Moving to Appleton

[u/Candid_Reading_1360]

Hi! My Husband and our two toddlers are looking to move to Appleton from Chicago. Are there any liberal neighborhoods you recommend? Looking to stay out of conservative areas

[u/Potential-Rabbit8818]

I don't think its really big enough for that sort of thing. It's a mixed bag for the most part.

[u/Tool_Hole → u/Potential-Rabbit8818]

This needs to be emphasized. While you can cloister yourself off in a major metro area, once you have been here for a few years it begins to feel like a small town. You will know lots of people and they will know you, and you will see them everywhere. Lots of my kids friends who I would think are liberal are in fact conservative - we all get along just fine.

[u/joedrinksgin → u/Potential-Rabbit8818]

This is the answer.

Aside from the obvious houses that with a thousand yard signs and flags, most areas are a little bit of everything. Some areas you'll never know unless you know someone personally, no one even has yard signs on my street.

It doesn't bother me if my neighbor is republican, democrat or anywhere in between unless they've got a bunch of yard signs that demonize my existence. Fortunately homes like that are rare in the Fox Valley.

[u/b14892742]

Erb Park, City Park, anywhere near Lawrence Univ

[u/Noho_Fuches → u/b14892742]

Second this

[u/Criss_Crossx]

Not that specifically, no. The city is very purple.

Take a look around Grand Chute as well. There are pockets of both sides. Usually directly by schools are the more blue-signed folks.

[u/ArrRawrr]

The whole city is mixed. But not in an extreme way on either side of politics. Even huge maga people don’t spit it anyone’s face about nonsense they just drive around with a flag on their truck

[u/EliteCheddarCommando]

Appleton isn’t militantly conservative. They are there obviously and you will encounter those with differing opinions from yours in the course of your time in Appleton.

Moore “liberal” neighborhoods will be near the downtown core adjacent to Lawrence University.

The neighborhood where I grew up in Appleton was mixed politically but were never had any issues with neighbors in that regard fwiw.

[u/ChiefD789]

It’s a mixture of blue and red. Same where I live, in Neenah. There are signs for both sides on the same street and that. One of my friends living nearby is very conservative, and I am very liberal. He witnessed me filling out my absentee ballot earlier today and signed it. I’ve done the same for him. Most around here don’t let politics get in the way.

[u/Noho_Fuches]

You’ll be fine for the most part anywhere in the city. Moving out into the country is a different story.

[u/Kitchen_Area_5056]

i’d say the closer you are to downtown the more “liberal” it gets. Even so, the more purple areas around here aren’t very ‘radical’ in that i don’t think i have ever argued with a conservative in appleton unless i specifically sought them out

[u/drgerard316]

Janet berry area is an excellent area but I’m biased as a former Berry Bobcat

[u/Money_Concentrate_96]

In general, Appleton within city limits tends to vote more blue but if you settle in suburbs like Kimberly, Kaukana, or Hortonville/Greenville you will find your neighbors to tend to be more conservative. I live in a nice newer subdivision on south side of Appleton and my neighbors happen to be down very center left and definitely not MAGA but also not super lefties.

[u/goomba01]

I can't speak on specific neighborhoods, and I'm not sure what part of Chicago you are moving from. However, my wife, (now 5yo) daughter, and I moved from the Joliet area about 4 years ago. We ended up in Neenah and we love it. This whole area is very family friendly. The neighborhoods all seem to have political signs from both sides, and often next door to each other.

[u/Substantial-Mall-272]

Grand chute is nice, people keep to themselves I feel like and everyone I’ve met is nice. We live at Towne lakes

[u/SmokeyKittyNox]

Anywhere near or around downtown is extremely liberal. The College North neighborhood north of Lawrence University is awesome. Walking distance to downtown & all the festivals held down there. Would highly recommend.

[u/ehreness]

My wife and I just moved here in September from Chicago! People have been very nice so far, our neighborhood is a mix of pro-conservative and pro-liberal yard signs, I'd say slightly more bluish? We're near the Thedacare hospital near Erb Park.

This city seems oddly partial to Chicago in a good way!

[u/Jamesrf79]

I live in the neighborhood by Appleton West, and it’s a fairly diverse and relatively liberal area.

[u/SnugglesTheConqueror]

Now is a good time to drive around and look for yard signs. You'll be looking for blue Crowley signs

[u/Im_Flaaless]

Honestly just be friendly to all neighbors. Everyone is so nice up here. Don’t totally understand the entire political side bashing because I focus more on just being friendly and taking care of my family. But there are a lot of “left” events that happen downtown if that’s more your think

[u/that_damn_dog]

The area around Winona court is a very liberal neighborhood

[u/FearTheBlades1]

I would use this to see. Most answers will be gut feelings an anecdotes. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/elections/2024-election-map-precinct-results.html

Edit: oh look the comments were exactly what I said they would be. Shocker