Fox Cities, WI, is Midwest Nice
The Fox Cities region is the poster child of the ideal Wisconsin community.
With access to outdoor recreation in every season, is it really a surprise that Zippia named Wisconsin the third-happiest state in the U.S.?
Roxie Emunson, a Marine Corps military counselor turned shepherd, would hear how wonderful it was after her best friend moved there in 2020.
“Just her talking about how neat the area was, how much she was enjoying it, how it’s cold but it’s not that kind of cold,” Emunson says. “The area sounded more and more homey.”
Her friend moved to the Fox Cities region, and when Emunson and her husband retired in 2021, there was no doubt in their minds that this would be their next home, too.
“I thought we were in rural Wisconsin,” Emunson says about her first impression. “We’re in the country, but we’re six minutes from downtown.”
Turns out, Emunson’s story is one out of a collection of newcomers who are settling in quite nicely in the Fox Cities.
In This Article
A Southerner Goes North
At the center of Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee, Fox Cities is an energetic collection of 19 communities that complement their neighbors and take advantage of the glorious outdoors that the region affords them.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s winter, summer, spring or fall, there’s something going on somewhere,” native North Carolinian Anne Van says. “I never thought I could live somewhere so rural but so close to just such an alive area.”
Citizens of communities like Neenah and Menasha have waterfront views of Lake Winnebago. Residents boat, kayak and paddleboard during the summer, and seven months later, ice fish or even drive across the frozen lake.
“It’s like a city of ice shanties,” Van says. “I’m getting to experience a whole different lifestyle.”
Appleton is the heart of the Fox Cities, known for its standout quality of life, with locally owned retail shops and restaurants. From the Mile of Music Festival to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, a calendar of community events fuels the region’s vibrant art scene.
“I feel like Appleton is the next Nashville. It’s just very eclectic all around.”
Anne Van, Fox Cities Resident
Career Move
In this region, residents are known for making things with their hands. Many global companies have a presence here, like Plexus Corp., an electronic manufacturing services provider for the industrial, medical and defense industries, and Kimberly-Clark, a multinational personal care products manufacturer.
So much talent and creation in one area lends itself naturally to innovation.
Ben Bruns heard of The Boldt Co., a billion-dollar general contractor founded in Appleton, from an article covering its progressive construction of a building in San Francisco. When he was offered a job at Boldt, he gladly accepted.
“I had admired Boldt from afar, but I wasn’t looking to move. But the quality of life in Wisconsin is just better.”
Ben Bruns, Fox Cities Resident
Challenging but Worthwhile
A wide variety of education offerings is another reason that people move to the area. One doesn’t have to travel far to get a degree. The University of Wisconsin has a satellite location in Oshkosh, and Lawrence University in Appleton is ranked the best liberal arts school in the state. Fox Valley Technical College is another option for those looking to advance their career.
Primary schools also have robust options, with trade and magnet school offerings, as well as apprenticeship programs, at local facilities that provide real-world experience and pay to high schoolers.
Bruns’ son benefited from the Fox Cities’ education system when he tested into a magnet program in Neenah.
“He is constantly challenged by school,” Bruns says. “He is working on robotics, advanced math and problem-solving.”
Easy to Get Around
Not being directly in the city has its perks. For example, the median home price in the Fox Cities is lower than the state average. With an ideal location, one can get more house for the money, while still taking advantage of bigger-city amenities.
Plus, Appleton has an airport with over nine one-stop destinations to popular areas like Denver, Phoenix, Miami and Nashville.
“We’re within 30 minutes of the Packers and Green Bay Gamblers,” Van says. “So if you’re into sports, you’ve got it all around you.”
Get to Know Fox Cities
Want to learn more about living and working in Fox Cities, WI? Check out the latest edition of Livability Fox Cities, WI, Economic Development.
