Livability spotlights Appleton and Green Bay on eve of NFL Draft coming to Northeast Wisconsin
Two cities within the New North region – Appleton and Green Bay – have been named as one of the 2025 Top 100 Best Places to Live by Livability.com, outshining more than 2,000 other U.S. cities. Now in its 12th year of publication, the list showcases the most vibrant and livable small- to mid-sized cities, encompassing those with populations between 75,000 and 500,000.
The Top 100 Best Places to Live list is data-driven, evaluating nearly 100 data points across eight key categories: economy, housing and cost of living, amenities, transportation, safety, environment, education and health. Users are empowered through the platform’s intuitive filtering system to customize the set of places based on their individual priorities, and to emphasize affordability Livability only includes cities with median home values under $500,000.
“With the NFL Draft coming to Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin, we are excited for the hundreds of thousands of visitors to see firsthand what we already know: that the New North region is a great place to live,” says Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc. “It is wonderful to see the strong qualities of communities within Northeast Wisconsin being highlighted by Livability.com, which attracts millions of online viewers each year. We will have the red carpet out this week, and hope that our out-of-town guests discover what makes the New North so great.”
Appleton was spotlighted as the cultural hub of the Fox Cities, “combining access to top-tier entertainment, restaurants and breweries with the quaint charm of a small town.” Livability also mentioned the city’s affordable housing, safe neighborhoods and a low cost of living: “Affordability is the name of the game here. The reasonably low housing costs and diversity of home choices make the area appealing for families and young professionals who want to purchase their first home.” Appleton ranked highest for amenities, safety and transportation.
Green Bay was highlighted for its promotion of “strong community bonds and providing residents with an exceptionally high quality of life.” Livability went on to mention that “this family-friendly Midwest city has many surprises in store,” including its bustling riverfront boardwalk along the Fox River, and shared that Green Bay housing prices are “well below the national average (nearly 20%!).” It also highlighted the city’s wide range of outdoor activities, and for young professionals said, “Life is good in Green Bay, thanks to ample opportunities to create a career.” Green Bay ranked highest for transportation, amenities and housing.
Livability.com highlights the best small- to mid-sized cities and what makes them great places to live, work and visit. Through exclusive research and original content, it examines affordability, cultural amenities, talent attraction and more, celebrating the accomplishments of cities through various rankings.
Livability Northeast Wisconsin-New North Region was published earlier this month to provide an in-depth look at the entire region. A printed version is available for out-of-town guests at the Discover Green Bay Visitor Center, located one mile west of Lambeau Field.
New North, Inc., is a 501(c)3 non-profit, regional economic development corporationfostering collaboration among private and public sector leaders throughout the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, known as the New North region. The New North brand unites the region both internally and externally around talent development, brand promotion and business development, signifying the collective economic power behind the 18 counties. The counties include Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago. www.thenewnorth.com