New London, WI

Set where the Wolf and Embarrass rivers meet, New London offers relaxed small-town living less than an hour from Green Bay and the Fox Cities. With around 7,500 residents, the community makes the most of its riverfront setting. Locals spend warm weekends boating, kayaking, and fishing for walleye, while the Newton Blackmour State Trail gives cyclists, runners, and snowmobilers miles of flat, scenic path.

ATTRJohn Margolies / Public domain

Families appreciate the solid local school district, quiet residential neighborhoods, and convenient everyday amenities. The city also knows how to have fun, most famously each March when it officially renames itself "New Dublin" for a weeklong Saint Patrick's Day festival and parade that brings the whole area together. Between the waterfront charm, friendly neighbors, and genuine community feel, New London is an easy place to settle into.