If you’re considering retirement and want to live in Wisconsin, don’t waste another minute.
With ice fishing just off of La Crosse’s Goose Island and the Green Bay Packers in your backyard, your can spend your retirement years in Wisconsin. Make sure the city you choose is on our list of the best places to retire in Wisconsin for 2026.
You’ll be happy that you did.
How did we determine the best places to retire in the Badger State? To identify Wisconsin’s top ten, we consulted the numbers for factors like cost of living, crime, amenities, rent and distance to closest national airport. We analyzed 78 cities with over 10,000 residents.
Most of Wisconsin’s biggest cities like Milwaukee and Kenosha are the nexus for retirement. Many of the state’s retirees want to live in urban areas where they don’t have to drive or mow a lawn.
$780 median rent · $57,222 median income · #1 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Two Rivers is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,712 at the 2010 census. It is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae. The city’s advertising slogan is “Catch our friendly waves” as it is located along Lake Michigan.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,116 median rent · $84,896 median income · #45 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Cedarburg is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located about 20 miles north of Milwaukee and near the shores of Lake Michigan. The city is bordered by the village of Grafton to the east and the Town of Cedarburg elsewhere. The population was 11,412 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$804 median rent · $63,757 median income · #2 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2010 census, Manitowoc had a population of 33,736, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities. The city’s sister city is Kamogawa, Japan.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,028 median rent · $66,719 median income · #30 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Cudahy is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States, North America. The population was 18,267 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$961 median rent · $79,302 median income · #18 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Fort Atkinson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the Rock River, a few miles upstream from Lake Koshkonong. The population was 12,368 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$862 median rent · $69,334 median income · #5 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Green County, Wisconsin
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$999 median rent · $83,419 median income · #22 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Walworth County, Wisconsin
Burlington is a city in Racine and Walworth counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, with the majority of the city located in Racine County. The population of the portion of the city inside Racine County was 10,464 as of the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$807 median rent · $58,638 median income · #3 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Marinette County, Wisconsin
Marinette is a city in and the county seat of Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the south bank of the Menominee River, at its mouth at Green Bay, part of Lake Michigan; to the north is Stephenson Island, part of the city preserved as park. During the lumbering boom of the late 19th century, Marinette became the tenth-largest city in Wisconsin in 1900, with its peak population of 16,195.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$2,157 median rent · $144,051 median income · #78 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Mequon is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 23,132 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$842 median rent · $58,407 median income · #4 cheapest rent in Wisconsin
Located in
Wood County, Wisconsin
Marshfield is a city in Wood County and Marathon County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 10, Highway 13 and Highway 97. The largest city in Wood County, its population was 19,118 at the 2010 census. Of this, 18,218 were in Wood County, and 900 were in Marathon County. The city is part of the United States Census Bureau’s Marshfield-Wisconsin Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Wood County. The portion of the city in Marathon County is part of the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Wisconsin’s statewide median.
Wisconsin statewide median: $77,485
Wisconsin statewide median: $330,171
On the map
Where to retire in Wisconsin
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Badger State for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in Wisconsin to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Badger State — 773 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 78 places from across the state.
For these 78, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 78, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Two Rivers, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in Wisconsin.
The full plate
Best Places To Retire In Wisconsin
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Retire Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two Rivers | 16.00 | 11,231 | $57,222 | $218,730 | $780 |
| 2 | Cedarburg | 19.60 | 12,605 | $84,896 | $552,361 | $1,116 |
| 3 | Manitowoc | 21.80 | 34,620 | $63,757 | $235,894 | $804 |
| 4 | Cudahy | 22.40 | 17,853 | $66,719 | $282,520 | $1,028 |
| 5 | Fort Atkinson | 22.80 | 12,463 | $79,302 | $297,960 | $961 |
| 6 | Monroe | 27.00 | 10,587 | $69,334 | $277,861 | $862 |
| 7 | Burlington | 27.10 | 10,987 | $83,419 | $351,654 | $999 |
| 8 | Marinette | 27.20 | 11,115 | $58,638 | $195,369 | $807 |
| 9 | Mequon | 27.60 | 25,270 | $144,051 | $647,578 | $2,157 |
| 10 | Marshfield | 29.00 | 18,700 | $58,407 | $250,143 | $842 |
| 11 | Elkhorn | 29.10 | 10,221 | $77,649 | $338,685 | $1,034 |
| 12 | Menasha | 29.40 | 18,273 | $64,698 | $307,807 | $903 |
| 13 | Waupun | 29.50 | 11,174 | $65,625 | $260,262 | $951 |
| 14 | Caledonia | 29.90 | 25,257 | $93,152 | $380,069 | $1,141 |
| 15 | Superior | 30.00 | 26,677 | $64,216 | $220,786 | $900 |
| 16 | Port Washington | 30.30 | 12,645 | $81,948 | $381,021 | $1,008 |
| 17 | Kaukauna | 31.60 | 17,706 | $80,365 | $303,856 | $1,083 |
| 18 | Hartford | 31.60 | 15,821 | $82,014 | $374,925 | $1,110 |
| 19 | Oconomowoc | 32.40 | 19,080 | $106,425 | $537,005 | $1,301 |
| 20 | Oregon | 32.50 | 11,547 | $102,978 | $489,920 | $1,221 |
| 21 | Green Bay | 32.70 | 106,253 | $66,206 | $278,024 | $932 |
| 22 | Chippewa Falls | 32.70 | 14,782 | $57,873 | $330,661 | $910 |
| 23 | Stevens Point | 33.40 | 25,785 | $58,031 | $280,949 | $890 |
| 24 | Greendale | 33.50 | 14,594 | $94,769 | $383,283 | $1,252 |
| 25 | South Milwaukee | 34.50 | 20,442 | $73,427 | $300,412 | $1,014 |
| 26 | Beaver Dam | 34.50 | 16,565 | $66,673 | $288,264 | $959 |
| 27 | Grafton | 34.50 | 12,445 | $89,861 | $450,690 | $1,310 |
| 28 | West Bend | 34.60 | 32,030 | $74,076 | $347,505 | $1,076 |
| 29 | Franklin | 35.30 | 35,886 | $106,894 | $436,182 | $1,458 |
| 30 | Ashwaubenon | 35.40 | 17,314 | $69,667 | $338,976 | $964 |
| 31 | New Berlin | 36.20 | 40,270 | $101,091 | $448,456 | $1,426 |
| 32 | Menomonee Falls | 36.30 | 39,539 | $100,238 | $431,120 | $1,313 |
| 33 | Reedsburg | 37.10 | 10,168 | $75,028 | $303,020 | $977 |
| 34 | Neenah | 37.70 | 27,336 | $75,374 | $305,615 | $1,006 |
| 35 | De Pere | 37.70 | 25,301 | $84,869 | $401,113 | $1,053 |
| 36 | Wausau | 38.40 | 39,996 | $64,389 | $240,743 | $1,010 |
| 37 | Muskego | 39.00 | 25,406 | $112,221 | $515,980 | $1,313 |
| 38 | Whitefish Bay | 39.40 | 14,665 | $157,109 | $642,953 | $1,335 |
| 39 | Holmen | 39.60 | 11,372 | $79,899 | $413,026 | $1,175 |
| 40 | Brookfield | 39.80 | 41,273 | $129,548 | $517,699 | $1,886 |
| 41 | New Richmond | 39.80 | 10,539 | $88,157 | $374,056 | $1,168 |
| 42 | Watertown | 40.80 | 22,774 | $70,107 | $318,226 | $1,052 |
| 43 | Platteville | 40.80 | 11,499 | $43,083 | $255,582 | $863 |
| 44 | West Allis | 41.20 | 59,612 | $67,611 | $268,506 | $1,007 |
| 45 | Mount Pleasant | 41.60 | 27,953 | $91,616 | $336,759 | $1,127 |
| 46 | Whitewater | 41.80 | 15,807 | $54,969 | $338,753 | $1,041 |
| 47 | Shorewood | 42.10 | 13,627 | $86,726 | $544,885 | $1,347 |
| 48 | Menomonie | 42.40 | 16,539 | $56,889 | $298,133 | $970 |
| 49 | Kenosha | 42.70 | 99,372 | $71,239 | $273,053 | $1,186 |
| 50 | Greenfield | 42.90 | 37,345 | $70,459 | $323,451 | $1,170 |
| 51 | Oshkosh | 43.10 | 66,729 | $62,188 | $253,810 | $935 |
| 52 | Janesville | 43.40 | 66,030 | $73,446 | $288,359 | $1,054 |
| 53 | Portage | 43.60 | 10,236 | $64,722 | $288,025 | $1,008 |
| 54 | Racine | 44.30 | 77,633 | $57,740 | $208,908 | $1,033 |
| 55 | Waunakee | 44.30 | 15,687 | $125,220 | $584,110 | $1,324 |
| 56 | Glendale | 44.40 | 13,656 | $78,092 | $351,578 | $1,432 |
| 57 | Waukesha | 45.80 | 71,233 | $83,837 | $413,609 | $1,219 |
| 58 | Brown Deer | 45.90 | 12,564 | $93,974 | $283,653 | $1,183 |
| 59 | Verona | 46.10 | 15,232 | $119,606 | $590,564 | $1,605 |
| 60 | Hudson | 46.70 | 14,959 | $93,937 | $496,565 | $1,359 |
| 61 | Sheboygan | 46.80 | 49,645 | $62,927 | $257,466 | $924 |
| 62 | Pleasant Prairie | 47.20 | 21,669 | $103,902 | $451,234 | $1,458 |
| 63 | Stoughton | 47.60 | 13,033 | $79,551 | $428,271 | $1,157 |
| 64 | Wisconsin Rapids | 47.90 | 18,722 | $55,253 | $219,124 | $888 |
| 65 | Milwaukee | 48.20 | 566,973 | $54,234 | $220,137 | $1,059 |
| 66 | Appleton | 48.30 | 75,023 | $80,483 | $297,642 | $1,030 |
| 67 | Oak Creek | 48.70 | 37,325 | $96,555 | $407,623 | $1,452 |
| 68 | Middleton | 48.90 | 22,301 | $89,524 | $613,360 | $1,437 |
| 69 | Beloit | 50.30 | 36,534 | $62,663 | $198,921 | $1,066 |
| 70 | Wauwatosa | 53.70 | 48,529 | $101,138 | $415,682 | $1,438 |
| 71 | Fond du Lac | 53.90 | 44,494 | $62,260 | $253,674 | $913 |
| 72 | Plover | 55.10 | 13,884 | $88,042 | $347,474 | $1,089 |
| 73 | La Crosse | 56.90 | 51,356 | $55,866 | $276,422 | $1,010 |
| 74 | Onalaska | 57.30 | 19,348 | $85,867 | $359,544 | $1,130 |
| 75 | Sun Prairie | 57.60 | 37,570 | $90,942 | $436,614 | $1,419 |
| 76 | Eau Claire | 58.30 | 70,322 | $67,395 | $311,027 | $1,045 |
| 77 | Madison | 60.40 | 278,001 | $78,050 | $423,767 | $1,413 |
| 78 | Fitchburg | 61.10 | 32,619 | $86,516 | $501,314 | $1,373 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, OpenFlights. 78 cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Wisconsin Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Wisconsin goes to Two Rivers.
The best places to retire in Wisconsin are Two Rivers, Cedarburg, Manitowoc, Cudahy, Fort Atkinson, Monroe, Burlington, Marinette, Mequon, and Marshfield.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley.
