Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Wisconsin?
Only a third of Wisconsinites say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Wisconsin don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Wisconsin cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 143 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Badger State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Wisconsin
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Madison is the happiest place in Wisconsin.
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Wisconsin For 2023
/10
Population: 10,351
Poverty Level: 12.3%
Median Home Price $151,000
Married Households 25.0%
Households With Kids 30.27%
More on Portage: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 77,705
Poverty Level: 19.8%
Median Home Price $125,600
Married Households 22.0%
Households With Kids 35.33%
More on Racine: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 36,567
Poverty Level: 17.7%
Median Home Price $102,100
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 30.75%
More on Beloit: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 16,594
Poverty Level: 6.4%
Median Home Price $147,400
Married Households 29.0%
Households With Kids 27.88%
More on Beaver Dam: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,970
Poverty Level: 7.4%
Median Home Price $188,100
Married Households 24.0%
Households With Kids 35.31%
More on Sturtevant: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 99,605
Poverty Level: 14.8%
Median Home Price $168,800
Married Households 18.0%
Households With Kids 33.43%
More on Kenosha: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 23,030
Poverty Level: 8.7%
Median Home Price $162,700
Married Households 34.0%
Households With Kids 30.66%
More on Watertown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 5,155
Poverty Level: 3.8%
Median Home Price $268,800
Married Households 23.0%
Households With Kids 26.5%
More on Bristol: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 578,198
Poverty Level: 24.1%
Median Home Price $135,600
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 30.22%
More on Milwaukee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 5,825
Poverty Level: 10.0%
Median Home Price $172,700
Married Households 30.0%
Households With Kids 37.79%
More on Edgerton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Badger State
To rank the unhappiest places in Wisconsin, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 143 places in Wisconsin with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 143 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Wisconsin.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Wisconsin.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Wisconsin
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Wisconsin is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Wisconsin, according to science:
- Madison
- Fitchburg
- Sheboygan Falls
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
- Richest Cities In Wisconsin
- Safest Places In Wisconsin
- Worst Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Wisconsin
Miserable Cities In Wisconsin For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portage, WI | 10,351 | 12.3% | $151,000 | 25.0% | 30.27% |
| 2 | Racine, WI | 77,705 | 19.8% | $125,600 | 22.0% | 35.33% |
| 3 | Beloit, WI | 36,567 | 17.7% | $102,100 | 20.0% | 30.75% |
| 4 | Beaver Dam, WI | 16,594 | 6.4% | $147,400 | 29.0% | 27.88% |
| 5 | Sturtevant, WI | 6,970 | 7.4% | $188,100 | 24.0% | 35.31% |
| 6 | Kenosha, WI | 99,605 | 14.8% | $168,800 | 18.0% | 33.43% |
| 7 | Watertown, WI | 23,030 | 8.7% | $162,700 | 34.0% | 30.66% |
| 8 | Bristol, WI | 5,155 | 3.8% | $268,800 | 23.0% | 26.5% |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | 578,198 | 24.1% | $135,600 | 15.0% | 30.22% |
| 10 | Edgerton, WI | 5,825 | 10.0% | $172,700 | 30.0% | 37.79% |
| 11 | Twin Lakes, WI | 6,306 | 9.0% | $225,300 | 16.0% | 25.09% |
| 12 | Wisconsin Rapids, WI | 18,711 | 15.8% | $94,000 | 30.0% | 26.64% |
| 13 | New Richmond, WI | 9,908 | 4.5% | $213,600 | 23.0% | 33.85% |
| 14 | Mukwonago, WI | 8,255 | 2.1% | $262,400 | 40.0% | 33.82% |
| 15 | Delavan, WI | 8,568 | 9.1% | $157,700 | 23.0% | 29.41% |
| 16 | Mayville, WI | 5,165 | 8.2% | $143,100 | 46.0% | 31.92% |
| 17 | Slinger, WI | 5,946 | 1.1% | $278,100 | 38.0% | 31.59% |
| 18 | Holmen, WI | 10,613 | 4.2% | $216,600 | 34.0% | 34.45% |
| 19 | Milton, WI | 5,708 | 5.9% | $163,500 | 36.0% | 32.31% |
| 20 | Evansville, WI | 5,666 | 3.2% | $207,200 | 35.0% | 34.62% |
| 21 | Shawano, WI | 9,227 | 16.8% | $106,200 | 29.0% | 27.74% |
| 22 | Jefferson, WI | 7,821 | 9.6% | $174,600 | 32.0% | 23.53% |
| 23 | New London, WI | 7,197 | 12.7% | $137,400 | 33.0% | 29.77% |
| 24 | Merrill, WI | 9,344 | 13.7% | $86,600 | 30.0% | 22.26% |
| 25 | Pleasant Prairie, WI | 21,193 | 7.2% | $275,500 | 26.0% | 29.73% |
| 26 | Janesville, WI | 65,506 | 9.0% | $160,300 | 31.0% | 27.93% |
| 27 | Berlin, WI | 5,546 | 16.7% | $110,300 | 35.0% | 33.22% |
| 28 | Kimberly, WI | 7,286 | 6.6% | $155,300 | 43.0% | 31.07% |
| 29 | Waupun, WI | 11,494 | 8.9% | $130,300 | 33.0% | 32.7% |
| 30 | Mcfarland, WI | 9,026 | 2.2% | $285,300 | 34.0% | 37.47% |
| 31 | Green Bay, WI | 107,083 | 15.4% | $151,000 | 26.0% | 29.79% |
| 32 | Sheboygan, WI | 49,849 | 11.0% | $130,400 | 28.0% | 27.87% |
| 33 | Sparta, WI | 9,955 | 11.3% | $131,300 | 29.0% | 29.43% |
| 34 | Monroe, WI | 10,668 | 5.8% | $141,600 | 30.0% | 25.5% |
| 35 | Jackson, WI | 7,131 | 8.1% | $227,800 | 35.0% | 28.04% |
| 36 | Antigo, WI | 8,054 | 20.5% | $80,500 | 35.0% | 22.94% |
| 37 | Chippewa Falls, WI | 14,581 | 12.3% | $153,800 | 29.0% | 26.94% |
| 38 | Hartford, WI | 15,526 | 7.8% | $207,600 | 37.0% | 32.28% |
| 39 | Lake Geneva, WI | 8,300 | 8.4% | $232,200 | 15.0% | 18.3% |
| 40 | Baraboo, WI | 12,446 | 11.3% | $163,000 | 26.0% | 25.68% |
| 41 | Fond Du Lac, WI | 44,412 | 11.6% | $130,200 | 35.0% | 27.08% |
| 42 | Columbus, WI | 5,465 | 6.6% | $170,500 | 38.0% | 30.08% |
| 43 | West Allis, WI | 60,220 | 10.4% | $155,700 | 28.0% | 22.79% |
| 44 | Menasha, WI | 18,157 | 10.5% | $140,700 | 32.0% | 28.48% |
| 45 | Appleton, WI | 74,752 | 9.6% | $165,900 | 31.0% | 31.48% |
| 46 | Weston, WI | 15,609 | 5.8% | $172,200 | 37.0% | 30.76% |
| 47 | West Bend, WI | 31,639 | 7.4% | $191,300 | 39.0% | 28.32% |
| 48 | Waupaca, WI | 6,252 | 6.1% | $124,300 | 34.0% | 21.17% |
| 49 | Fort Atkinson, WI | 12,529 | 6.9% | $170,500 | 35.0% | 27.03% |
| 50 | South Milwaukee, WI | 20,785 | 13.2% | $170,900 | 35.0% | 26.85% |
| 51 | Burlington, WI | 10,971 | 11.4% | $218,600 | 30.0% | 29.98% |
| 52 | Marinette, WI | 11,025 | 14.3% | $85,800 | 23.0% | 21.83% |
| 53 | Superior, WI | 26,601 | 13.2% | $135,900 | 17.0% | 27.15% |
| 54 | Elkhorn, WI | 10,267 | 5.9% | $193,900 | 22.0% | 27.07% |
| 55 | Ashland, WI | 7,890 | 22.4% | $112,200 | 27.0% | 24.82% |
| 56 | North Fond Du Lac, WI | 5,349 | 17.0% | $126,100 | 46.0% | 29.5% |
| 57 | Caledonia, WI | 25,288 | 5.1% | $226,900 | 43.0% | 30.41% |
| 58 | Verona, WI | 13,798 | 1.6% | $320,400 | 31.0% | 36.18% |
| 59 | Lake Mills, WI | 6,194 | 5.7% | $207,100 | 35.0% | 30.6% |
| 60 | Kronenwetter, WI | 8,257 | 3.1% | $201,000 | 46.0% | 37.47% |
| 61 | Muskego, WI | 24,991 | 2.8% | $324,100 | 49.0% | 31.84% |
| 62 | Tomah, WI | 9,515 | 9.2% | $137,600 | 29.0% | 23.29% |
| 63 | Wausau, WI | 39,745 | 12.5% | $129,300 | 28.0% | 27.33% |
| 64 | Ripon, WI | 7,784 | 10.0% | $133,400 | 28.0% | 24.86% |
| 65 | Greenfield, WI | 37,623 | 8.5% | $196,400 | 28.0% | 20.19% |
| 66 | Neenah, WI | 27,194 | 11.0% | $155,200 | 33.0% | 32.46% |
| 67 | Oak Creek, WI | 36,266 | 4.9% | $248,800 | 32.0% | 27.83% |
| 68 | Mount Horeb, WI | 7,727 | 3.0% | $294,400 | 39.0% | 42.91% |
| 69 | Plymouth, WI | 8,883 | 7.1% | $159,200 | 43.0% | 23.25% |
| 70 | Rice Lake, WI | 8,851 | 19.5% | $152,200 | 28.0% | 25.55% |
| 71 | Hartland, WI | 9,457 | 5.9% | $297,400 | 38.0% | 30.87% |
| 72 | Sturgeon Bay, WI | 9,540 | 11.0% | $153,100 | 30.0% | 24.71% |
| 73 | Franklin, WI | 36,685 | 4.9% | $280,000 | 41.0% | 27.24% |
| 74 | Little Chute, WI | 11,652 | 4.8% | $166,700 | 40.0% | 25.86% |
| 75 | Sun Prairie, WI | 35,528 | 5.6% | $266,400 | 28.0% | 30.28% |
| 76 | Whitefish Bay, WI | 14,818 | 5.2% | $410,300 | 33.0% | 41.14% |
| 77 | Deforest, WI | 10,700 | 11.9% | $250,100 | 34.0% | 39.71% |
| 78 | Sussex, WI | 11,398 | 6.2% | $306,000 | 41.0% | 34.88% |
| 79 | Greendale, WI | 14,735 | 4.5% | $240,000 | 40.0% | 29.6% |
| 80 | Richland Center, WI | 5,097 | 17.0% | $107,100 | 33.0% | 25.35% |
| 81 | Kaukauna, WI | 16,929 | 7.6% | $154,600 | 43.0% | 29.35% |
| 82 | Oshkosh, WI | 66,694 | 16.5% | $139,900 | 27.0% | 24.2% |
| 83 | Suamico, WI | 12,774 | 1.6% | $277,800 | 50.0% | 41.58% |
| 84 | Cottage Grove, WI | 7,255 | 1.4% | $327,100 | 45.0% | 42.16% |
| 85 | Rhinelander, WI | 8,177 | 16.0% | $95,300 | 29.0% | 24.72% |
| 86 | Oconomowoc, WI | 17,969 | 6.5% | $290,500 | 36.0% | 30.82% |
| 87 | Waterford, WI | 5,541 | 5.8% | $240,000 | 43.0% | 27.71% |
| 88 | Manitowoc, WI | 34,267 | 14.1% | $115,600 | 33.0% | 26.98% |
| 89 | West Salem, WI | 5,225 | 5.2% | $197,200 | 39.0% | 32.84% |
| 90 | Reedsburg, WI | 9,942 | 10.3% | $167,100 | 40.0% | 30.12% |
| 91 | Brookfield, WI | 41,020 | 3.1% | $346,000 | 37.0% | 31.5% |
| 92 | Onalaska, WI | 18,760 | 4.9% | $221,800 | 29.0% | 26.62% |
| 93 | Two Rivers, WI | 11,276 | 9.0% | $96,800 | 39.0% | 24.12% |
| 94 | Prairie Du Chien, WI | 5,549 | 13.9% | $122,300 | 29.0% | 20.39% |
| 95 | Port Washington, WI | 12,273 | 6.2% | $219,500 | 38.0% | 28.35% |
| 96 | Oregon, WI | 11,100 | 4.7% | $292,800 | 39.0% | 38.84% |
| 97 | Waunakee, WI | 14,679 | 3.8% | $380,200 | 39.0% | 42.22% |
| 98 | Hudson, WI | 14,500 | 6.8% | $282,900 | 16.0% | 29.02% |
| 99 | Grafton, WI | 12,081 | 3.2% | $250,100 | 38.0% | 23.11% |
| 100 | Mount Pleasant, WI | 27,572 | 7.0% | $222,400 | 34.0% | 26.65% |
