Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Wisconsin? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Madison, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Wisconsin suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Badger State
Waunakee is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Wisconsin.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in 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 best places to raise a family in Wisconsin.
Best Suburbs In Wisconsin For 2025
/10
Population: 14,927
Median Income: $128,750
Average Home Price: $490,300
More on Waunakee: Data
Waunakee is located 6 miles north of Madison.
/10
Population: 14,750
Median Income: $154,255
Average Home Price: $498,700
More on Whitefish Bay: Data
Whitefish Bay is located 4 miles east of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 7,906
Median Income: $132,717
Average Home Price: $401,900
More on Cottage Grove: Data
Cottage Grove is located 11 miles east of Madison.
/10
Population: 6,428
Median Income: $133,304
Average Home Price: $468,000
More on Elm Grove: Data
Elm Grove is located 6 miles west of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 14,499
Median Income: $119,148
Average Home Price: $382,800
More on Verona: Data
Verona is located 8 miles west of Madison.
/10
Population: 25,259
Median Income: $147,391
Average Home Price: $485,300
More on Mequon: Data
Mequon is located 10 miles north of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 6,746
Median Income: $140,818
Average Home Price: $414,900
More on Fox Point: Data
Fox Point is located 7 miles north of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 12,317
Median Income: $82,110
Average Home Price: $386,400
More on Cedarburg: Data
Cedarburg is located 16 miles north of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 11,384
Median Income: $100,695
Average Home Price: $361,200
More on Oregon: Data
Oregon is located 11 miles south of Madison.
/10
Population: 7,719
Median Income: $100,956
Average Home Price: $359,500
More on Mount Horeb: Data
Mount Horeb is located 16 miles west of Madison.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Badger State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Wisconsin. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Wisconsin, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Wisconsin across these criteria from one to 62, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Wisconsin.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Wisconsin.
Read on to see why Waunakee is the ‘burb with the most, while Baraboo is probably not the best place to live in Wisconsin.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Wisconsin
If you’re measuring the locations in Wisconsin where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Wisconsin are Waunakee, Whitefish Bay, Cottage Grove, Elm Grove, Verona, Mequon, Fox Point, Cedarburg, Oregon, and Mount Horeb.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Wisconsin according to the data:
- Baraboo
- Racine
- West Allis
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
- Richest Cities In Wisconsin
- Safest Places In Wisconsin
- Worst Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Wisconsin
The Best Suburbs In Wisconsin
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waunakee | 14,927 | $128,750 | $490,300 |
| 2 | Whitefish Bay | 14,750 | $154,255 | $498,700 |
| 3 | Cottage Grove | 7,906 | $132,717 | $401,900 |
| 4 | Elm Grove | 6,428 | $133,304 | $468,000 |
| 5 | Verona | 14,499 | $119,148 | $382,800 |
| 6 | Mequon | 25,259 | $147,391 | $485,300 |
| 7 | Fox Point | 6,746 | $140,818 | $414,900 |
| 8 | Cedarburg | 12,317 | $82,110 | $386,400 |
| 9 | Oregon | 11,384 | $100,695 | $361,200 |
| 10 | Mount Horeb | 7,719 | $100,956 | $359,500 |
| 11 | Mcfarland | 9,230 | $93,810 | $363,400 |
| 12 | Brookfield | 41,592 | $124,026 | $419,300 |
| 13 | Muskego | 25,156 | $116,361 | $390,900 |
| 14 | Delafield | 7,192 | $101,482 | $504,500 |
| 15 | Shorewood | 13,682 | $89,135 | $423,600 |
| 16 | Port Washington | 12,569 | $81,582 | $276,000 |
| 17 | Wauwatosa | 47,718 | $93,859 | $307,600 |
| 18 | Richfield | 11,806 | $135,774 | $456,500 |
| 19 | New Berlin | 40,384 | $97,414 | $343,500 |
| 20 | Menomonee Falls | 38,963 | $98,460 | $341,600 |
| 21 | Hartland | 9,716 | $87,297 | $358,000 |
| 22 | Middleton | 22,235 | $85,526 | $457,400 |
| 23 | Hales Corners | 7,627 | $88,068 | $291,100 |
| 24 | Oconomowoc | 18,385 | $105,833 | $367,700 |
| 25 | Sun Prairie | 36,455 | $90,521 | $339,800 |
| 26 | Greendale | 14,656 | $95,015 | $289,600 |
| 27 | Grafton | 12,274 | $88,634 | $301,300 |
| 28 | Sussex | 11,795 | $112,031 | $384,900 |
| 29 | Lake Mills | 6,391 | $87,039 | $282,400 |
| 30 | River Falls | 16,349 | $78,078 | $299,800 |
| 31 | Jackson | 7,882 | $95,960 | $295,600 |
| 32 | Stoughton | 13,063 | $78,517 | $283,900 |
| 33 | Monona | 8,604 | $87,784 | $390,400 |
| 34 | Slinger | 6,173 | $99,457 | $337,700 |
| 35 | Oak Creek | 36,473 | $93,120 | $305,100 |
| 36 | Edgerton | 5,924 | $84,185 | $243,900 |
| 37 | Mukwonago | 8,411 | $96,096 | $335,900 |
| 38 | Franklin | 35,751 | $108,342 | $343,400 |
| 39 | Hudson | 15,004 | $97,036 | $355,000 |
| 40 | Deforest | 10,853 | $106,223 | $337,500 |
| 41 | Burlington | 11,021 | $81,658 | $268,300 |
| 42 | Caledonia | 25,292 | $91,053 | $279,400 |
| 43 | Waterford | 5,627 | $80,380 | $312,700 |
| 44 | Pewaukee | 8,240 | $62,380 | $266,300 |
| 45 | Waukesha | 70,779 | $81,651 | $286,600 |
| 46 | Fitchburg | 31,566 | $85,420 | $389,400 |
| 47 | Evansville | 5,771 | $78,841 | $256,900 |
| 48 | New Richmond | 10,334 | $87,500 | $269,000 |
| 49 | Columbus | 5,493 | $74,957 | $225,700 |
| 50 | Brown Deer | 12,615 | $91,567 | $221,100 |
| 51 | Sturtevant | 6,787 | $84,479 | $231,000 |
| 52 | Greenfield | 37,361 | $69,016 | $247,800 |
| 53 | Cudahy | 17,964 | $66,717 | $201,000 |
| 54 | St. Francis | 9,318 | $58,490 | $207,200 |
| 55 | Glendale | 13,134 | $77,096 | $260,300 |
| 56 | Mount Pleasant | 27,694 | $90,189 | $269,900 |
| 57 | South Milwaukee | 20,547 | $70,146 | $216,400 |
| 58 | West Bend | 31,722 | $75,043 | $244,500 |
| 59 | Hartford | 15,761 | $74,252 | $261,300 |
| 60 | West Allis | 59,588 | $69,685 | $191,700 |
| 61 | Racine | 77,155 | $55,705 | $158,100 |
| 62 | Baraboo | 12,506 | $73,515 | $201,800 |