The great outdoors, football, cozy neighborhoods and an active little downtown area, Appleton is pretty typical small-town Wisconsin, but with a little more flair. Appleton is situated along the Fox River, which has played a significant role in the city’s past and present.
Its location is as attractive to its residents as an Aaron Rodgers postage stamp or a wheel of sharp cheddar, and it’s a relaxed atmosphere within reach of many major metropolitan areas
The great outdoors, football, cozy neighborhoods and an active little downtown area, Appleton is pretty typical small-town Wisconsin, but with a little more flair. Appleton is situated along the Fox River, which has played a significant role in the city’s past and present.
Its location is as attractive to its residents as an Aaron Rodgers postage stamp or a wheel of sharp cheddar, and it’s a relaxed atmosphere within reach of many major metropolitan areas. Green Bay, of course, is half an hour north, Milwaukee and Madison are within a few hours’ drive, and Chicago is manageable if it's the mega city you sometimes desire. Apart from its proximity to larger culture, Appleton is home to Lawrence University, and the two are pretty synonymous. The university livens up the downtown area, bringing diversity, business, and most importantly, a larger rental market. That’s really why you're here, right?
Originally settled by fur traders in the early 1800s (as was most of the northern Midwest), a trading post was established in Appleton, and it soon grew into a busy little burb. The founding of Lawrence University (financial backing from Amos Lawrence) was integral to the town’s establishment, and always has been a huge factor in its success. The name Appleton actually comes from the college founder's father-in-law (Samuel Appleton), who generously donated $10,000 to the school. Another historic contributor to Appleton’s growth was its involvement in the paper mill industry, which actually spawned the nation’s first hydroelectric central power plant along the Fox River. Appleton has a lot of historic tidbits besides this, including the first successful electric streetcar company, the first telephone in Wisconsin, and being the town where Harry Houdini grew up. Or did he...
While it may not seem like much today, there’s a lot going on below the surface. Appleton is currently a more laid back place. Keep an eye out for small businesses and restaurants, a variety of bars, a weekend farmer’s market, a children’s museum, and a performing arts center that often hosts Broadway plays and big-name acts. The riverfront, golf courses, and a pretty extensive parks system are worth mentioning for the more outdoorsy and sporting types. For the indoorsy and sporty types, Appleton’s Fox River Mall, the third largest mall in Wisconsin, is a popular shopping destination for most of the northern portion of the state, and nearby upper Michigan as well.
Appleton is largely a city of drivers, but the Valley Transit company runs a system of buses that run through many different Fox Valley cities. This is ideal for car-less commuters or college students who need to get around town. Locals will tell you that Appleton isn’t very friendly for the bike commuter, though, as most streets don’t have bike lanes.
Now that you’re more familiar with the fruits of Appleton, time to dig into some of the logistics of living. One reason Appleton’s housing is so popular is probably because it’s pretty all-around inexpensive. Apartments are usually in the $500 - $700 range, depending on size, and are mostly low-level buildings, two-flats, and duplexes. Houses of many varieties (from creaky old Victorian homes to sparkly new cookie-cutter subdivisions) can be found around the city, and rentals rarely go over $2000 a month, at the most.
Since Appleton pads are pretty inexpensive, you can expect to get a lot of space for a decent price. All houses either have a washer and dryer included, or hookups provided for you to bring your own. If apartments don’t have in-unit laundry, more often than not, expect coin-op laundry in the building. Fully applianced kitchens are also to be expected in all types of places. Houses will have a garage and a yard, while apartments tend to have some sort of parking available (lot or structure) and may or may not have outdoor space, such as a balcony or shared yard or patio.
Here’s a quick little down-and-dirty guide to all the extra-rental things you may find yourself paying for in Appleton.
Utilities: In most places, especially single-family homes, the tenant is usually expected to pay utilities. This will include electricity, water and gas/heat. There are, however, many places available where all or some utilities are included. Most apartments will have water and, occasionally heat included, if it’s an older building with landlord-controlled heat.
Application and Deposit: Security deposits are standard, though sometimes lower than the actual rent itself. Some companies or landlords may require a small fee with an application to perform a background or credit check.
Pets: Whether or not a place allows pets depends mostly on the landlord or company that owns it. Many places allow cats or dogs depending on the breed and size, and may require an additional fee or deposit for having a pet. College towns tend to be more liberal as far as policies, but also recognize college kids sometimes don't make the best pet owners.
Many locals will tell you that if you’re moving from a big city, Appleton can be a bit of a shock culturally. It’s easygoing, it’s a little slow moving, and it’s very “Wisconsin...” whatever that means. Appleton is perfect for those seeking small town life, but who still want the opportunity to have a night out at a nice restaurant downtown or take a long weekend in Milwaukee (with or without Fonzie). If this is what you seek, perhaps you’re on the right track.
