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.
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Badger State
Fox Point 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.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Best Suburbs In Wisconsin For 2023
/10
Population: 6,886
Median Income: $120,714
Median Home Price: $344,600
More on Fox Point: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Fox Point is located 7 miles north of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 6,456
Median Income: $115,459
Median Home Price: $412,800
More on Elm Grove: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Elm Grove is located 6 miles west of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 14,679
Median Income: $118,631
Median Home Price: $380,200
More on Waunakee: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Waunakee is located 6 miles north of Madison.
/10
Population: 14,818
Median Income: $134,324
Median Home Price: $410,300
More on Whitefish Bay: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Whitefish Bay is located 4 miles east of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 7,255
Median Income: $118,433
Median Home Price: $327,100
More on Cottage Grove: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Cottage Grove is located 11 miles east of Madison.
/10
Population: 12,109
Median Income: $79,935
Median Home Price: $339,100
More on Cedarburg: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Cedarburg is located 16 miles north of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 7,727
Median Income: $84,259
Median Home Price: $294,400
More on Mount Horeb: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Mount Horeb is located 16 miles west of Madison.
/10
Population: 24,814
Median Income: $135,425
Median Home Price: $402,900
More on Mequon: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Mequon is located 10 miles north of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 41,020
Median Income: $110,616
Median Home Price: $346,000
More on Brookfield: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Brookfield is located 7 miles west of Milwaukee.
/10
Population: 11,100
Median Income: $89,301
Median Home Price: $292,800
More on Oregon: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Oregon is located 11 miles south 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 Fox Point is the ‘burb with the most, while Racine 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.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Wisconsin according to the data:
- Racine
- Baraboo
- 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
Detailed List Of The Best Suburbs In Wisconsin
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fox Point | 6,886 | $120,714 | $344,600 |
| 2 | Elm Grove | 6,456 | $115,459 | $412,800 |
| 3 | Waunakee | 14,679 | $118,631 | $380,200 |
| 4 | Whitefish Bay | 14,818 | $134,324 | $410,300 |
| 5 | Cottage Grove | 7,255 | $118,433 | $327,100 |
| 6 | Cedarburg | 12,109 | $79,935 | $339,100 |
| 7 | Mount Horeb | 7,727 | $84,259 | $294,400 |
| 8 | Mequon | 24,814 | $135,425 | $402,900 |
| 9 | Brookfield | 41,020 | $110,616 | $346,000 |
| 10 | Oregon | 11,100 | $89,301 | $292,800 |
| 11 | Verona | 13,798 | $94,911 | $320,400 |
| 12 | Evansville | 5,666 | $78,143 | $207,200 |
| 13 | Muskego | 24,991 | $104,082 | $324,100 |
| 14 | Richfield | 11,704 | $119,445 | $359,800 |
| 15 | New Berlin | 40,289 | $87,248 | $282,300 |
| 16 | Mcfarland | 9,026 | $83,865 | $285,300 |
| 17 | Delafield | 7,172 | $87,045 | $383,100 |
| 18 | Hales Corners | 7,704 | $84,643 | $251,300 |
| 19 | Menomonee Falls | 38,219 | $90,636 | $275,300 |
| 20 | Shorewood | 13,734 | $81,016 | $357,000 |
| 21 | Wauwatosa | 48,072 | $90,420 | $260,700 |
| 22 | Sussex | 11,398 | $96,837 | $306,000 |
| 23 | Grafton | 12,081 | $77,518 | $250,100 |
| 24 | Middleton | 21,634 | $78,537 | $395,000 |
| 25 | Sun Prairie | 35,528 | $83,409 | $266,400 |
| 26 | Hartland | 9,457 | $88,382 | $297,400 |
| 27 | Greendale | 14,735 | $78,310 | $240,000 |
| 28 | Oconomowoc | 17,969 | $95,914 | $290,500 |
| 29 | Port Washington | 12,273 | $70,333 | $219,500 |
| 30 | Monona | 8,560 | $82,579 | $303,300 |
| 31 | Hudson | 14,500 | $85,521 | $282,900 |
| 32 | Slinger | 5,946 | $84,955 | $278,100 |
| 33 | Stoughton | 13,158 | $67,272 | $232,500 |
| 34 | Waterford | 5,541 | $77,571 | $240,000 |
| 35 | Pewaukee | 8,203 | $59,569 | $219,500 |
| 36 | Franklin | 36,685 | $89,927 | $280,000 |
| 37 | Mukwonago | 8,255 | $84,965 | $262,400 |
| 38 | River Falls | 16,058 | $67,158 | $236,100 |
| 39 | Caledonia | 25,288 | $87,961 | $226,900 |
| 40 | Waukesha | 71,307 | $71,733 | $232,700 |
| 41 | Lake Mills | 6,194 | $72,770 | $207,100 |
| 42 | Fitchburg | 29,361 | $78,218 | $340,000 |
| 43 | Oak Creek | 36,266 | $80,817 | $248,800 |
| 44 | New Richmond | 9,908 | $71,827 | $213,600 |
| 45 | Sturtevant | 6,970 | $74,688 | $188,100 |
| 46 | Cudahy | 18,197 | $63,419 | $164,900 |
| 47 | Glendale | 13,313 | $78,027 | $230,100 |
| 48 | Deforest | 10,700 | $88,664 | $250,100 |
| 49 | Brown Deer | 12,562 | $75,536 | $174,900 |
| 50 | Jackson | 7,131 | $88,661 | $227,800 |
| 51 | Columbus | 5,465 | $62,833 | $170,500 |
| 52 | Mount Pleasant | 27,572 | $81,053 | $222,400 |
| 53 | St. Francis | 9,254 | $48,573 | $169,600 |
| 54 | Hartford | 15,526 | $65,986 | $207,600 |
| 55 | Edgerton | 5,825 | $68,900 | $172,700 |
| 56 | Burlington | 10,971 | $71,793 | $218,600 |
| 57 | Greenfield | 37,623 | $62,806 | $196,400 |
| 58 | West Bend | 31,639 | $66,980 | $191,300 |
| 59 | South Milwaukee | 20,785 | $61,046 | $170,900 |
| 60 | West Allis | 60,220 | $58,738 | $155,700 |
| 61 | Baraboo | 12,446 | $60,427 | $163,000 |
| 62 | Racine | 77,705 | $48,238 | $125,600 |
