City Profile

Appleton, Wisconsin

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Appleton, Wisconsin, nestled along the Fox River in the state's Fox Cities region, has evolved from a historic paper-milling hub into a vibrant and growing urban center. Founded in the mid-19th century and named after industrialist Samuel Appleton, the city blends rich Midwestern heritage with modern economic vitality. Today, residents are drawn to its exceptional quality of life, featuring a charming downtown, excellent educational institutions like Lawrence University, and a thriving arts community.

About Wisconsin

Wisconsin, located in the Upper Midwest, is characterized by its diverse landscapes, including Great Lakes shorelines, dense forests, and rolling hills, fostering a strong connection to outdoor recreation and a friendly, community-oriented lifestyle. The state's economy is robust, driven primarily by manufacturing, agriculture (especially dairy, earning it the nickname "America's Dairyland"), and a significant tourism sector. Living in Wisconsin generally offers a lower cost of living compared to the national average, with housing and groceries often more affordable. The climate features four distinct seasons, with warm summers and cold, snowy winters, providing opportunities for a variety of seasonal activities.

75,644

Population

$62K

Avg Salary

Cost Index

70.6

Quality Score

How this 71/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 82 / 100	82.0	30%	24.6
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 91.0	55.0	25%	13.8
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $71,500 Income needed to live here: $48,000 Unemployment rate: 3.2%	85.6	20%	17.1
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.8% Job growth rate: 1.9%	51.5	15%	7.7
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 74 / 100	74.0	10%	7.4
Overall score				70.6

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Appleton remains comfortably below the national average, making it an attractive destination for families, young professionals, and retirees alike. Housing costs, utilities, and everyday goods are notably more affordable than larger metropolitan areas across the United States. This favorable economic climate allows residents to enjoy a high standard of living without the steep financial pressures typically found in coastal cities.

Average Rent

$1,150/mo

Groceries

$380/mo

Transport

$110/mo

Utilities

$175/mo

Healthcare

$220/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$40.00

Cinema ticket

$12.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$20.00

Monthly groceries

$380.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$130.00

Income

Salary Insights

Appleton boasts a robust and diversified economy anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, paper and packaging, and education. Major local employers include ThedaCare, Miller Electric, and Appleton Area School District, providing steady employment across various sectors. The region's proactive approach to business development and workforce training continues to attract new enterprises and support steady job growth.

The average salary in Appleton is $62,000 per year. You would need approximately $48,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.00% Manufacturing +1.20% Education +1.50% Healthcare +2.40% Finance and Insurance +2.00%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

47°F

Avg Temp

☀️

79°F

Summer High

❄️

12°F

Winter Low

🌧️

30.20"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

263

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Appleton is primarily centered on automobile transit, supported by an efficient grid system and major thoroughfares like Interstate 41. Valley Transit provides public bus services across the Fox Cities region, connecting key commercial and residential hubs. While walkability is high in the vibrant downtown core, most neighborhoods are designed with convenient driving and parking in mind.

19 min

Avg Commute

42.00/10

Transit Score

58.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median home prices and overall cost of living remain significantly below the national average per US Census data.

Consistently low crime rates rank Appleton among the safest mid-sized cities in the Midwest.

A thriving downtown district featuring the Fox Cities PAC, local dining, and boutique shopping.

Robust local economy anchored by major healthcare and manufacturing employers ensuring stable employment.

Abundant outdoor recreational access via Riverside Park and the extensive Fox River trail system.

Drawbacks

Winters are long, cold, and bring significant snowfall averaging nearly 38 inches annually.

Public transit options outside of core downtown areas are limited, making car ownership nearly essential.

Limited racial diversity compared to larger national metropolitan areas.

Humid summer months can occasionally bring high discomfort levels.

Fluctuation in seasonal weather can impact outdoor event planning and infrastructure maintenance costs.

Head to Head

Compare Appleton

Appleton VS Grants Pass Appleton VS Syracuse Appleton VS Binghamton Appleton VS Cincinnati

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Nearby Cities

Green Bay

Wauwatosa

West Allis

New Berlin

Community Q&A

Questions about Appleton

What people ask about living in and moving to Appleton, Wisconsin.

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Gathering the most common questions about Appleton…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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