The 25 Best Places To Live In Wisconsin: Niche 2025 Ranking

WISCONSIN — Kohler is the best place to live in Wisconsin, according to Niche's 2025 rankings that dropped Monday.

Now in its 11th year, the ranking from the data-driven platform Niche helps everyone from young people just starting their careers or families to retirees decide where they want to live. The report analyzes places of various sizes, including cities with populations of 100,000 or more, suburbs, and neighborhoods.

The rankings are based on a wide range of public data sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, combined with millions of resident reviews.

Niche said it analyzed thousands of communities to compile this year’s ranking. Community attributes considered in developing the list included the health of the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, area public schools and walkability, among others. (More on methodology.)

According to the ranking, the five best places to live in the United States are: Colonial Village, VA; Atlantic Station, GA; Chesterbrook, PA; Harbour Island, FL; City Center, CA.

Here are the 25 best places to live in Wisconsin, according to Niche:

Top 25 Best Places to Live in Wisconsin (2025 - Niche)

1. Kohler Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 2,136
2. Brookfield (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 41,592
3. Whitefish Bay (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 14,750
4. Elm Grove (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 6,428
5. Fox Point (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 6,746
6. Mequon (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 25,259
7. Shorewood (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 13,682
8. Bayside (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 4,398
9. River Hills (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 1,639
10. Thiensville (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 3,277
11. Wauwatosa (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A | Population: 47,718
12. Nashotah (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 1,272
13. Shorewood Hills (Suburb of Madison) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A | Population: 2,067
14. Middleton (Suburb of Madison) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 22,235
15. Glendale (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A | Population: 13,134
16. Cedarburg (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 12,317
17. Wind Point (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: B− | Population: 1,632
18. Verona (Suburb of Madison) Grade: A+ | Public Schools: A | Population: 14,499
19. Lannon (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 1,475
20. Madison (City) Grade: A | Public Schools: A− | Population: 275,568
21. Waunakee (Suburb of Madison) Grade: A | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 14,927
22. Pewaukee City (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A | Public Schools: A | Population: 16,002
23. Sussex (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A | Public Schools: A+ | Population: 11,795
24. Menomonee Falls (Suburb of Milwaukee) Grade: A | Public Schools: A | Population: 38,963
25. Fitchburg (Suburb of Madison) Grade: A | Public Schools: A | Population: 31,566