Top 100 Places To Live 2019: 3 Wisconsin Places Make List

WAUKESHA, WI — Three places in Wisconsin made Money magazine's coveted list of Best Places To Live In America for 2019.

The new rankings, released Monday, were derived from more than 80 types of data tied to the economy, cost of living, diversity of population, education, housing, health and safety, amenities, and ease of living.

Reporters also researched each community, interviewed residents and checked out neighborhoods.

The magazine's writers looked only at cities with populations of 50,000 or greater. Any place that had more than double the national crime risk, less than 85 percent of its state's median household income, or a lack of ethnic diversity was eliminated. Places that made the list last year were not included in this year's ranking.

Here are the Wisconsin places that made this year's list:

• Madison — No. 8
• Waukesha — No. 78
• Appleton — No. 89

Here's what they said about Madison: "Our No. 8 place also scored well in terms of pleasantness. Madison offers short commute times (the average travel time is 21 minutes) and plenty to do, especially during the warmer months. With four nearby lakes — Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Wingra — you can easily spend a summer weekend paddle boarding, kayaking, or canoeing."

See the full top 100 list here

Deb Belt, Patch Staff, contributed to this report