Appleton and Green Bay receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Appleton
Green Bay
Opportunity
79 · Top 12%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
71 · Top 17%
vs70 · Top 19%
Climate
57 · Bottom 16%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs94 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 34%
vs97 · Top 40%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
98 · Top 1%
vs86 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Appleton | Green Bay | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 245,768 | 331,145 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,825 | $79,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,727 | $42,043 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 257/sq mi | 177/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $268,900 | $257,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,060 | $1,010 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.3% | 69.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.8% | 30.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.2% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,469 | 1,964 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.0 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 85.9% | 7.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 22.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Appleton, WI Metro Area · Green Bay, WI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology