Janesville, WI may seem like a dot on the map to outsiders, but Wisconsinites know this unique Midwestern town as the state’s “City of Parks.” If you take a cruise through the streets, you’ll quickly understand why. The city of 62,000 boasts a 2,015-acre park system that weaves and turns throughout town, offering residents access to more than 50 grassy picnic areas, wooden park benches and pristine nature trails. This is quite a remarkable number of green spaces for a town this size (New York's Central Park is a puny 843 acres – by way of comparison). The park system features lakes, rivers, swimming pools, disc golf play areas, sports stadiums, boat launches, and golf courses. Popular sites include the Rotary Gardens (a botanical garden made from an old sand pit), Monterey Park, the Ice Age Trail and Camden Park. Nearly every park is connected by a comprehensive bike trail that stretches to the neighboring town of Beloit. Not sold yet? In addition to these outdoor spaces, Janesville offers a fun urban beat with restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores and musical venues galore.
OK, so we have you hooked but now to need to find a place to live
Fun with Dick and Janesville
Janesville, WI may seem like a dot on the map to outsiders, but Wisconsinites know this unique Midwestern town as the state’s “City of Parks.” If you take a cruise through the streets, you’ll quickly understand why. The city of 62,000 boasts a 2,015-acre park system that weaves and turns throughout town, offering residents access to more than 50 grassy picnic areas, wooden park benches and pristine nature trails. This is quite a remarkable number of green spaces for a town this size (New York's Central Park is a puny 843 acres – by way of comparison). The park system features lakes, rivers, swimming pools, disc golf play areas, sports stadiums, boat launches, and golf courses. Popular sites include the Rotary Gardens (a botanical garden made from an old sand pit), Monterey Park, the Ice Age Trail and Camden Park. Nearly every park is connected by a comprehensive bike trail that stretches to the neighboring town of Beloit. Not sold yet? In addition to these outdoor spaces, Janesville offers a fun urban beat with restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores and musical venues galore.
OK, so we have you hooked but now to need to find a place to live. Keep on reading—all the information you need is below.
This Is No Plain Janesville
Formerly home to a GM plant that shut down in 2008, today Janesville’s biggest employers are the hospital and school district, though a couple manufacturing companies still have jobs to offer. The city sits about 45 minutes from Madison and 2 hours from Chicago, making it an excellent combination of small-town peace with big city access. It is home to several technical colleges, as well as the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and 20 percent of the state’s historic buildings are listed here -The most famous of which is the Lincoln-Tallman house where Abe Lincoln was rumored to have spent a few nights (nobody cares how many nights Tallman spent there). Locals boast Janesville has affordable housing, low crime, and beautiful outdoor landscapes. And let’s not forget the city is home to the Rock Aqua Jays, a water ski team that’s taken the national title 16 times. Just saying your town has a water ski team makes your town badass.
As far as small Midwestern towns go, Janesville is not entirely obscure either. Twice now it has been graced with (or suffered from, depending on your perspective) momentary claims to fame that put its name in the news. First, in the 1990s, sensational TV journalist Geraldo Rivera got in a fight in Janesville while covering a Klu Klux Klan rally. Geraldo was arrested and subsequently, Janesville got its first ten minutes of fame. Unfortunately, it also gave Janesville a reputation as racist outpost which city officials have been working to overcome ever since - the site of the incident is now called “Peace Park.” A couple years after the Geraldo fiasco, a white buffalo was born on a local farm in Janesville that they called “Miracle.” The story made national headlines and with it came a slew of Native American groups who wanted to see the beast they view as a sacred tribal animal. The buffalo and Geraldo did not end up in a fistfight.
So do we have you convinced now? Read on to begin looking for relocation info...
Finding a Place in Janesville, WI
One of the best things about apartment-hunting in Janesville is that it is very easy to find a place. Since the GM plant closed, competition is minimal and there are openings virtually all year long. The Chamber of Commerce recommends the local newspaper (Janesville Gazette) as the best source of rental listings, though there are also a number of property management companies who list their apartments on sites like this one. These companies will tell you that the city is broken down like this: The nicest parts of town are in a circle on the outskirts of Janesville (except for in the south where the old auto plant remains). The northeast and northwest are the highest end sections with the least amount of crime. As you come closer in, the rest of Janesville is pretty typical. There isn’t a “high-crime zone,” so to speak, as most of the city is pretty safe. Prices are in the medium range too. There is one pocket of higher end homes close in on the east side around Racine Street and Arbor Drive.
Neighborhoods in Janesville
Downtown
As with many cities, the central downtown part of Janesville is where the older structures are and some of them are rundown with fewer amenities. Prices will definitely be lower in these parts and there is a large selection of rentals (with both apartment complexes and rental houses to choose from). Lucky for you, crime isn't much of an issue in Janesville, so despite it's semi-rundown nature (in parts) you shouldn't be deterred. Plus, some of the older architecture is lovely. Another upshot to living downtown is it's proximity to food and shopping, just keep in mind that if you choose to live in the downtown/central Janesville area you won’t find very much in the way of new development.
Far West (Leydon area)
This is a very beautiful part of town with lots of amenities and new development. The homes have big yards— many with double car garages— and the sidewalks are wide enough and safe for children to play. There is a hospital, several goods schools and low crime. Unfortunately, renters won’t find very many options out here because most of the properties are larger homes that are often not available for rent (and outside of many a budget). There are a couple of apartment complexes and the occasional rental house, however, so don’t be completely deterred. Be patient if you choose to house-hunt out here.
East Side (Humes Road Area)
This is one of the best parts of town for renters seeking higher-end accommodations that are available with less fuss. Like the West side, this part of town is new and the development has a modern look - the streets are clean, crime is low and there are parks everywhere. It is close to schools and would be a great neighborhood to raise kids. Unlike the West side, there are a number of rental options including large apartment complexes, houses and condos. Prices are higher in this area than most others.
South Side/Riverside Drive
This is where the old GM plant is situated and nowadays, the area is pretty shabby. Most of the homes here are older and crime is higher. There are abandoned buildings in places and some of the rentals are not as well-kept. At one time, many people who worked for the plant lived on this part of town but today many have packed up and moved to other places in search of work. Some remain here but are unemployed. There will be some steals so we don’t recommend ruling it out, just know that if you find a place for rent down here the conditions will be variable.
Close-in Northeast
This part of Janesville offers an excellent medium for people seeking decent housing conditions at a reasonable price. Many of the homes in this part of town were built in the 1980s and 1990s and, while they’re not brand-spanking new, are still in alright condition. Parker High School is here so if you are raising kids you won’t have a big commute. Some areas (like around Pontiac Drive) are hit or miss, but even in the less desirable spots you won’t find outrageous crime rates, and hey, the older units have charm! The northeast is a great place for young people, families and senior citizens to live.
Transportation
Public transportation around Janesville is quite impressive for a town of its size. First and foremost, the city offers the Janesville Transit System (JTS) which provides a fairly comprehensive bus service to most all of Janesville. It stretches all the way out to the neighboring towns of Beloit and Milton too. The schedule is not as frequent as in some bigger cities but it is certainly efficient enough for the average Janesvile commute. There is also an intricate bike network that connects the parks and several bike lanes in town. If you follow the local newspaper, you’ll see plans to offer more bike lanes in the future, as well as a number of pedestrian paths. If you have a car, you’re in luck too. Traffic is not bad and, as long as you can drive in the snow, you’ll be there in no time.
