Appleton, Wisconsin

About Appleton

Appleton sits along the Fox River between Lake Winnebago and the bay of Green Bay, serving as the anchor city of the Fox Cities and the largest community in the Fox Valley. With a population of roughly 75,000 in the city proper and a metro area well over 240,000 when you include Grand Chute, Kimberly, Little Chute, Kaukauna, and surrounding communities, Appleton drives the regional economy of Outagamie County and Northeast Wisconsin.

The city’s identity is tied to paper — Kimberly-Clark’s global headquarters is here — but the modern Appleton economy runs on a much broader base. ThedaCare operates its flagship regional medical center downtown. Miller Electric manufactures welding equipment used worldwide. Faith Technologies, Plexus, Pierce Manufacturing, and U.S. Venture all call the Fox Valley home. Lawrence University brings a liberal arts campus and conservatory of music right into the downtown core along College Avenue.

College Avenue itself is the civic spine — restaurants, shops, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, the History Museum at the Castle, and the Hearthstone Historic House (the world’s first home powered by hydroelectricity from a central station). The Fox River corridor has been reinvented over the past two decades from industrial waterfront to a mix of trails, parks, breweries, and riverfront development.

Appleton drivers deal with Highway 41 (now I-41) commuting traffic, lake-effect snow off Lake Winnebago, and the full range of Wisconsin winter conditions. Reliable vehicles, local auto service, and Fox Valley businesses that understand the region are essentials — which is where CityWI’s featured Appleton listings come in.

Appleton Businesses On CityWI

Featured categories on every Appleton directory page include auto sales and service, home services (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, landscaping), contractors, real estate, and commercial services. If you run an Appleton-area business and want a featured listing, get in touch.