523 Lincoln St

When you picture small-town America, the image probably looks a lot like Ripon. Historic buildings are everywhere, particularly in the downtown area along Watson Street. With a population well under ten thousand people, the sense of community here is strong and the environment is pleasant and friendly wherever you go. The crime rate is quite low, and the local youths have access to several excellent schools.

The city contains several public parks and is surrounded by numerous large lakes and nature preserves, giving outdoorsy folks lots of options for hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting. For more urban excursions, it’s only about thirty minutes to Oshkosh and under an hour to Appleton.