Sheboygan named one of best places to live in Wisconsin
New study notes employment, quality of life and health factors
Sheboygan has been named one of the best cities to live in Wisconsin.
A study released by the Chamber of Commerce placed Sheboygan at No. 10 out of all the Wisconsin cities with populations above 25,000, on the basis of five factors:
- Employment, including the number of establishments and the median earnings. In Sheboygan County, there are more than 3,000 job openings listed on someplacebetter.org, a website devoted to showcasing the high quality of life in Sheboygan including job openings, education and recreation.
- Housing, including owner-occupied housing with a mortgage and monthly housing costs.
- Quality of life, including work commute and poverty levels. In 2017, Sheboygan County was noted for having the lowest poverty level in the United States by 24/7 Wall St., a financial news and opinion company.
- Education, gauging the percentage of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Health, looking at obesity ratios. Sheboygan’s profile as a wellness-centered community is on the rise, with several new businesses catering to healthy eating and fitness classes opening recently. In addition, Aurora is opening a $324 million hospital complex in Sheboygan.
The announcement of the ranking can be found at chamberofcommerce.org
In addition to the factors considered in the new rankings, there are many reasons why Sheboygan’s identity as a great place to live and work is growing every day. The city has been proactive in burnishing its reputation as a leader in tourism and recreation opportunities and is adding housing at for all income levels to welcome new residents who come to seek jobs in the community.
A new effort to create an innovation district is underway, public transportation is available and growing and all development is designed to preserve public access to Lake Michigan and the many beaches that dot the shoreline in Sheboygan County. In addition, a thriving art scene, multi-use trails and robust neighborhood associations lend even more weight to the community’s value.
Sheboygan Mayor Mike Vandersteen said the Chamber of Commerce designation is one of many the community has collected in recent years and underscores just a few of the city’s positive attributes.
“It’s always a pleasure to have organizations recognize the City of Sheboygan for the great community that it has become,” Vandersteen said. “If other factors like safety, location next to Lake Michigan, great places to dine, walkability and being a bike-friendly community had been considered, the city would have been ranked higher on this list.”
Gary Dulmes, chair of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC), said rankings like the Chamber of Commerce study always help the community’s efforts to promote the good it’s doing.
“We’re focused on helping local businesses thrive and helping create a community where employees can thrive as well,” Dulmes said. “Rankings like this one help in those efforts by showing the world all the good that’s happening here.”
SCEDC Executive Director Joe Sheehan said the designation is no surprise to the people who live and work in Sheboygan. The hope, he said, is that people outside the city will take note and decide to take part in Sheboygan’s positive growth.
“Each time Sheboygan is recognized this way, it underscores what we already knew – this area is a great place to work and live, and our employers and community resources are doing something right,” Sheehan said. “We’re always thrilled to see our city in rankings that include the word ‘best.’”
Chamber of Commerce (chamberofcommerc.org) is a digital resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs that providing research, reviews and guides on topics such as ideation, marketing, financing, accounting and human resources. It is a separate entity from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
For more information:
Dane Checolinski, Director, Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation
920-452-2479
The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation, a 501(c)4 non-profit, is a countywide private/public partnership, leading economic development efforts to improve the economic well-being and long-term prosperity of the businesses, residents, and communities of Sheboygan County, through collaborative retention, expansion, and attraction efforts for business and employment development.
