Need suggestions for small, rural, family town in WI...

[ranger17]

though we currently live in Madison area; i'd agree that the Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls area is nice. Beautiful drives in fall, and 2 +/- hours to either Madison or the twin cities ( nothing wrong with a day at the mall of America ), not to mention the Dells if a weekend in winter with indoor water parks is desired. I'd look into property taxes in any area you are considering, WI is by no means low in that aspect, especially in markets where the homes were inflated to begin with. good luck

[GLJOHNSON66]

Some of the smaller towns around Eau Claire that are nice and would fit your needs,,, Fall Creek (8 miles), Augusta (18 miles)
Elk Mound (8 miles), Bloomer (20miles), Osseo (18 miles). Cadot
(15 miles). If your looking at Boyceville, there really is'nt alot in this town. My picks would be Osseo or Augusta. Augusta is a neet little town, right in the middle of Amish country. Osseo is nice to,
alittle more going on there. their all nice small towns, with great schools.

[Currently a cheesehead]

I lived near Mineral Point, WI (SW of Madison) and it is out what I compare all of my searches too. (we are moving again as well) Antiques, art, crafts, and ice cream shops in a gorgeous historic down town. It is an old mining town with alot of historic homes and sites to visit. Still safe enough to walk your dog at night and your kids to play. Has a trail that comes into town for 4 wheeling, walking or biking. Schools are good too. Yellowstone and Governor Dodge Parks are beautiful with fishing, hiking, horse back riding, etc...and 20 minutes away. I moved farther north and the towns nearby are not near as picture perfect and I think of the town often. I worked downtown Madison and it was 50 minutes drive though pretty much all 4 lane. I normally shopped in Madison before heading home.
Another town closer to Madison, but quaint as well is New Glarus. You will have to do some searching to find something that cheap in either area, but can be found out that direction. The market is in your favor. The taxes in WI are something to be aware of though. Good luck.

[suestark]

Ft Atkinson is a great place to live. Very family friendly and would meet all of your criteria. Another city about 30 minutes south of Madison that I would highly recommend is New Glarus. It would also meet all your criteria and has one of the cutest downtown areas you will ever see. It is the hidden gem of the area.

Oregon, WI is also very nice. A mix of the old with the new and only 15 minutes from central Madison. Great schools, and very quaint and cozy downtown area.