study and work part-time. The transport facilities are really useful. Maybe the only thing I would like to see change would be buses that are more frequent during weekends which would make traveling over weekends also easier.... Read 786 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 268,516

• Suburb of Madison, WI

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  Rating 3.36 out of 5  36 reviews

Other: Seems very wholesome and academically oriented, with lots of family activities. But with Limited diversity.... Read 36 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 14,794

• Suburb of Madison, WI

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  79 reviews

Former Resident: Something that I liked about living in Verona is that it felt cozy and warm. When I walked around my neighborhood, it felt like I was the only one there, and it made me feel like I was in my own TV show (like the show Gilmore Girls). Verona was the best during fall; it was beautiful. I lived by Main Street, and there would always be something happening in each season by the gazebo and fountain on Main Street. When I moved from Verona, there was nothing I would have changed; it was special in its own way. But as time passed, Verona would go through gentrification, with a bunch of modern new buildings and everything else that comes with it. It's not bad; a lot more people can enjoy the city of Verona, but personally, it takes away the charm that I felt when I lived there. However, it was inevitable that Verona has to progress, and what I can take with me are the memories and emotions I got to experience while living in Verona.... Read 79 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 14,040

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: The community is very tight-knit, which makes it very easy to make friends and get involved in the community. There's a kind, small-town atmosphere mixed with a quick and easy (15 or so minute) commute to downtown Milwaukee. I have had a great experience with my education here, especially since most teachers are heavily involved with the success of their students. The community is predominately white, and I wish there was more diversity. This does lead to Greendale being a bubble, which is both good and bad. There's a great sense of community, but there isn't much effort to expand outside of the bubble.... Read 50 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 14,722

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  52 reviews

Current Resident: I have loved living here, I feel extremely welcomed, it is a nice community and everything is within short distance so it is not a hassle to go out to places!... Read 52 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 38,610

• Suburb of Madison, WI

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: Fitchburg is calm, and quiet, and has good libraries. There are a lot of well-maintained bike paths. We would like to see warnings before giving out tickets for alternate side street parking. We would like to see more advertisements for city activities so that we can be more involved and check out different parts of the city.... Read 23 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 29,826

• Suburb of Milwaukee, WI

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  Rating 4.52 out of 5  25 reviews

Former Resident: I love sussex...............ahhhh It is a very nice hilly place to live and the schools, Churches, playgrounds, and parks.... Read 25 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 11,549

• Neighborhood in Milwaukee, WI

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 5,288