Appleton ranks as Midwest’s 4th-best city to move to for affordability and economy

GREENVILLE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A new report declares Appleton among one of the best Midwest cities to move to this year.

ConsumerAffairs compared 100 of the most populous cities in the Midwest region across five categories — safety, affordability, economy, education, and quality of life — to rank the best cities to move to.

According to its research, the top five best Midwest cities to move to are:

1. Carmel, IN
2. Naperville, IL
3. Arlington Heights, IL
4. Appleton, WI
5. Waukesha, WI

ConsumerAffairs says Appleton earned the number four ranking because it ranked fifth-best with housing costs taking only 17% of the city’s median income of $77,450 and sixth-best on the economy, featuring a low unemployment rate (3.9%), low poverty rate (8.5%), and strong home appreciation from 2023-2024 (7.3%).

And the worst Midwest cities to move to are:

1. Detroit, MI
2. Cleveland, OH
3. Kalamazoo, MI
4. Gary, IN
5. Minneapolis, MN