Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment: is Wisconsin a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best places to live in Wisconsin.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Badger State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been helping people find the best places to live in America for years.
So, the question becomes, if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Wisconsin, where would you go? To answer that we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 72 counties in the state.
After the analytic dust settled, we identified the 10 best counties to live in Badger State for 2022.
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Wisconsin For 2022
Ozaukee County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Wisconsin. And you might want to avoid Menominee County if you can — at least according to the data.
So if you’re thinking of making the move Wisconsin, we’ve got you covered. Keep on reading for a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Wisconsin and the cheapest places to live in Wisconsin.
The Best Counties To Live In Wisconsin For 2022
1. Ozaukee County
Biggest Place: Mequon
Population: 89,179
Median Income: $84,394.0 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $292,200.0 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7% (2best)
More on Ozaukee County: Photos | Data
2. Iowa County
Biggest Place: Dodgeville
Population: 23,632
Median Income: $68,714.0 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $194,600.0 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1% (5th best)
More on Iowa County: Photos | Data
3. Kewaunee County
Biggest Place: Algoma
Population: 20,398
Median Income: $68,474.0 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $166,900.0 (30th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0% (3rd best)
More on Kewaunee County: Photos | Data
4. Calumet County
Biggest Place: Appleton
Population: 50,005
Median Income: $76,065.0 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $189,700.0 (13th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2% (8th best)
More on Calumet County: Photos | Data
5. Washington County
Biggest Place: Milwaukee
Population: 135,529
Median Income: $80,839.0 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $248,000.0 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (25th best)
More on Washington County: Photos | Data
6. St. Croix County
Biggest Place: River Falls
Population: 89,702
Median Income: $84,985.0 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $264,100.0 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1% (4th best)
More on St. Croix County: Photos | Data
7. Pierce County
Biggest Place: River Falls
Population: 42,336
Median Income: $73,873.0 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $224,900.0 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1% (32nd best)
More on Pierce County: Photos | Data
8. Door County
Biggest Place: Sturgeon Bay
Population: 27,621
Median Income: $61,765.0 (26th best)
Median Home Price: $223,200.0 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (42nd best)
More on Door County: Photos | Data
9. Waukesha County
Biggest Place: Waukesha
Population: 402,637
Median Income: $88,985.0 (best)
Median Home Price: $293,500.0 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (3best)
More on Waukesha County: Photos | Data
10. Outagamie County
Biggest Place: Appleton
Population: 186,829
Median Income: $68,441.0 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $176,900.0 (25th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (33rd best)
More on Outagamie County: Photos | Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Wisconsin county is the best?
To give you the best county in Wisconsin, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we need to make some assumptions about what’s a “best county” and what isn’t. And, for reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, don’t take this analysis to court.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best sources of data on the internet; the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent time period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Wisconsin across each of the criteria from one to 72, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Wisconsin”.
The result is some of the safest, quiet, and best counties to raise a family in the Badger State.
Read on to see why Ozaukee County is the best county, while Menominee County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Wisconsin.
Summary: The Best Counties In Wisconsin To Call Home For 2018
It turns out living in Wisconsin can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
But now you the know the really good parts and the parts to avoid and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day. And for that, you are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Wisconsin according to the data:
- Menominee County
- Milwaukee County
- Ashland County
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Wisconsin
- Best Places To Buy A House In Wisconsin
- Best Counties To Live In Wisconsin
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Wisconsin
