Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Appleton, WI

    Is Appleton a good place to live?

    Watch Appleton

    Appleton ranks #20 of 35 Wisconsin cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (48/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.3% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $211,500
    +10.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $957
    per month
    Household income
    $77,450
    median
    Unemployment
    3.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Appleton

    The median home value in Appleton is $211,500 and median rent is $957 a month, against a median household income of $77,450. Homes cost about 2.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Appleton crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Wisconsin the 2025 rate was 245 violent and 1,033 property crimes per 100,000 people — #45 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Appleton, WI

    Appleton has about 74,873 residents, 3.9% unemployment and 26% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Appleton with

    Appleton vs MilwaukeeAppleton vs MadisonAppleton vs Green BayAppleton vs KenoshaAppleton vs RacineAppleton vs WaukeshaAppleton vs Eau ClaireAppleton vs Oshkosh

    More: Where to move in Wisconsin · Best counties in Wisconsin

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report