These 14 cities are the best places to live in Wisconsin, report says

What makes a good place to live?

Maybe it’s affordable housing and a strong local economy, or access to quality schools and health care, or even healthy air quality and a low chance of extreme weather.

These were all among the metrics U.S. News & World Report measured in its latest ranking of the best places to live in the United States. Of the 250 cities named in the list, 14 in Wisconsin made the cut.

U.S. News & World Report named Eau Claire the top Wisconsin city to live in and the 49th-best city overall. Appleton wasn’t far behind, ranking as the 53rd-best place nationwide. Milwaukee, meanwhile, placed at the bottom of the list of Wisconsin cities.

Here’s what else to know about the rankings:

Here are the best places to live in Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report

These 14 cities are the best places to live in Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report:

1. Eau Claire
2. Appleton
3. Waukesha
4. Oshkosh
5. Wausau
6. Green Bay
7. Sheboygan
8. Janesville
9. Kenosha
10. La Crosse
11. Madison
12. Fond du Lac
13. Racine
14. Milwaukee

What makes Eau Claire one of the best places to live?

Eau Claire’s low cost of living and its strong job market earned it the top spot among Wisconsin cities.

The median home value in Eau Claire is $260,971, compared to the national average of $370,489, according to the study. Most data in the report was from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

As of 2023, the city’s unemployment rate of 3.6% was nearly a full percentage point below the national rate. Eau Claire’s job market index – based on local unemployment and average household income – was also better than other similarly sized metro areas, the report said.

As for Eau Claire’s population, the report found residents’ ages were fairly evenly distributed across age groups. The under-20 group made up the largest proportion of the population, accounting for 23% of the approximately 72,000 residents.

The average commute time in Eau Claire is just over 13 minutes, or eight minutes lower than the national average, the study found. Nearly 84% of Eau Claire commuters drive to work, and under 5% walk, ride a bike or use public transportation.

What did the report have to say about Milwaukee?

Milwaukee residents may take issue with the city’s placement on the list, but U.S. News & World Report still ranked it among the best places to live nationally.

Like Eau Claire, the report found Milwaukee offers a lower cost of living than most similarly sized cities. The city’s median home value is $197,153, and its median household income is $53,370. Median rent is $900.

Milwaukee’s population skews younger, with under-20 residents making up 28% of the population; 20- to 24-year-olds making up 8%; 25- to 34-year-olds making up 17%; 45- to 64-year-olds making up 21%; and residents over 65 making up 12%.

The city’s median age is 31.7, and just over 26% of residents are married, the report said.

10 best places to live in the US, according to U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report ranked these 10 cities as the best places to live in the country:

1. Johns Creek, Georgia
2. Carmel, Indiana
3. Pearland, Texas
4. Fishers, Indiana
5. Cary, North Carolina
6. League City, Texas
7. Apex, North Carolina
8. Leander, Texas
9. Rochester Hills, Michigan
10. Troy, Michigan