Community Profile

Local Statistics

Demographic profile of 1, 3, and 5 mile radii.
Retail Market Profile of 1, 3, and 5 mile radii.
Radii visualization

Further information can be found by using the Census Bureau’s American Fact Finder tool. Using the ‘geography’ tab, the town is classified under ‘county subdivision.’

Development Assistance

For detailed information on zoning, applications, and procedures please look over our “Zoning Ordinance” and “Planning Applications” pages. For further assistance, please contact George Dearborn or Ria Hull at 920-720-7105.

Applications

Skilled Workforce

The Fox Valley is home to a well-educated workforce, as indicated by census data; 38% of 25-34 year olds in the town hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 31% in the Appleton Metro area, and 30% in Wisconsin. Residents in this age group have also increased in the town faster than the state-wide average, providing the Town of Menasha with an influx of skilled workforce. 18.9% of the 25 and older population living in the Appleton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) hold a bachelor’s degree, which is still significantly higher than the national average of 17.1%.  The town mirrors Appleton’s percentage, with 19% of the 25 and older population holding a bachelor’s degree.

Wisconsin itself is also highly rated in education; in a study conducted by CNBC, “America’s Top States for Business 2012,” Wisconsin was ranked 10th in education, and 17th overall.

Transportation
Highways

County Hwy BB delineates the northern border of the town, and County Hwy II (Winchester Rd.) forms the majority of the southern border.  County Hwy CB, State Rd. 47, and State Rd. 76 all provide local north/south access.

Two U.S. Highways intersect within the Town of Menasha, providing excellent access that few other municipalities can match.  U.S. highway 10 runs east/west, and U.S. highway 41 runs north/south. U.S. 41 has recently been widened from four to six lanes from Oshkosh to Appleton, and is expected to become an interstate in 2014. Also, the U.S. 10/U.S. 41/WIS 441 interchange will be expanded to become a full interchange, allowing traffic to transfer in all directions. Construction will begin in 2016.

The town has excellent road infrastructure, and Wisconsin was recently recognized for having great air, land, and water transportation; the State ranked 6th in the nation for infrastructure and transportation in the CNBC study “America’s Top States for Business 2012.”

Air

The Outagamie County Airport is adjacent the northern border of the town. The airport has two runways, and is the fourth busiest airport in the State. Major carriers include Comair, MaxAir, Midwest Express, Northwest Airlink, Skyway Airlines, United Express, Federal Express, Allegiant Air, and Airborne Express.

Rail

Service is provided by Wisconsin Central Railroad, which is located near several industrial sites, with rail spurs serving certain sites.

Local Economy

The Midwest has a reputation of economic resiliency, and Wisconsin is no exception in the current economic downturn; its unemployment rate is 6.7%, compared to the nation’s 7.9%. The town’s rate is lower yet, at 4.9%. Similar to other communities nationwide, the Fox Cities’ economy has experienced a substantial gain in service sector employment and has emerged as the retail hub for Northeast and East Central Wisconsin. Still, manufacturing remains the largest employment sector, accounting for 23.7% of total employment in the Oshkosh-Neenah Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).  Education has become the second largest employment sector, at 20.6%.

For more economic information, see our Community Profile and Top Employers List.

Schools
K-12

Wisconsin’s public education is ahead of the curve, in both students and infrastructure. Wisconsin easily outpaces national averages in K-12 student per teacher ratios.  Public education is also well-funded; Wisconsin ranks 16th in school revenue per student.

Thus, for 2011, Wisconsin was also highly ranked in the categories of student performance and education policy by the American Legislative Exchange Council. (source)

The town is serviced by the Menasha Joint School District, which students on the east side of Little Lake Butte des Morts attend, and the Neenah Joint School District, which students on the west side attend. Area students consistently outperform state test averages, which is significant, as Wisconsin regularly surpasses national averages.  In fact, Neenah High School ranks first in the Fox Valley in ACT scores and has the 15th highest score of Wisconsin’s 426 school districts, with an average composite score of 24.4, compared to Wisconsin’s above average score of 22.2.

The Neenah Joint School District maintains a great website that highlights the accomplishments of the school district.

Higher Education

There are many post-secondary institutions in or near the Fox Cities that provide a high quality education.

The University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley is a two-year university adjacent to the Town of Menasha.  In 2012, the University had the lowest tuition cost in the entire UW system!  This is a great asset; it enables students to easily enter the outstanding UW system, and to complete their general degree requirements (GDR) – both at the lowest cost available. UW Fox Valley does offer bachelor’s degree programs, but its largest service is providing the GDR classes needed at 4-year UW universities. Best of all, students pursuing a bachelor’s degree have a guaranteed transfer to any 4-year university of their choice.

There are two public bachelorette-granting colleges located within 30 minutes of the Fox Cities: The University of Wisconsin (UW) – Green Bay, and UW – Oshkosh. Student enrollment at UW Green Bay is 6,600, and UW Oshkosh has an enrollment of 13,513.  UWGB specializes in chemistry, business administration, dietetics, music, social work, teacher education, and nursing.  UWO specializes in education, social work/counseling, and notably nursing and business; the university has a newly-developed Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, offers MBAs, and its College of Business is in the top 10 percent of all business schools in the nation, according to the AACSB.

Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college located just east of downtown Appleton on the northern banks of the Fox River. The college’s 2011 enrollment was 1,566, and it offers bachelor’s degrees in most of the liberal arts. Forbes.com has rated Lawrence University as the best college in Wisconsin. In 2011, Newsweek designated Lawrence University as the 18th most rigorous U.S. college.

Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) specializes in adult education and is a statewide leader in vocational training.  Its Appleton campus is the largest technical college campus in the state.

Other local post-secondary institutions include Rasmussen College, Globe University, Gill-Tech Academy, University of Phoenix Learning Center, Empire Beauty School, and Lakeland College. Visit Fox Cities Online for a complete list of the area’s educational facilities.

Housing

The cost of living in the Town of Menasha is well below the national average. Combined with median incomes that are above state and national averages, town residents have plenty of expendable income.

Median gross rent
Town of Menasha $680
Wisconsin $714
United States $841

Median price of owner-occupied homes
Town of Menasha $148,200
Wisconsin $169,000
United States $188,400

Health Care

There are three major medical centers located near the Town of Menasha; the Appleton Medical Center, St. Elizabeth Hospital, and Theda Clark Medical Center. The latter is the closest of the three, located on Doty Island in Neenah. Theda Clark Medical Center operates the ThedaStar Air Medical Helicopter, and is the Fox Valley’s only Level II Trauma Center. Theda Clark is home to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, including the area’s only neo-natal intensive care unit. The hospital also houses the Theda Clark Stroke Center; it is one of two certified Primary Stroke Centers in Wisconsin, and one of only 20 in the nation.

Recreation

The Town of Menasha Parks and Recreation Department maintains an abundance of trails, natural areas, and parks.  There are 12 parks in the town. Recreational facilities include baseball/softball fields, basketball courts, a boat or canoe/kayak launch, a disc golf course, ice rinks, playground equipment, sledding hills, snowshoeing/cross country skiing trails, soccer fields, and tennis and volleyball courts, along with other various facilities.

Safety

Crime rates are very low in the Town of Menasha. In 2010, the national violent crime rate was 40 crimes per 10,000 people. Wisconsin was much lower, at 25 per 10,000, and the town was less than half of Wisconsin! -11 crimes (per 10,000).

Detailed information can be found within the Police Department’s Annual Report, and also on their website.

Climate

Wisconsin is known for its four distinct seasons, a result of its humid continental climate.  Appleton’s (just northeast of the Town) average winter high is just below freezing, at 28 degrees.  The area also receives adequate snowfall to accommodate a variety of winter sports. The average summer high is a warm 79 degrees, which in turn favors many summer activities.