Life In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Fond du Lac, a county of over 100,000 at the southern foot of Lake Winnebago, is French for “bottom of the lake,” but locals just call it Fondy. Neighborhoods sit close enough to the shoreline to make fishing, windsurfing, sailing and skating part of daily life. Every February, the city throws Sturgeon Spectacular: three days of spearing prehistoric fish through the ice, a state snow-sculpting championship, and a city-wide Bloody Mary contest. If you weren't already "hooked...
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See for Yourself a Life in Fond du Lac!
Mercury Marine
The world's leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion systems, Mercury Marine has called Fond du Lac home since 1939. Now a division of Brunswick Corporation and employing over 3,000 local employees, it's the city's single largest private employer. Roles span advanced manufacturing, engineering, R&D, supply chain, marketing, and IT. Known for its state-of-the-art Fond du Lac campus and strong investment in skilled trades apprenticeships.
(Image Source: Coastal Angler Magazine)
#employers
SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital
The primary acute care hospital serving Fond du Lac County, SSM Health St. Agnes is a 167-bed facility and one of the area's largest employers. It offers the full spectrum of clinical roles — nursing, surgery, radiology, lab, pharmacy, and behavioral health — alongside administrative and support positions. Part of the national SSM Health system, staff benefit from extensive continuing education programs and career mobility across the network.
#employers
Aurora Health Care
Aurora's Fond du Lac campus is a newer full-service hospital and clinic network, expanding healthcare access in the region and giving job seekers an additional major healthcare employer option alongside SSM Health. Part of Advocate Aurora Health — one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in the US — employees benefit from a vast internal transfer network. Hiring spans ER nursing, surgical tech, radiology, primary and specialty care, and healthcare administration.
#employers
Society Insurance
A leading regional insurance provider headquartered in Fond du Lac, Society Insurance specializes in comprehensive property and casualty coverage tailored to the hospitality industry. They frequently hire underwriters, claims adjusters, risk control specialists, and IT professionals. They are known for an energetic, service-oriented culture with a heavy focus on work-life balance, earning them frequent local accolades.
Fond du Lac School District
The public education anchor for the city, the Fond du Lac School District manages over a dozen schools and serves thousands of local families. They regularly hire K-12 certified teachers, specialized educators, school counselors, and facility operations teams. Ideal for relocating families, working here integrates you directly into the community fabric while offering excellent public benefits and professional growth.
#employers
J. F. Ahern Co.
A premier mechanical and fire protection contractor operating across the Midwest, J. F. Ahern Co. is headquartered in Fond du Lac. They design, install, and service complex HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems, hiring estimators, project managers, mechanical designers, and service technicians. They are known for a family-oriented local legacy combined with an industry-leading emphasis on workplace safety and certifications.
#employers
Mercury Marine
The world's leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion systems, Mercury Marine has called Fond du Lac home since 1939. Now a division of Brunswick Corporation and employing over 3,000 local employees, it's the city's single largest private employer. Roles span advanced manufacturing, engineering, R&D, supply chain, marketing, and IT. Known for its state-of-the-art Fond du Lac campus and strong investment in skilled trades apprenticeships.
(Image Source: Coastal Angler Magazine)
#employers
SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital
The primary acute care hospital serving Fond du Lac County, SSM Health St. Agnes is a 167-bed facility and one of the area's largest employers. It offers the full spectrum of clinical roles — nursing, surgery, radiology, lab, pharmacy, and behavioral health — alongside administrative and support positions. Part of the national SSM Health system, staff benefit from extensive continuing education programs and career mobility across the network.
#employers
Aurora Health Care
Aurora's Fond du Lac campus is a newer full-service hospital and clinic network, expanding healthcare access in the region and giving job seekers an additional major healthcare employer option alongside SSM Health. Part of Advocate Aurora Health — one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in the US — employees benefit from a vast internal transfer network. Hiring spans ER nursing, surgical tech, radiology, primary and specialty care, and healthcare administration.
#employers
Society Insurance
A leading regional insurance provider headquartered in Fond du Lac, Society Insurance specializes in comprehensive property and casualty coverage tailored to the hospitality industry. They frequently hire underwriters, claims adjusters, risk control specialists, and IT professionals. They are known for an energetic, service-oriented culture with a heavy focus on work-life balance, earning them frequent local accolades.
Fond du Lac School District
The public education anchor for the city, the Fond du Lac School District manages over a dozen schools and serves thousands of local families. They regularly hire K-12 certified teachers, specialized educators, school counselors, and facility operations teams. Ideal for relocating families, working here integrates you directly into the community fabric while offering excellent public benefits and professional growth.
#employers
J. F. Ahern Co.
A premier mechanical and fire protection contractor operating across the Midwest, J. F. Ahern Co. is headquartered in Fond du Lac. They design, install, and service complex HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems, hiring estimators, project managers, mechanical designers, and service technicians. They are known for a family-oriented local legacy combined with an industry-leading emphasis on workplace safety and certifications.
#employers
Mercury Marine
The world's leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion systems, Mercury Marine has called Fond du Lac home since 1939. Now a division of Brunswick Corporation and employing over 3,000 local employees, it's the city's single largest private employer. Roles span advanced manufacturing, engineering, R&D, supply chain, marketing, and IT. Known for its state-of-the-art Fond du Lac campus and strong investment in skilled trades apprenticeships.
(Image Source: Coastal Angler Magazine)
#employers
SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital
The primary acute care hospital serving Fond du Lac County, SSM Health St. Agnes is a 167-bed facility and one of the area's largest employers. It offers the full spectrum of clinical roles — nursing, surgery, radiology, lab, pharmacy, and behavioral health — alongside administrative and support positions. Part of the national SSM Health system, staff benefit from extensive continuing education programs and career mobility across the network.
#employers
Aurora Health Care
Aurora's Fond du Lac campus is a newer full-service hospital and clinic network, expanding healthcare access in the region and giving job seekers an additional major healthcare employer option alongside SSM Health. Part of Advocate Aurora Health — one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in the US — employees benefit from a vast internal transfer network. Hiring spans ER nursing, surgical tech, radiology, primary and specialty care, and healthcare administration.
#employers
Society Insurance
A leading regional insurance provider headquartered in Fond du Lac, Society Insurance specializes in comprehensive property and casualty coverage tailored to the hospitality industry. They frequently hire underwriters, claims adjusters, risk control specialists, and IT professionals. They are known for an energetic, service-oriented culture with a heavy focus on work-life balance, earning them frequent local accolades.
Fond du Lac School District
The public education anchor for the city, the Fond du Lac School District manages over a dozen schools and serves thousands of local families. They regularly hire K-12 certified teachers, specialized educators, school counselors, and facility operations teams. Ideal for relocating families, working here integrates you directly into the community fabric while offering excellent public benefits and professional growth.
#employers
J. F. Ahern Co.
A premier mechanical and fire protection contractor operating across the Midwest, J. F. Ahern Co. is headquartered in Fond du Lac. They design, install, and service complex HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems, hiring estimators, project managers, mechanical designers, and service technicians. They are known for a family-oriented local legacy combined with an industry-leading emphasis on workplace safety and certifications.
#employers
Cost of Living Comparison
See how your current cost of living compares to life in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Sign up to save your details and auto-load results next time.
MakeMyMove sources all Cost of Living Data from COLI, published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), without any modification or bias.
COLI data is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNN Money. The data and methodology are described in detail and completely transparent to users, found in the COLI Manual. Both data and methodology are reviewed by an Advisory Board composed of academic researchers and government officials. The Cost of Living Index is referenced in the Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
According to the COLI Manual, composite differences of <4% and categorical differences of <5% are not statistically significant and should not be treated as necessarily accurate.
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Places to Call Home
Choose your adventure in these communities in Fond du Lac County.
Lakefront City Living
The county seat and urban core, the City of Fond du Lac sits at the southern foot of Lake Winnebago -- French explorers literally named it "foot of the lake." With a population of around 44,500, it is the largest community in the county and where the majority of relocators land.
The downtown grid is lined with older Midwestern housing stock: Victorian-era homes, foursquares, and brick bungalows, many well-maintained or recently renovated. Lakefront and near-lakefront properties exist at a fraction of what waterfront costs in most markets. An hour from Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay, the city offers the county's widest selection of restaurants, employers, and amenities.
Families with kids land directly in the Fond du Lac School District, which climbed 200 places in Wisconsin's district rankings over four years and earned Harvard-Stanford validation for the fastest math improvement among the state's 20 largest districts.
A great fit for buyers who want walkable neighborhoods, lakefront access, and the full range of city amenities without city prices.
Small Town, Lake Adjacent
The Sitting on the southwest corner of Lake Winnebago and directly bordering the city, North Fond du Lac is its own village with a quiet residential character and price points that give buyers more house for their budget. Housing runs toward single-family homes on generous lots. Students attend the North Fond du Lac School District, a small district serving the village with a close community feel -- worth exploring directly if schools are a deciding factor.
A great fit for buyers who want a slower pace and more space while staying inside the orbit of the city's jobs and amenities.
Browse homes in North Fond du Lac
College Town Charm
About 20 miles west of the city, Ripon is a community of just over 7,000 built around a small liberal arts college and a downtown of carefully preserved Italianate buildings. The streetscape -- eclectic shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs housed in 19th-century architecture -- is the kind that takes decades to accumulate and can't be replicated. It is also the birthplace of the Republican Party, founded in a one-room schoolhouse here in 1854.
Housing tends toward older homes surrounding the college campus, with competitive price points and genuine architectural character. Families enter the Ripon Area School District, a well-regarded small-city district serving the community.
A great fit for buyers who want a self-contained small-town life with cultural texture, walkable downtown energy, and a strong sense of place.
Outdoor Basecamp
Campbellsport sits in the rolling hills of the northern Kettle Moraine, where the terrain -- carved by glaciers and threaded by the Milwaukee River -- looks meaningfully different from the rest of the county. The former railroad corridor running through town is now a recreational trail extending north to Eden and south to West Bend. For movers whose lifestyle is organized around trails, lakes, and four-season outdoor recreation, Campbellsport is the county's most direct access point to the Kettle Moraine State Forest's Northern Unit.
Housing includes a mix of year-round homes and properties that have been upgraded from seasonal origins -- often offering more space and outdoor amenity than the price suggests. Students attend the Campbellsport School District, a small rural district with a tight community feel.
A great fit for buyers who want nature at the door and a genuine small-town community around them.
City of Sculpture
Waupun, population just over 11,000, sits on the southern branch of the Rock River and has built a distinctive cultural identity around public art. The city holds one of the largest collections of outdoor sculpture per capita in the United States, anchored by James Earl Fraser's nationally recognized "End of the Trail." Regular live events run through the Historic City Hall Auditorium, known for its old-world architecture and acoustics.
Housing offers generous lot sizes at accessible price points, with a downtown district in active revitalization. The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge -- one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the country -- is close by, adding serious outdoor dimension year-round. Families enter the Waupun Area School District, known for strong athletics and fine arts programs.
A great fit for buyers who want small-city life with genuine cultural depth and outdoor recreation built in.
Mill Pond Quiet
Fairwater was founded in 1848 on the water power of the Grand River, and the mill pond it was built around still anchors the village today. It is a small, agriculturally rooted community with a focus on small business and entrepreneurial activity -- the kind of place where the landscape is genuinely peaceful and the history is visible in the built environment. Students attend the Waupun Area School District, connecting the village to a larger district with strong programs.
A great fit for buyers looking for a deeply quiet, close-knit community with rural character and room to put down roots.
Lakefront City Living
The county seat and urban core, the City of Fond du Lac sits at the southern foot of Lake Winnebago -- French explorers literally named it "foot of the lake." With a population of around 44,500, it is the largest community in the county and where the majority of relocators land.
The downtown grid is lined with older Midwestern housing stock: Victorian-era homes, foursquares, and brick bungalows, many well-maintained or recently renovated. Lakefront and near-lakefront properties exist at a fraction of what waterfront costs in most markets. An hour from Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay, the city offers the county's widest selection of restaurants, employers, and amenities.
Families with kids land directly in the Fond du Lac School District, which climbed 200 places in Wisconsin's district rankings over four years and earned Harvard-Stanford validation for the fastest math improvement among the state's 20 largest districts.
A great fit for buyers who want walkable neighborhoods, lakefront access, and the full range of city amenities without city prices.
Small Town, Lake Adjacent
The Sitting on the southwest corner of Lake Winnebago and directly bordering the city, North Fond du Lac is its own village with a quiet residential character and price points that give buyers more house for their budget. Housing runs toward single-family homes on generous lots. Students attend the North Fond du Lac School District, a small district serving the village with a close community feel -- worth exploring directly if schools are a deciding factor.
A great fit for buyers who want a slower pace and more space while staying inside the orbit of the city's jobs and amenities.
Browse homes in North Fond du Lac
College Town Charm
About 20 miles west of the city, Ripon is a community of just over 7,000 built around a small liberal arts college and a downtown of carefully preserved Italianate buildings. The streetscape -- eclectic shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs housed in 19th-century architecture -- is the kind that takes decades to accumulate and can't be replicated. It is also the birthplace of the Republican Party, founded in a one-room schoolhouse here in 1854.
Housing tends toward older homes surrounding the college campus, with competitive price points and genuine architectural character. Families enter the Ripon Area School District, a well-regarded small-city district serving the community.
A great fit for buyers who want a self-contained small-town life with cultural texture, walkable downtown energy, and a strong sense of place.
Outdoor Basecamp
Campbellsport sits in the rolling hills of the northern Kettle Moraine, where the terrain -- carved by glaciers and threaded by the Milwaukee River -- looks meaningfully different from the rest of the county. The former railroad corridor running through town is now a recreational trail extending north to Eden and south to West Bend. For movers whose lifestyle is organized around trails, lakes, and four-season outdoor recreation, Campbellsport is the county's most direct access point to the Kettle Moraine State Forest's Northern Unit.
Housing includes a mix of year-round homes and properties that have been upgraded from seasonal origins -- often offering more space and outdoor amenity than the price suggests. Students attend the Campbellsport School District, a small rural district with a tight community feel.
A great fit for buyers who want nature at the door and a genuine small-town community around them.
City of Sculpture
Waupun, population just over 11,000, sits on the southern branch of the Rock River and has built a distinctive cultural identity around public art. The city holds one of the largest collections of outdoor sculpture per capita in the United States, anchored by James Earl Fraser's nationally recognized "End of the Trail." Regular live events run through the Historic City Hall Auditorium, known for its old-world architecture and acoustics.
Housing offers generous lot sizes at accessible price points, with a downtown district in active revitalization. The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge -- one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the country -- is close by, adding serious outdoor dimension year-round. Families enter the Waupun Area School District, known for strong athletics and fine arts programs.
A great fit for buyers who want small-city life with genuine cultural depth and outdoor recreation built in.
Mill Pond Quiet
Fairwater was founded in 1848 on the water power of the Grand River, and the mill pond it was built around still anchors the village today. It is a small, agriculturally rooted community with a focus on small business and entrepreneurial activity -- the kind of place where the landscape is genuinely peaceful and the history is visible in the built environment. Students attend the Waupun Area School District, connecting the village to a larger district with strong programs.
A great fit for buyers looking for a deeply quiet, close-knit community with rural character and room to put down roots.
Lakefront City Living
The county seat and urban core, the City of Fond du Lac sits at the southern foot of Lake Winnebago -- French explorers literally named it "foot of the lake." With a population of around 44,500, it is the largest community in the county and where the majority of relocators land.
The downtown grid is lined with older Midwestern housing stock: Victorian-era homes, foursquares, and brick bungalows, many well-maintained or recently renovated. Lakefront and near-lakefront properties exist at a fraction of what waterfront costs in most markets. An hour from Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay, the city offers the county's widest selection of restaurants, employers, and amenities.
Families with kids land directly in the Fond du Lac School District, which climbed 200 places in Wisconsin's district rankings over four years and earned Harvard-Stanford validation for the fastest math improvement among the state's 20 largest districts.
A great fit for buyers who want walkable neighborhoods, lakefront access, and the full range of city amenities without city prices.
Small Town, Lake Adjacent
The Sitting on the southwest corner of Lake Winnebago and directly bordering the city, North Fond du Lac is its own village with a quiet residential character and price points that give buyers more house for their budget. Housing runs toward single-family homes on generous lots. Students attend the North Fond du Lac School District, a small district serving the village with a close community feel -- worth exploring directly if schools are a deciding factor.
A great fit for buyers who want a slower pace and more space while staying inside the orbit of the city's jobs and amenities.
Browse homes in North Fond du Lac
College Town Charm
About 20 miles west of the city, Ripon is a community of just over 7,000 built around a small liberal arts college and a downtown of carefully preserved Italianate buildings. The streetscape -- eclectic shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs housed in 19th-century architecture -- is the kind that takes decades to accumulate and can't be replicated. It is also the birthplace of the Republican Party, founded in a one-room schoolhouse here in 1854.
Housing tends toward older homes surrounding the college campus, with competitive price points and genuine architectural character. Families enter the Ripon Area School District, a well-regarded small-city district serving the community.
A great fit for buyers who want a self-contained small-town life with cultural texture, walkable downtown energy, and a strong sense of place.
Outdoor Basecamp
Campbellsport sits in the rolling hills of the northern Kettle Moraine, where the terrain -- carved by glaciers and threaded by the Milwaukee River -- looks meaningfully different from the rest of the county. The former railroad corridor running through town is now a recreational trail extending north to Eden and south to West Bend. For movers whose lifestyle is organized around trails, lakes, and four-season outdoor recreation, Campbellsport is the county's most direct access point to the Kettle Moraine State Forest's Northern Unit.
Housing includes a mix of year-round homes and properties that have been upgraded from seasonal origins -- often offering more space and outdoor amenity than the price suggests. Students attend the Campbellsport School District, a small rural district with a tight community feel.
A great fit for buyers who want nature at the door and a genuine small-town community around them.
City of Sculpture
Waupun, population just over 11,000, sits on the southern branch of the Rock River and has built a distinctive cultural identity around public art. The city holds one of the largest collections of outdoor sculpture per capita in the United States, anchored by James Earl Fraser's nationally recognized "End of the Trail." Regular live events run through the Historic City Hall Auditorium, known for its old-world architecture and acoustics.
Housing offers generous lot sizes at accessible price points, with a downtown district in active revitalization. The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge -- one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the country -- is close by, adding serious outdoor dimension year-round. Families enter the Waupun Area School District, known for strong athletics and fine arts programs.
A great fit for buyers who want small-city life with genuine cultural depth and outdoor recreation built in.
Mill Pond Quiet
Fairwater was founded in 1848 on the water power of the Grand River, and the mill pond it was built around still anchors the village today. It is a small, agriculturally rooted community with a focus on small business and entrepreneurial activity -- the kind of place where the landscape is genuinely peaceful and the history is visible in the built environment. Students attend the Waupun Area School District, connecting the village to a larger district with strong programs.
A great fit for buyers looking for a deeply quiet, close-knit community with rural character and room to put down roots.
Fond du Lac Community Feed
Get a feel for what Fond du Lac is all about from the community's locals who know best.
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