Wisconsin

[next_migration]

Day and Hall (2016) think the southeastern quadrant of this state, extending along the western shore of Lake Michigan up to Green Bay, is all unsustainable because of its urbanization. I strongly disagree, with the caveat that living in the overly large, politically targeted city of Milwaukee should be avoided. Green Bay, for example, is evaluated by Kurtz et al. (2020) as being easily fed from nearby farmland if a less meat-heavy diet were adopted. It has little over 100,000 people, with low unemployment, crime, and cost of living; it has a port on Lake Michigan’s Green Bay but is largely well above sea level, though some areas have flood risks. This is a place that could be ideally situated for sustainable urban life.

 

Wisconsin is subject to a heavy GOP gerrymander and escalating vote-suppression measures. Milwaukee, as the most urban and least white part of the state, is most targeted, not just by gerrymandering but by a recent law that will punish the city for daring to trim its police budget. Outside the metro area, Wausau is among places where district lines have been conspicuously drawn to deny city-dwellers representation in the legislature. However, the more such smaller cities and towns thrive, assuming that honest censuses are allowed to take place in future, the harder it will become to disenfranchise their residents in the long term. The more Milwaukee-area residents get out of the big city and disperse themselves, at least up to a point, the more chance they will have of having a political voice in future.

Recent reports are that water in certain communities is contaminated by disease-causing PFAS or “forever chemicals,” which in truth is also the case in many other U.S. states, some of which may not even have bothered to do testing to find the problem. In Wisconsin, the Republican minority-ruled legislature has blocked any meaningful efforts to address the problem or to prevent it from worsening. A short-term view might say “don’t live in a place where the legislature might make your kids drink toxins,” but that’s actually most of the country now. If, when the threatened civil war begins, we don’t have one geographically cohesive, potentially self-supporting region of states having an enfranchised majority that wants a livable environment, all of the United States will end up under similar rule and there will be noplace for anyone to escape to.

Wisconsin has several good-sized cities that could be very suitable for those who prefer more urban destinations, including the following:

 

o  Green Bay. In addition to the virtues noted above, there are the Green Bay Packers! Almost every medium-sized Northeastern city has some kind of local sports team(s), but the presence of an excellent locally-owned NFL team must be a big plus for sports fans. Economic sectors include papermaking and other manufacturing, meatpacking, healthcare, insurance, and logistics. There is a modest state university and several small colleges, including a technical college and a Menominee tribal college. The city has a botanical garden and an urban wildlife refuge, among other cultural amenities, and a bus system that offers little or no service to large outlying regions.

o  Appleton (75,000 people) is south of Green Bay. Appleton is a regional center for health care; the economy also includes finance and insurance, manufacturing, and distribution. There is a private college, a large technical college, and a few branch campuses. Appleton was a sundown town until 1970; diversity has improved, but most non-white citizens are Hispanic or Asian. It’s a nice town, especially if you are white, but expect it to be a bit conservative. There are many public events and performing arts. Appleton is the center of a regional Fox Valley transit system that connects to several smaller neighboring cities. The Fox Valley metro area is growing and prospering, and offers many opportunities.

o  Oshkosh (67,000 people) is on Lake Winnebago south of the Appleton metro area. The economy includes manufacturing (plastics, military trucks), food processing (two chocolate companies), tourism (the draws including water sports, such as fishing tournaments, and multiple music festivals), health care, and corrections (there is a large prison). The University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh is a large employer, and there is a community college branch. Oshkosh is not very diverse, and is viewed as less classy than Appleton; however, most residents who comment on it seem pretty satisfied. The bus system has a route connecting Oshkosh to Neenah, from which transit to Appleton is available.

o  Madison, a city of over 260,000, is the state capital, but also houses the University of Wisconsin’s main campus, and is politically targeted for its confirmed liberalism and cultural diversity. High-tech, biotech, IT, education, advertising, insurance, government, and healthcare are major employments. It is a great town for eating, drinking, music, nightlife, and winter sports, and is the home of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. There are many consumer, worker, and housing co-ops. Virtually any world religion has at least one local institution. Madison strives to support bicycling and has a good bus system. Housing costs are far higher than in other Wisconsin cities; you don’t want to move here unless you have independent means or a good job offer in hand. Lakes and streams in the area have dangerous PFAS loads, so don’t fish, but the tap water is safe.

o  Janesville, about 65,000 people, is southeast of Madison, close enough to visit regularly, and much more affordable. Health care, education, manufacturing, and communications are major employers. There is a community college, and Janesville is the home of the Wisconsin School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It has a botanical garden, a greenbelt, and numerous parks.

o  Beloit, near Janesville on the Illinois border, has about 37,000 people but a relatively urban vibe, with moderate diversity, and many urban amenities. The economy includes varied manufacturing and corporate headquarters. There is a technical college. The downtown is known for its charm.

o  Wausau in north-central Wisconsin is a city of almost 40,000 that has a thriving economy based on manufacturing (especially of paper), insurance and banking, tourism, and other services. It is a center of ginseng cultivation. Wausau has a two-year university, a technical college, and some satellite campuses. Local sports include skiing, curling, and kayaking. Over 10% of the town is of Hmong ethnicity, Vietnam War refugees and their descendants, so there is an unusual number of Asian restaurant and grocery businesses.

o  Stevens Point (26,000 people) in central Wisconsin has a state university and a technical college. Industries include papermaking and other manufacturing, insurance, and software; there are several corporate headquarters. Outdoor recreation opportunities are plentiful. There is a modest local bus system. Housing costs are increasing, but still reasonable, and affordable given average local incomes.

o  Eau Claire in the west, at the fringe of the Driftless Area (see above under Iowa, and below), has almost 70,000 people. It bills itself as the horseradish capital of the world. Manufacturing, agriculture, retail, and health care are important economic sectors. There is a state university branch, a technical college, and a Montessori school. Eau Claire is not very diverse, but does have a noticeable Hmong minority. Several downtown and riverfront neighborhoods have been or are being redeveloped; there’s a hint that this may involve shoving out poorer residents. A strong economy, low costs of living, and many public and recreational activities make Eau Claire a pleasant, livable city. It is among the communities affected by PFAS pollution, but tapwater is allegedly safe to drink.

o  La Crosse in the southwest is a Mississippi River port city with over 50,000 people. It is the largest city within Wisconsin’s part of the Driftless Area, a scenic, artsy, pleasant, mostly rural region. There are three colleges with 20,000 students between them, and education is a major business, as are health care, manufacturing, retail, and brewing. La Crosse has dozens of arts organizations, and is home to the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps and a NASCAR asphalt track speedway. Outdoor sports are popular. It was once a “sundown town”; it has apologized for that history and now has a little racial and religious diversity, but is still pretty white. Like Eau Claire, its tap water is supposedly okay despite local PFAS pollution. Has an Amtrak stop.

o  Sheboygan (48,000 people) is on the shore of Lake Michigan, north of the Milwaukee metro area. The economy includes manufacturing, food processing, health care, and tourism; the area is known for surfing and bratwurst. The town is peaceful and pleasant, though somewhat conservative. There are Hmong and Latino minorities. Developers have been building fancy apartments and jacking up rents, but cost of living can still be affordable. There are public college and community college branch campuses.

o  Fond du Lac (45,000 people) is west of Sheboygan. It’s a historic town on Lake Winnebago with four historic neighborhoods. The economy includes a variety of manufacturing and information-economy corporations. Outdoor recreation, such as walleye fishing, is popular, as is the county fair. Some consider it boring, but another word for boring could be “peaceful.”

 

There are a few dozen small cities in Wisconsin. The downstate areas are perhaps more welcoming and have less extreme weather. The southwest encompasses Wisconsin’s part of the Driftless Area, mentioned above under Iowa, which also extends into corners of Illinois and Minnesota. “The Driftless” has a pleasant, close-knit rural culture and lovely scenery, and would be a great destination for people who enjoy rural life and the outdoors. Promising small cities and towns in or bordering the Driftless Area include:

 

o  Menomonie (16,000 people) is on Lake Menomin at the northern edge of the Driftless, near Eau Claire. It hosts the University of Wisconsin–Stout, the state’s polytechnic university, and a technical college branch campus. The former is large enough to make students a good share of the population, and many businesses cater to them. Other major economic sectors are health care (including assisted living and nursing facilities), manufacturing, and distribution or logistics. Cost of living is low.

o  Chippewa Falls (14,000 people), a bit north of Eau Claire, is similarly at the northernmost fringe of the Driftless. It is the home of corporations including Leinenkugel Brewing and hosts the Northern Wisconsin State Fair. Manufacturing, retail and online retail, health care, and county government provide many jobs.

o  Onalaska (19,000 people) is a suburb of La Crosse located above the Black River and alongside a large manmade lake. Jobs include professional services, transport and distribution, retail, and hospitality. Housing is costlier than in some places; it’s probably a bedroom community for many workers in La Crosse. Higher education is available in La Crosse. Onalaska bills itself as the sunfish capital of the world.

o  Platteville (12,000 people) is in the southwest corner of the state. It is now a college town hosting a University of Wisconsin regional school, whose engineering program has attracted engineering businesses. Historically it was a center of lead ore mining, and an unknown amount of land in this and neighboring counties may be significantly contaminated (Tenenbaum 2019). The town has also had hundreds of lead water service lines but is now offering grants to encourage their replacement.

o  Sparta (less than 10,000 people) is east of La Crosse at the edge of the Driftless. It is the site of close to a dozen corporate headquarters, primarily small manufacturers. There are several senior independent and assisted living facilities. Sparta is at the intersection of two of the state’s major bicycle trails, and bills itself as the bicycling capital of the world. Local artesian waters were once reputed to have healing effects. Sparta has an annual four-day carnival known as Butterfest. The county’s agricultural economy also includes major cranberry producers as well as beef, grain, fruits and vegetables.

o  Prairie du Chien, between the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers, has less than 6000 people. It is cheap and peaceful, and as one of the oldest towns in the state, has many historic places. Tourism is important to the economy; jobs include retail, service, manufacturing, distribution, and government (including corrections). Hunting and fishing are popular recreations. According to City-data, the town has less than 5% African-American residents and 100% of them live in poverty. I’d wonder about that if I were Black.

o  Viroqua, southeast of La Crosse, hardly has any non-white people. But it does, despite having barely over 4000 residents, have a large used book and music store, an organic food co-op, and regular square dancing events. The historic downtown makes active efforts to keep and develop independent small businesses following the arrival of a Mall-Wart. Viroqua is the nominal home of the decentralized, delightful Driftless Folk School. Residents say that housing costs are increasing due to the arrival of monied outsiders, so migrants should remain few in number and modest in spending habits to avoid provoking resentment.

 

The remainder of Wisconsin has many small towns that might be fine for people (especially fairer-skinned people—virtually none have much diversity) who like small-town life and can find work there. For lifelong urbanites, I would recommend first moving to a bigger city and spending a few years becoming a Wisconsinite before you try to become a rural Wisconsinite. Here are a few examples of potentially appealing smaller towns and suburbs:

 

o  Weston (15,000 people) is in the north-central part of the state, near Wausau. It’s a bit pricier than most small towns, though not above average nationally. There is a small Hmong population. The town is quiet and pleasant. It has created multiple business and technology “parks” and is making active efforts to attract more corporate employers.

o  Marshfield (19,000 people) is southwest of Wausau. It’s affordable, peaceful, and well liked by residents. It’s a regional medical center, and health care is a major component of the economy; there is also employment in industry and transport, and public college and community college branch campuses. There’s an attractive downtown with historic buildings.

o  Neenah (29,000 people) is located in the Fox Valley metro region between Appleton and Oshkosh, with single transit routes connecting it to both. Its economy includes manufacturing (multiple paper companies, also steel) and some corporate headquarters; unemployment has been low of late. Neenah is pretty white, but doesn’t attract the kind of complaints about police harassment of minority residents that are common for other cities in that demographic. Residents describe it as family-friendly, peaceful, and beautiful, with a historic downtown, riverside parks, and appealing and diverse public art. Cultural options are pretty good for a town of this size, with a variety of small arts institutions, public sports facilities, and live music venues.

o  Menasha, Kaukauna, and Grand Chute are among the smaller towns in the Appleton metro area; the Fox Valley transit service has routes connecting each of them to Appleton. Menasha (18,000 people) is the home of a University of Wisconsin branch campus, mostly two-year for transfer students, which has public facilities including a planetarium and museum. Kaukauna (16,000 people) has manufacturing businesses including a paper mill that affects air quality. (That’s the smell of money....) Grand Chute (24,000 people) is a little pricier, and hosts the headquarters of the ultraconservative John Birch Society. Despite its size, it is only a town, having been denied incorporation as a village (which, in Wisconsin, is peculiarly considered a higher status).

o  Ashwaubenon (17,000 people), Bellevue (16,000), and De Pere (25,000) are in the Green Bay metro area. Although they aren’t the most expensive Green Bay suburbs, they certainly aren’t as cheap as towns farther away. Residents report all three to be pleasant and friendly, if a little dull. Ashwaubenon hosts Green Bay Packers training facilities; De Pere has a school for children with developmental disabilities. Many residents probably commute to Green Bay for work.

o  South-central Baraboo (over 12,000 people) was the home of the Ringling Brothers and still houses the Circus World Museum, a large multibuilding historic attraction and research facility, which in normal times has live circus performances during the tourist season. There is a university branch campus and a downtown historic district. It’s apparently a bit insular.

o  Whitewater and Watertown are southeastern but outside the Milwaukee metro area. Whitewater (ca. 15,000 people) is a college town; the local University of Wisconsin branch is the largest employer. It’s a pleasant example of the genre, with nothing terribly remarkable (aside from the ghost of a famous witch) and not much excitement. A state forest is on the doorstep and outdoor activities are readily available.

o  Watertown (23,000 people) is a former railroad town that still has a fair amount of employment in distribution, along with health care, manufacturing, and food processing. It’s not wealthy, but unemployment at the moment is reasonably low. Retail and services are limited, and drugs have been a problem, but crime is not high and most residents find it pleasant. There’s a community college branch campus.

o  Monroe at the south end of the state has over 10,000 people. Local industry includes cheese manufacturing and sales, and there is an annual cheese festival. Household income is higher than in many rural towns, but housing is still affordable. Locals love the friendly, peaceful, pleasant atmosphere.

o  Lake Geneva (8000 people) is a resort town in the southeast, near both Milwaukee and Chicago but outside their metro areas. The economy relies heavily on tourism, and in summer the town is very busy, but it retains a small-town atmosphere. There’s a beautiful historic district. Housing is more expensive than in most small Wisconsin towns, but not exorbitant; however, low wages make some residents feel squeezed. New residents report feeling welcome.

o  Superior is in the northeastern corner of the state, on a bay of Lake Superior opposite Duluth, Minnesota. The city of Superior (over 26,000 people) may be confused both with the village of Superior and with the town of Superior (things like this seem to happen in Wisconsin unusually often; try to find it charming). Both Superior and Duluth have busy port facilities; transportation, manufacturing, and the local shipyard are important to the economy. There is some tourism. Superior has a small public college and a community college. Duluth’s public transit service connects to Superior, which is a quieter and cheaper place to live.

o  Rhinelander in the north (7500 people), despite its horrifying winter weather, would appeal to very rugged outdoorspeople for the close proximity of the Nicolet National Forest. It has a paper mill and other manufacturers (including defense corporations) that offer employment, as well as tourism; a Farm and Fleet store will be opening soon. It is the home of the Hodag Country Festival. Unlike many small towns, Rhinelander seeks to recruit new residents and makes much information readily accessible on its website. However, some residents complain that it’s a bit run down, schools are not great, and jobs and connections to the outside world are limited.

o  Sturgeon Bay (9000 people) is the county seat of Door County, the majority of the narrow northeastern peninsula defining Green Bay, which at present does huge tourism business. It has a charming historic downtown and a branch campus of a technical college. Manufacturing and catering to tourists are major employments, and many businesses shut down in the winter when the tourist season ends. Many residents are retirees from elsewhere, but housing remains reasonably priced.

 

Several bus companies do a pretty good job of connecting most good-sized Wisconsin towns with transport hubs and/or communities in Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Unfortunately, there is little service in small communities, and those that are served are mostly central, northern, or eastern, largely avoiding the lovely Driftless Area.

The Fox Valley metro area is already actively growing and seems to offer a particularly broad range of opportunities. However, aside from the very densely populated and politically oppressed area around Milwaukee, I’d argue that virtually anyplace in this state where you think you could get a job and fit in well enough would be a good bet. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the majority of Wisconsin’s counties have gained population in the past decade, not only the counties surrounding big urban areas, as in most states. Wisconsin, with its abundant water and farmland, productive agriculture, and many river and lake ports, should be very well positioned for the future, and it seems that its people share that sense of optimism.