Wisconsin’s 10 Richest Cities: Where The Badger State’s Wealthiest Live

Wisconsin doesn't get enough credit for how good it is. Beyond the Green Bay Packers, America's Dairyland is home to a genuinely strong economy, gorgeous lakes and Kettle Moraine countryside, and a cost of living that lets a paycheck stretch.

It's a great place to put down roots — whether you're in Milwaukee, Madison, or any part of the state.

But some corners of the Badger State are flat-out wealthy. A new 2026 study crunched the numbers to find where Wisconsin's richest residents actually live — and as a bonus, many of these same towns also rank among the state's safest places to live.

Here's who made the cut.

The 10 Richest Cities In Wisconsin For 2026

The ranking comes from HomeSnacks, which used its Saturday Night Science method to analyze the latest Census and Zillow data on median household income and home values.

To keep it fair, the study looked only at the 201 Wisconsin cities with more than 3,000 residents. For perspective, the statewide median income sits around $77,000, and the typical home runs about $330,000 — numbers every city here leaves in the dust.

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One quick caveat: that population cutoff means a few tiny, ultra-wealthy enclaves don't qualify. Chenequa, in Waukesha County, actually posts an average household income north of $400,000 — but with just 742 residents, it's too small for this particular list.

That's the nature of these studies: adjust the methodology even slightly, and the leaderboard reshuffles. Consider it a well-sourced bar argument, not gospel.

Now, let's count down from No. 10.

10. Fox Point

A classic North Shore suburb perched on the Lake Michigan bluff just north of Milwaukee, Fox Point is all winding wooded lanes and lakefront calm, anchored by Doctors Park and its beach. By design, there's barely a storefront in sight — this is a place built purely for living.

Fox Point opens the list with the seventh-highest income in the state at $141,467, paired with a very low 2.5% poverty rate.

9. Waunakee

Madison's booming northern neighbor is, by its own famous slogan, "the only Waunakee in the world." Top-rated schools, a lively village center, and quick access to Lake Mendota have made it one of the fastest-growing communities in the state.

Waunakee brings a $125,220 median income, $584,110 homes, and a slim 2.8% poverty rate — the lone Madison-area entry on a list otherwise ruled by Milwaukee's suburbs.

8. Bristol

Down in the state's southeast corner near the Illinois line, Bristol is best known as home to the beloved Bristol Renaissance Faire, plus county parks and nature centers. It's rural, but growing fast along the busy I-94 corridor.

Bristol squeaks in with a $123,648 median income — the exact price of admission to the top 10 — but backs it up with $641,622 homes and the lowest poverty rate on the entire list at just 1.9%.

7. Bayside

A wooded North Shore village hugging Lake Michigan, Bayside is home to the beloved Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and its lakefront trails. Quiet, leafy, and unmistakably upscale.

Bayside actually posts the second-highest income in the state at $160,096. More modest home values ($548,316) held it to No. 7 overall — but on paychecks alone, few Wisconsin towns top it.

6. Richfield

Out in the rolling Kettle Moraine, Richfield trades sidewalks for open space, hiking trails, and large wooded lots near the landmark Holy Hill basilica. It's country living with serious buying power.

Richfield delivers a $143,963 median income and $560,142 median home value, with poverty at a low 4.8%.

5. Mequon

The biggest city on the list at more than 25,000 residents, Mequon sprawls across country estates, farms, and the Lake Michigan bluff — home to Concordia University Wisconsin and a growing town center.

Mequon pairs a $144,051 median income with $647,578 homes and a 4.2% poverty rate, proving a community can stay wealthy even at big-suburb scale.

4. Whitefish Bay

This classic North Shore streetcar suburb wraps historic homes and the bustling Silver Spring shopping district around Klode Park's Lake Michigan beach. Family-friendly and endlessly charming, "WFB" is one of metro Milwaukee's most coveted addresses.

Whitefish Bay boasts the fourth-highest income in the state at $157,109, plus $642,953 homes and a very low 3.7% poverty rate — remarkable for a village of nearly 15,000.

3. Summit

Part of Waukesha County's Lake Country near Oconomowoc, Summit is anchored by the upscale Pabst Farms development, golf, and easy freeway access. Think newer money and big, brand-new homes.

Summit claims the highest median home value on the entire list — a hefty $752,619 — alongside a $140,682 income and a 5.0% poverty rate.

2. Elm Grove

A polished inner-ring Milwaukee suburb, Elm Grove is known for its walkable village center, towering trees, and tight-knit community. Small in size, big on reputation.

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Elm Grove nearly ran the table: a $158,016 median income, $672,840 homes, and a razor-thin 4.4% poverty rate. That across-the-board strength earned it the runner-up spot.

1. Merton

And Wisconsin's richest city sits right in the heart of Lake Country. The little Village of Merton, straddling the Bark River northwest of Milwaukee, blends small-town quiet with top-rated schools and some of the highest earners anywhere in the state.

Merton tops Wisconsin with a $173,913 median household income — No. 1 in the state — plus $713,368 homes and a 6.6% poverty rate. Small village, seriously big paychecks.

Pull back and look at a map of this list, and a pattern jumps out: almost every city clusters around metro Milwaukee, whether in the Lake Country of western Waukesha County or the leafy North Shore suburbs along Lake Michigan. Waunakee, near Madison, and Bristol, down by Kenosha, are the lone outsiders.

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However you tally it, though, "rich" is a slippery word. Plenty of folks would trade a Lake Country estate for a Lake Superior sunset and a quiet cast off the pier and never feel like they gave up a thing.