Best Counties to Live in Wisconsin

Laura Beach // Shutterstock

Best counties to live in Wisconsin

More counties in the United States experienced population growth in the last year, according to the latest Census data, even as pandemic-related moving trends begin to normalize.

Counties in the South continued to experience growth, particularly in Florida, where 96% of its 67 counties gained new residents. Polk County, Florida, a suburb of Orlando, added the most, with 26,000 people moving there in 2023.

Meanwhile, counties in the Midwest and Northeast continued to lose population, but at slower rates than the year before. Some of the biggest losses were in counties home to large cities, including Cook County, Illinois (home of Chicago) and the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York.

Many counties are experiencing growth due to their job opportunities, education, or relatively affordable housing costs. Others are favored for their historic or well-designed downtowns or access to cultural opportunities.

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to live in Wisconsin using rankings from Niche. Niche ranks counties by various factors including public schools, educational attainment, cost of living, and housing.

Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

You may also like: Counties where homes are selling the fastest in Wisconsin

1 / 30

Canva

#30. Green County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 1,133
- Population: 37,066
- Median household income: $76,080
- Median home value: $217,000 (75% own)
- Median rent: $820 (25% rent)
- Top public schools: New Glarus Elementary School (grade A minus), New Glarus Middle School (grade B+), Juda High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: St. Victor School (grade unavailable), Pleasant View Mennonite School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Brooklyn (grade A minus), Monroe (grade B+), Brodhead (grade C+)

2 / 30

Keith Bell // Shutterstock

#29. Oneida County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 1,075
- Population: 37,799
- Median household income: $66,111
- Median home value: $214,700 (83% own)
- Median rent: $876 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: Arbor Vitae-Woodruff Elementary School (grade A minus), Lakeland High School (grade B+), Creative Minds (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Nativity of Our Lord School (grade unavailable), Zion Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Trinity Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Rhinelander (grade B+), Woodruff (grade A), Minocqua (grade A minus)

3 / 30

Canva

#28. Iowa County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 1,015
- Population: 23,766
- Median household income: $79,226
- Median home value: $231,300 (78% own)
- Median rent: $911 (22% rent)
- Top public schools: Barneveld Elementary School (grade A), Mineral Point Middle School (grade A minus), Mineral Point Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: St. Joseph Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Dodgeville (grade B+), Barneveld (grade A minus), Mineral Point (grade A minus)

4 / 30

Canva

#27. Rock County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 898
- Population: 163,817
- Median household income: $70,630
- Median home value: $193,000 (70% own)
- Median rent: $981 (30% rent)
- Top public schools: Roosevelt Elementary School (grade A minus), Monroe Elementary School (grade A minus), Harmony Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Rock County Christian School - Janesville (grade B+), Oakhill Christian School (grade B), Rock County Christian School (grade B minus)
- Top places: Milton (grade A minus), Evansville (grade A minus), Edgerton (grade B+)

5 / 30

spiritbridge // Shutterstock

#26. Jefferson County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 884
- Population: 85,932
- Median household income: $77,018
- Median home value: $238,300 (73% own)
- Median rent: $981 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Webster Elementary School (grade A minus), Lake Mills High School (grade B+), Ixonia Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Luther Preparatory School (grade A minus), Lakeside Lutheran High School (grade B), Maranatha Baptist Academy (grade B)
- Top places: Lake Ripley (grade A), Lake Mills (grade A minus), Fort Atkinson (grade A minus)

You may also like: Airports using biometric facial recognition in Wisconsin

6 / 30

Canva

#25. Manitowoc County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 815
- Population: 81,242
- Median household income: $66,412
- Median home value: $160,400 (76% own)
- Median rent: $747 (24% rent)
- Top public schools: Mishicot Middle School (grade A minus), Cleveland Elementary School (grade A minus), Kiel Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Roncalli High School (grade B+), Manitowoc Lutheran High School (grade B+), Roncalli Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Manitowoc (grade B+), Kiel (grade B), Two Rivers (grade B)

7 / 30

Canva

#24. Sawyer County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 773
- Population: 18,057
- Median household income: $57,519
- Median home value: $210,700 (76% own)
- Median rent: $670 (24% rent)
- Top public schools: Winter High School (grade B), Hayward Intermediate School (grade B), Hayward High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Northern Lights Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Northwoods Mennonite School (grade unavailable), St. Francis Solanus School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Hayward (grade B), Bass Lake (grade B+), Spider Lake (grade B+)

8 / 30

Canva

#23. Pierce County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 764
- Population: 42,187
- Median household income: $82,996
- Median home value: $278,700 (74% own)
- Median rent: $999 (26% rent)
- Top public schools: Greenwood Elementary School (grade A minus), Elmwood Elementary School (grade A minus), Malone Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: St. Joseph Catholic School (grade unavailable), St. Francis School (grade unavailable), Ave Maria Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Prescott (grade B), Ellsworth (grade B), Clifton (grade B+)

9 / 30

Patrick Lansing // Shutterstock

#22. Dunn County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 719
- Population: 45,221
- Median household income: $69,721
- Median home value: $212,000 (66% own)
- Median rent: $908 (34% rent)
- Top public schools: Menomonie High School (grade A minus), Menomonie Middle School (grade B+), Wakanda Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran School (grade unavailable), St. Joseph School (grade unavailable), University of Wisconsin - Stout, Child and Family Study Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Tainter Lake (grade A minus), Menomonie (grade A minus), Downsville (grade A)

10 / 30

Canva

#21. Walworth County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 707
- Population: 105,127
- Median household income: $75,172
- Median home value: $254,300 (70% own)
- Median rent: $1,034 (30% rent)
- Top public schools: Reek Elementary School (grade A), Woods Elementary School (grade A), Tibbets Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Faith Christian School (grade B minus), St. Andrew Parish School (grade unavailable), St. Francis de Sales School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Lake Geneva (grade A minus), Williams Bay (grade A minus), Elkhorn (grade B+)

You may also like: Metros in Wisconsin where jobs are growing fastest

11 / 30

Canva

#20. Vilas County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 666
- Population: 23,146
- Median household income: $63,726
- Median home value: $255,700 (83% own)
- Median rent: $766 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: North Lakeland Elementary School (grade A), Northland Pines Elementary - Land O' Lakes (grade A minus), Northland Pines Elementary - St. Germain (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Christ Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Arbor Vitae (grade A minus), Presque Isle (grade B+), Boulder Junction (grade B+)

12 / 30

Canva

#19. Marathon County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 633
- Population: 137,820
- Median household income: $73,248
- Median home value: $194,500 (73% own)
- Median rent: $898 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Riverside Elementary School (grade A), Odyssey Elementary School (grade A), West High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Newman Catholic Middle and High School (grade A minus), Northland Lutheran High School (grade B), Abbotsford Christian Academy (grade B)
- Top places: Wausau (grade A minus), Rothschild (grade A minus), Maine (grade A minus)

13 / 30

Canva

#18. Racine County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 576
- Population: 197,068
- Median household income: $72,658
- Median home value: $226,500 (70% own)
- Median rent: $985 (30% rent)
- Top public schools: Lakeview Elementary School (grade A+), Kansasville Elementary School (grade A), Yorkville Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Prairie School (grade A+), Racine Lutheran High School (grade A minus), Catholic Central High School (grade B+)
- Top places: Wind Point (grade A+), Union Grove (grade A), Mount Pleasant (grade A minus)

14 / 30

Canva

#17. Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 523
- Population: 933,063
- Median household income: $59,319
- Median home value: $200,000 (49% own)
- Median rent: $1,012 (51% rent)
- Top public schools: Shorewood High School (grade A+), Wisconsin Hills Middle School (grade A+), Whitefish Bay High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: University School of Milwaukee (grade A+), Marquette University High School (grade A+), Eastbrook Academy (grade A+)
- Top places: Whitefish Bay (grade A+), Shorewood (grade A+), Bayside (grade A+)

15 / 30

Canva

#16. Bayfield County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 492
- Population: 16,214
- Median household income: $67,266
- Median home value: $214,700 (83% own)
- Median rent: $828 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: South Shore Elementary School (grade A), South Shore Junior/Senior High School (grade A minus), Washburn High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Bell (grade A), Washburn Town (grade A), Bayview (grade A)

You may also like: Counties with the lowest cost of living in Wisconsin

16 / 30

Canva

#15. Kenosha County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 461
- Population: 168,693
- Median household income: $76,583
- Median home value: $234,700 (67% own)
- Median rent: $1,110 (33% rent)
- Top public schools: Brighton Elementary School (grade A+), Lakeview Technology Academy (grade A), Riverview Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Shoreland Lutheran High School (grade A minus), St. Joseph Catholic Academy (grade A minus), Christian Life School (grade B+)
- Top places: Pleasant Prairie (grade B+), Bristol (grade B+), Kenosha (grade B+)

17 / 30

Canva

#14. Calumet County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 456
- Population: 52,361
- Median household income: $84,151
- Median home value: $234,000 (81% own)
- Median rent: $948 (19% rent)
- Top public schools: Woodland Intermediate School (grade A), Woodland Elementary School (grade A), Sunrise Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Mt. Cavalry Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Chilton Area Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Sherwood (grade A), Chilton (grade B+), Brillion (grade B)

18 / 30

Canva

#13. Sheboygan County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 416
- Population: 117,741
- Median household income: $68,969
- Median home value: $198,900 (72% own)
- Median rent: $863 (28% rent)
- Top public schools: Kohler Elementary School (grade A), Kohler Middle School (grade A), Oostburg Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Sheboygan Christian School (grade B+), Sheboygan Lutheran High School (grade B), St. John Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Kohler (grade A+), Sheboygan (grade A minus), Oostburg (grade A minus)

19 / 30

Canva

#12. Outagamie County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 399
- Population: 190,611
- Median household income: $78,705
- Median home value: $224,100 (71% own)
- Median rent: $941 (29% rent)
- Top public schools: J.R. Gerritts Middle School (grade A), Mapleview Intermediate School (grade A), Janssen Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Xavier Catholic Schools (grade A), Fox Valley Lutheran High School (grade B), Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Appleton (grade A), Kimberly (grade A), Combined Locks (grade A)

20 / 30

Canva

#11. Washington County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 378
- Population: 136,842
- Median household income: $91,915
- Median home value: $293,300 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,073 (23% rent)
- Top public schools: Slinger Elementary School (grade A), Addison Elementary School (grade A), Slinger Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Living Word Lutheran High School (grade A minus), Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School (grade B), St. Augustine School (grade B minus)
- Top places: Germantown (grade A), Slinger (grade A), Richfield (grade A minus)

You may also like: These 10 car insurers have the highest market share in Wisconsin

21 / 30

Canva

#10. Winnebago County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 373
- Population: 171,197
- Median household income: $70,041
- Median home value: $190,600 (66% own)
- Median rent: $880 (34% rent)
- Top public schools: Winneconne Middle School (grade A), Lakeview Elementary School (grade A minus), Horace Mann Middle School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: St. Mary Catholic High School (grade A minus), Lourdes Academy (grade A minus), Valley Christian School (grade B+)
- Top places: Winneconne (grade A), Neenah (grade A), Oshkosh (grade A minus)

22 / 30

Canva

#9. Door County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 370
- Population: 30,038
- Median household income: $68,257
- Median home value: $273,300 (81% own)
- Median rent: $949 (19% rent)
- Top public schools: Sevastopol Middle School (grade A), Gibraltar High School (grade A), Gibraltar Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: St. John Bosco Catholic School (grade unavailable), St. Peter's Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Zion Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Sturgeon Bay (grade B+), Ellison Bay (grade A), Ephraim (grade A)

23 / 30

Canva

#8. St. Croix County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 355
- Population: 93,752
- Median household income: $97,950
- Median home value: $323,900 (79% own)
- Median rent: $1,127 (21% rent)
- Top public schools: Houlton Elementary School (grade A), North Hudson Elementary School (grade A), River Crest Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Trinity Academy (grade unavailable), St. Patrick School (grade unavailable), St. Mary's School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: North Hudson (grade A), River Falls (grade A), Hudson (grade A)

24 / 30

Canva

#7. Portage County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 341
- Population: 70,281
- Median household income: $71,301
- Median home value: $214,700 (70% own)
- Median rent: $876 (30% rent)
- Top public schools: Bannach Elementary School (grade A minus), McDill Elementary School (grade B+), Kennedy Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Pacelli Catholic High School (grade A minus), Stevens Point Christian Academy (grade C minus), Pacelli Catholic Schools - Tim Copps Early Childhood Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Plover (grade A), Stevens Point (grade A), Whiting (grade A minus)

25 / 30

Canva

#6. La Crosse County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 313
- Population: 120,216
- Median household income: $68,731
- Median home value: $226,600 (62% own)
- Median rent: $984 (38% rent)
- Top public schools: School of Technology and Arts I (grade A minus), Eagle Bluff Elementary School (grade A minus), Onalaska High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Providence Academy (grade A minus), Aquinas High School (grade A minus), Luther High School (grade B+)
- Top places: Onalaska (grade A), West Salem (grade A minus), La Crosse (grade B+)

You may also like: Demand for these health care jobs is increasing most in Wisconsin

26 / 30

Canva

#5. Brown County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 228
- Population: 268,393
- Median household income: $74,066
- Median home value: $226,500 (65% own)
- Median rent: $935 (35% rent)
- Top public schools: Susie C. Altmayer Elementary School (grade A), Wrightstown Middle School (grade A), West De Pere High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Notre Dame de la Baie Academy (grade A minus), Northeastern Wisconsin Lutheran High School (grade B+), Providence Academy (grade B)
- Top places: Hobart (grade A), De Pere (grade A), Allouez (grade A)

27 / 30

Canva

#4. Eau Claire County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 216
- Population: 105,697
- Median household income: $70,127
- Median home value: $226,400 (64% own)
- Median rent: $929 (36% rent)
- Top public schools: Memorial High School (grade A), Altoona Middle School (grade A minus), North High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Bethel Christian School (grade A minus), Regis High School (grade B), Immanuel Lutheran High School (grade B minus)
- Top places: Eau Claire (grade A), Altoona (grade A), Washington (grade A)

28 / 30

Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#3. Dane County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 85
- Population: 559,891
- Median household income: $84,297
- Median home value: $342,900 (58% own)
- Median rent: $1,268 (42% rent)
- Top public schools: Pope Farm Elementary School (grade A+), Middleton High School (grade A+), Memorial High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Madison Country Day School (grade A+), Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart (grade A+), Abundant Life Christian School (grade A minus)
- Top places: Middleton (grade A+), Shorewood Hills (grade A+), Madison (grade A+)

29 / 30

Canva

#2. Waukesha County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 42
- Population: 407,290
- Median household income: $101,639
- Median home value: $352,600 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,235 (23% rent)
- Top public schools: Brookfield East High School (grade A+), Brookfield Central High School (grade A+), Brookfield Elementary School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Brookfield Academy (grade A+), St. John's Northwestern Academies (grade A+), University Lake School (grade A+)
- Top places: Elm Grove (grade A+), Brookfield (grade A+), Nashotah (grade A+)

30 / 30

James Meyer // Shutterstock

#1. Ozaukee County, Wisconsin

- Overall Rank: 27
- Population: 91,745
- Median household income: $92,258
- Median home value: $344,900 (73% own)
- Median rent: $1,103 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Lake Shore Middle School (grade A+), Donges Bay Elementary School (grade A+), Parkview Elementary School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: First Immanuel Lutheran School (grade unavailable), St. Francis Borgia School (grade unavailable), Lumen Christi Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Mequon (grade A+), Thiensville (grade A+), Cedarburg (grade A+)

This story features data reporting and writing by Elena Cox and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

You may also like: Best-performing Wisconsin stocks last week