Wisconsin is more than Milwaukee, and millennials are choosing to have a big-city experience outside of the states largest city.
Over the last decade, millennial’s have flocked to cities like Green Bay, Madison and Oshkosh but young professionals in the Appleton, Fox Cities area say millennial’s are missing out on everything the region has to offer.
Nathan Litt, a 30-year-old Appleton resident told the PostCrescent, “We have a lot of amenities – arts and culture, good education system, good quality of life – it’s all here. It’s just that we’re not always the best at telling that story until people come up to experience it.”
From the Post Crescent
Enticing young professionals to live and work in the Fox Cities is a growing topic among government and community leaders. Young professionals like Litt say the region has more to offer than initially meets the eye, but still has some room for improvement.
“Some of my friends are always questioning why I’m not in Milwaukee or Madison if I’m in Wisconsin,” said Fanny Lau, a 24-year-old Appleton resident. “They knew I went to Lawrence (University) but why still stick around?”
A recent study by a rental marketplace company showed that Appleton’s metropolitan area had a nearly 3 percent decrease in its millennial population over the last decade, while places like Green Bay, Madison and Oshkosh saw increases.
Leaders like Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna have pointed to the city’s increased focus on bike lanes, public transit, and more cultural events like the Mile of Music festival as offerings for young professionals in the area.
In addition, the Fox Cities has a low cost of living for cash-strapped and student debt heavy millennials, and low barriers to entry, meaning young people can get involved in their careers and their community in a way they wouldn’t be able to in a larger city.
For more on millennial movement to the Fox Cities, visit Post Crescent.
