Mukwonago ranked high in 'Best Towns to Raise a Family in Wisconsin'

Reposted from the Mukwonago Chief.

By Rachel Minske

May 26, 2015

Mukwonago — A community nestled in the southwestern flank of the Vernon Marsh and home to two National Blue Ribbon School awards is recognized as an outstanding community, but village officials say the high ranking is a no-brainer.

Mukwonago was ranked No. 3 in a 2015 list of "Best Towns to Raise a Family in Wisconsin," surpassed only by Oregon at No. 1 and Mount Horeb in second. The list was compiled by Niche, an organization that provides rankings and statistics on neighborhoods and cities in the United States.

"It feels low, doesn't it?" asked Village Administrator John Weidl, adding Mukwonago deserves the top spot. "I think it's fantastic. The numbers kind of speak for themselves."

The ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of key metrics that indicate how good an area is to raise a family at the town level, according to the organization's website. The calculations take into account key family-centered factors such as public education, safety, community involvement and access to family necessities.

Village of Mukwonago Police Chief Kevin Schmidt said the high ranking is well-deserved, although he admits he's a tad biased having lived in Mukwonago all his life before settling down to raise a family of his own. Crime and safety were weighted at 20 percent toward each town's overall ranking.

"I think it's great," said Schmidt, adding extra foot patrol in the village has helped deter crime. "It's not only the police, though. The village board gives us our tools to do our job. It's a joint effort."

On a national scale, Mukwonago came in at No. 39 among the best towns to raise a family in the U.S. Carmel, Indiana, took the top spot in the nation. The list excludes suburbs and cities with more than 100,000 residents, according to Niche.

Weidl said he believes the amount of quality housing in Mukwonago certainly played a key role in the high ranking.

Voting for Mukwonago's annual "Simply the Best" contest runs from June 3-12 and can be done online at lakecoutnrynow.com or through the Mukwonago Chief newspaper. Results will be tallied June 19 and winners will be announced June 24.