Compare towns

Kenosha vs Appleton

120 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+15% in Kenosha) and bachelor’s degree+ (+9.2 pts in Appleton).

Kenosha, WIA history townWisconsin · 99,372 people

Appleton, WIA history townWisconsin · 75,023 people

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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

KenoshaA history town

HistorySettled in 183522 places on the National Register

Outdoors#33 most walkable in WI15 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves College town3 collegesGateway Technical College All about Kenosha →

AppletonA history town

HistorySettled in 184821 places on the National Register Famous people73 notable peopleborn in Appleton

Outdoors#17 most walkable in WI12 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves All about Appleton →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Rent+15%

Rent runs higher in Kenosha

Kenosha $1,186Appleton $1,030

Bachelor’s degree++9.2 pts

More adults in Appleton have a degree

Appleton 38.2%Kenosha 29%

Household income+13%

Households in Appleton earn more

Appleton $80,483Kenosha $71,239

Average commute4 min

Appleton has the shorter commute

Kenosha 24 minAppleton 19 min

Homeowners+8.4 pts renters

Kenosha has more renters

Appleton 67.1%Kenosha 58.7%

★ What stands out · Report cards

Appleton places higher on 19 of 22 WI lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Wisconsin ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

C+KenoshaSafer than 43% of U.S. towns B−AppletonSafer than 46% of U.S. towns

Schools

C−KenoshaBetter than 23% of districts in the state C−AppletonBetter than 22% of districts in the state

Health

C+KenoshaHealthier than 37% of U.S. towns B+AppletonHealthier than 70% of U.S. towns

3Kenosha

19Appleton

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest obesityHealth · 366 towns #313#102 Fewest smokersHealth · 366 towns #300#118 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 99 towns #84#38 HealthiestHealth · 366 towns #316#147 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 371 towns #169#3 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 366 towns #357#217 Most activeHealth · 366 towns #291#166 Shortest commuteGetting around · 371 towns #218#92

Left end = #1 in Wisconsin. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Kenosha’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Kenosha$1,900/mo

Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.70% · or rent about $1,186/mo · Housing →

Appleton$2,000/mo

Typical home $306K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.55% · or rent about $1,030/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Appleton and Kenosha.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

KenoshaAppleton

Snow a year36″49″

January low17°F 10°F

July high80°F 82°F

Growing season (days)189d 154d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)4th 5th

Outdoors & history

KenoshaAppleton

Trails15 mi 12 mi

Conserved land4.1%5%

Settled1835 1848

National Register places22 21

Archive photos—24

Famous people born here—73

Community

KenoshaAppleton

Library hours a week69 hrs 66 hrs

Colleges in town3 1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

120 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KenoshaWI AppletonWI

Kenosha ↔ Appleton120 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Wisconsin average

KenoshaAppleton

People

Population 99,372Highest 75,023Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.8%Lowest WI: +3.6% +4.2%Highest WI: +3.6%

Median age 37.1±0.6Lowest 8% below WI 37.5±0.7Highest 7% below WI

Appleton and Kenosha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 23.3%±0.9Highest WI: 21.4% 22.7%±1Lowest WI: 21.4%

Kenosha and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 13.8%±0.8Lowest WI: 18.5% 16.6%±1Highest WI: 18.5%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29%Lowest WI: 33.4% 38.2%Highest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.7%±0.6Highest WI: 5.8% 6.2%±0.7Lowest WI: 5.8%

Kenosha and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $71,239±$4kLowest 8% below WI $80,483±$3kHighest 4% above WI

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $225,200±$5kLowest 15% below WI $231,400±$5kHighest 13% below WI

Appleton and Kenosha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,186±$31Highest 9% above WI $1,030±$38Lowest 5% below WI

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,839Highest about the WI average $3,588Lowest 5% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.3%±3.3Highest WI: 43.7% 38.9%±3.6Lowest WI: 43.7%

Below poverty line 13.7%Highest WI: 10.6% 8.3%Lowest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 58.7%Lowest WI: 67.8% 67.1%Highest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1970Lowest 5 yrs older than WI 1971Highest 4 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 6% above WI 19 minLowest 13% below WI

Work from home 9.7%±1.2Lowest WI: 13.1% 12.6%±1.3Highest WI: 13.1%

Work in townworking residents 29.1%Highest 25.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miHighest 6.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.84Lowest 1.23Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Pleasant Prairie (11%)Grand Chute (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AppletonFew work in Kenosha

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.1%Lowest 5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 14.7 miHighest 12.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 mi 0.5 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 36Lowest 40Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 88.9Lowest 95.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #233 of 262 in WI #186 of 262 in WI

School district Kenosha School District · Kenosha Schools of Technology Enhanced Curriculum IncAppleton Area School District

High school in town Indian Trail High School and AcademyNorth High

Students per teacherat that high school 19.2Highest 17.3Lowest

Wisconsin average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Kenosha neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kenosha’s Town Square.

Appleton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Appleton’s Town Square.

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Bordering Kenosha

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Pleasant Prairie21,669 people · $360K homes

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Somers929 people · $258K homes

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Somers8,216 people · $315K homes

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Bristol5,207 people · $313K homes

Towns like Kenosha

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Green Bay106,253 people · $207K homes

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Oshkosh66,729 people · $178K homes

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West Allis59,612 people · $204K homes

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Racine77,633 people · $167K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Wisconsin towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Kenosha vs Appleton

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Appleton places higher on 19 of 22 WI lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

120 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Kenosha and Appleton

Bordering Kenosha

Towns like Kenosha

Post to Kenosha

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