Should I Move To
Appleton, Wisconsin is home to about 75,133 people. On cost of living, it lands in the affordable band — 14% below the national average. The median renter pays around $913 a month against a typical household income of $75,469. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 53 out of 100 (grade C-), putting it at #392 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Appleton's composite cost-of-living index lands at 86 (100 = US average), which puts it in the affordable band. At $913/mo against $75,469 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 15% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $192,200.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is cold-winter — summer averages around 80°F, winter averages around 20°F. Precipitation totals about 35 inches a year. Car-dependent for most errands, with small walkable pockets downtown or in older neighborhoods. Air quality reads good (AQI 41).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Appleton reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 57/100 (grade C) on the families profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on climate (22/100).
Appleton doesn't obviously fit retirees. It earns 50/100 (grade D) on the retirees profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on climate (22/100).
Appleton reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 58/100 (grade C) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on climate (22/100).
Appleton doesn't obviously fit young professionals. It earns 52/100 (grade C-) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on climate (22/100).
Appleton, Wisconsin pulls a 53/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C-), currently ranked #392 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Appleton's cost-of-living index is 86 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the affordable band — 14% below the national average. Median rent runs about $913/mo.
Cold-winter — summer averages around 80°F, winter averages around 20°F, with about 35 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 28/100. Car-dependent for most errands, with small walkable pockets downtown or in older neighborhoods.
Appleton has about 75,133 residents, 36% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 37.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Appleton head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Appleton stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Appleton with other Wisconsin cities scored on UrbRank.
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