Living in Appleton, WI

Explore Appleton and see how it fits the life you want to build.

75,023 Population Calumet, Outagamie & Winnebago Counties Counties City Place Type Wisconsin State
Overall Match7.8 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Appleton at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population75,023
Median Household Income$80,483
Median Home Value$231,400
Median Gross Rent$1,030
Median Age37.5
Average Household Size2.3
Unemployment3.5%
Work From Home12.6%
Homeownership67.1%
Housing Vacancy3.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Appleton is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal. Unemployment is relatively low, which is a positive current labor-market signal.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Appleton Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Appleton →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Appleton and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value4.0 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment4.2 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability3.7 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly3.3 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength4.2 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Appleton

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$231,400
Median Gross Rent$1,030
Homeownership67.1%
Housing Vacancy3.7%
Housing Value8.0/10
Housing Stability7.4/10

Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. The housing mix leans toward owner-occupied homes while still supporting a meaningful rental market.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Appleton, WI

Median Household Income$80,483
Unemployment3.5%
Work From Home12.6%
Employment8.4/10
Remote Work Friendly6.6/10
Income Strength8.4/10

The reported unemployment rate is relatively low. A meaningful share of employed residents work from home.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Appleton and how households are structured

Population75,023
Median Age37.5
Average Household Size2.3

Appleton is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in Appleton

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Appleton point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.

Average Summer High81.5°F
Average Winter Low10.0°F
Annual Rainfall33.2 in.
Annual Snowfall49.4 in.

Seasonal Life in Appleton

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.

Summer

Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

County Intelligence

Appleton & Its Counties

Data Pending Foreclosure Activity

Appleton spans Calumet, Outagamie and Winnebago counties.

Living in a community that crosses county lines can make location within Appleton especially important. Property taxes, housing characteristics, public services and other county-level factors may vary depending on which part of the community you call home.

Current NarrowTheList data for Appleton shows a population of about 75,023. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Calumet County, Outagamie County and Winnebago County
How NarrowTheList uses it

NarrowTheList connects Appleton with all 3 of its counties rather than assigning the community to only one. As additional county data becomes available, those differences can be compared alongside city-level information to help identify which parts of the area may better fit your priorities.

For someone considering a move to Appleton, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income and a relatively tight labor market. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.