Muskego's identity and history largely revolve around the city's three lakes. Initially inhabited by the Potawatomi Native Americans, the Wisconsin city takes its name from the Potawatomi word for sunfish. About 20 miles from the heart of Milwaukee, the city grew from a trading post to a resort destination away from the industrialization of the bigger city. More than 25,000 residents now enjoy peaceful stretches of rural land and activity on the water.
The area's steady growth doesn't come only from a desire to be surrounded by nature — it also has one of the highest-rated school districts in the state, parks bustling with activity and grand homes in new subdivisions. "The city is growing and moving forward," says Peter Stefaniak, co-owner of The Stefaniak Group, LLC, who lives in Muskego. "There is still plenty of room to develop, too."
Little Muskego Lake has most of the development, while Big Muskego Lake is all about nature.
Homes that surround Little Muskego Lake are close to each other.
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An outdoorsman's dream and a water sports haven
Big Muskego Lake and Little Muskego Lake offer different outdoor experiences. "Big Muskego Lake is an outdoorsman's dream for fishing, duck hunting, kayaking and nature tours," Stefaniak says. "The little lake is where people waterski, swim or take their children tubing."
Entirely on an island, Idle Isle Park is a destination for summer fun. On Wednesdays during the summer, visitors can watch The Muskego Waterbugs, a waterskiing performance group, from the park's sandy beach.
There is no shortage of sports and activity on land, and the turf fields at Park Arthur are fully booked with Little League tournaments for the coming summer weekends. The park stays busy in the winter with a large, manmade sledding hill, cross-country skiing and ice skating on the frozen pond.
Idle Isle Park in Muskego is the center piece of the local parks.
Ice fishing is very popular during the winter months in Muskego.
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A top-rated school district with a focus on athletics
One of Muskego's biggest draws is its school system, which consistently receives praise for high performance. Muskego-Norway School District is rated an A-plus on Niche and is the third-best school district in the state. The district rates especially high for clubs and activities, and "Athletics are extremely important to the community," says Adam Trzebiatowski, planning manager for the city's Economic Development Department. "I know people who have moved here specifically for the schools and athletic facilities." In August 2024, a ribbon cutting ceremony revealed Muskego High School's new, state-of-the-art facilities for sports, culinary arts, auto shop, engineering design and more.
Muskego High School has been newly renovated and draw high scores.
Mill Valley Elementary School provides education to the younger residents in
Muskego.
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High prices and high demand for housing
Housing demand is high in Muskego, and prices are up 8% from the previous year. Plots of land, small homes from the early 1900s and attached condos are in the lowest price range, selling between $130,000 and $350,000. The newest and biggest homes, usually those along Little Muskego Lake or the area's golf course, reach up to $1.6 million.
Trzebiatowski says, "We keep hearing from builders that they have a backlog of people wanting to move here."
Despite the area's high median price of $495,000, $90,000 more than the national median, houses sell after only 22 days, half the national average. Homes and plots of land are especially desirable for those wanting lower property taxes and more space. "Muskego has a lot of transplants who move just one community west from Franklin to get the cheaper property tax here," Trzebiatowski says.
Homes in Muskego can range from small to much larger lake side homes.
A few condo developments in Muskego also take advatage of the beautiful lake.
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Minimal employers keep Muskego quiet
While many Muskego residents commute to surrounding metro areas for work, a few companies have expanded the local job market in the city's industrial areas. Inpro's world headquarters is the largest employer behind local government and the school district.
Waukesha and Milwaukee are 9 and 20 miles away, respectively, and Interstate 43 is just north of the city's border. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is 17 miles east, and the nearest hospital is north in New Berlin. Muskego's Department of Public Works removes snow and salts the roads after storms.
Inpro is Muskego's largest employers and is a close drive for residents.
The Muskego Business Park sits just west of the town.
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Shopping trips in Waukesha or New Berlin
Locally owned restaurants and shops are on Janesville Road, the city's main commercial area. Residents head to nearby Waukesha or New Berlin for most shopping trips. Though small, Muskego's downtown area is growing, and recent updates have been made. "We did some creative streetscaping in the downtown area with county and city funds," Trzebiatowski says. "It made it a nice place to walk around and drive through."
Muskego has a small selection of newer shopping centers.
Customers can have a shake or a beer on tap at The Milk Can Hamburgers & Frozen Custard in Muskego.
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Important to know
The Wisconsin Department of Justice says that the violent crime rate increased slightly from 2022 to 2023, but property crime rates decreased. When compared to the national rates using crime information and reports provided by the FBI, violent and property crimes in Muskego happen at a significantly lower rate, year after year.
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