What it's like to live in Harrison
Harrison is a small city in Wisconsin with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Harrison deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 49" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Harrison compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Harrison
Based on Harrison's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,844
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,880 a year
- 49% of Harrison renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$69,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $34,850
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,422/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,422 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $348,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $348,500 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Calumet County is 2.5%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Calumet County (county-wide)
Safety
55 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Harrison doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Calumet County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 117/100k · Policed by Calumet County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 23% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 13°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 27% above US
46% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 46% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ice Age National Scenic Trail (64 miles away).
Bottom line
Harrison's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,422/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Harrison
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