Appleton, WI: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Looking for facts about Appleton? It is an incorporated city in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, with an estimated 220,570 people according to our dataset. It lies at 44.278°N, 88.389°W in Central time. The sections below cover its size, ZIP codes, neighbors and distances.

What are the key facts about Appleton, WI?

What is the population of Appleton, WI?

Appleton has an estimated population of 220,570. That makes it the 3rd largest of 773 places in Wisconsin, placing it among the state's ten biggest, and the largest place in its county. The typical place in Wisconsin has about 986 residents, so Appleton is many dozens of times larger than a typical place in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Wisconsin with a similar population include Green Bay (207,557), Racine (130,142), Kenosha (124,972), Eau Claire (107,404), La Crosse (100,693). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Appleton differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is Appleton?

Appleton has about 2,994 people per square mile (1,156 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Wisconsin, it is denser than about 98% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does Appleton use?

The postal data lists 6 ZIP codes for Appleton: 54914, 54915, 54913, 54911, 54912, 54919. Several codes in one place usually reflect separate delivery areas, post offices or large buildings with their own code. Codes beginning with 5 are assigned to the Upper Midwest and northern Plains (Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, the Dakotas and Wisconsin). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is Appleton in?

Appleton is in the Central time zone, which is UTC−6 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/Chicago). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Ludington, MI, about 99 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Central time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is Appleton located in Wisconsin?

Appleton lies in the eastern part of Wisconsin, at 44.278° north latitude and 88.389° west longitude. The state capital, Madison, is about 97 miles to the southwest. The closest listed place in another state is Menominee, MI, roughly 69 miles to the northeast, which shows how near Appleton is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Green Bay, WI, 26 miles to the northeast.

Which cities are near Appleton, WI?

The closest listed place to Appleton is Kimberly, WI, 2.7 miles to the east. Of the eight nearest places below, 3 are in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is Appleton in?

Appleton is in Outagamie County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 55087. The county contains 12 places in our data, 4 of which have their own page here and 8 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Kaukauna (16,270), Little Chute (12,081), Kimberly (6,802), Combined Locks (3,593), Seymour (3,503). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is Appleton from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, Appleton is closest to Chicago, IL at about 172 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 1,741 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Appleton?

Yes. Our data lists 1 other place named Appleton: Appleton, MN (1,325). When you search for Appleton, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the Appleton in Outagamie County, Wisconsin.

Planning a move to Appleton?

If you are weighing Appleton, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. See the cities within 50 miles of Appleton to understand the surrounding region. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.