The City of Middleton is a vibrant urban ring city on the west side of Madison, the state capital. From 2005-2013, Middleton was honored by Money Magazine and CNN as one of the top ten small city places to live in the U.S. (under 50,000 population), including “America’s Best Place to Live” (2007). Our community offers the best of living and working in a small city while having all the great attributes of a dynamic larger city. Here are some of our most significant features:
• The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, its high level of academic and co-curricular achievements, prominent athletic programs, outstanding staff and quality facilities such as the community’s Performing Arts Center are keys to the community’s success.
• The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, its high level of academic and co-curricular achievements, prominent athletic programs, outstanding staff and quality facilities such as the community’s Performing Arts Center are keys to the community’s success.
• Corporate headquarters and /or primary facility for American Girl (Mattel), Capital Brewery, Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC), Fiskars, Gilson Medical Instruments, Mead & Hunt Engineering, the National Mustard Museum, Natus Neurology (North America), PPD, Springs Window Fashions, Standard Imaging (multiple winner of Wisconsin’s Best Small Manufacturer Award), Spectrum Brands and WTS Paradigm among many other great businesses in a dynamic regional economy.
• Proud of our environmental ethic, sustainable city plan and initiatives, Tree City U.S.A. designation 22 years running, and as a Wisconsin Water Star, Bird City and Legacy Green Tier community. Home of the environmental gem of the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Moreover, Middleton was an All-America City finalist in 2010 as well as one of 3 finalists for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Siemens Award for Sustainability in 2012.
• Proud of our environmental ethic, sustainable city plan and initiatives, Tree City U.S.A. designation 22 years running, and as a Wisconsin Water Star, Bird City and Legacy Green Tier community. Home of the environmental gem of the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Moreover, Middleton was an All-America City finalist in 2010 as well as one of 3 finalists for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Siemens Award for Sustainability in 2012.
• Public amenities include a nationally recognized Public Lands, Recreation & Forestry department maintaining numerous charming parks (Gold Medal NRPA Finalist from 2013-2016 for small parks systems); a library that was named the”Library of the Year” for 2007 by the Wisconsin Library Association; nationally accredited police department and senior center; the scenic Pleasant View Golf Course; Middleton Municipal Airport-Morey Field; Capitol Ice arena; two Middleton historic museums (the Rowley House and the Depot), extensive and cost-effective public services and an Aa1 bond rating.
• Visitors are welcomed by our historic Middleton Depot Visitors Center and nearly 80 eclectic dining establishments and 1,000 hotel rooms in eight hotels.
• A regional employment center, we are a net importer of employees-8,616 according to the 2010 Census–and an exporter of income to surrounding communities.
• For those in our larger community who struggle with life’s challenges, we exhibit good neighborliness through our local churches and service clubs, Middleton Outreach Ministry, Restoring Hope Transplant House, Gilda’s Club, Gio’s Garden, the Middleton Community Endowment and many other individual and group philanthropic efforts.
The City is very interested in starting a comprehensive racial equity initiative. Our police department, through the leadership of Chief Chuck Foulke, has initiated many relevant programs; however, we as a City have not yet done so. The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District also has initiated a racial equity program through their Office of Equity & Student Achievement, directed by Percy Brown. Largely, the City has been working through a consortium of community, school and business interests in the Middleton Equity Team which meets about 4 times per year. As an urban ring community of the state capital of Madison, our racial and ethnic make-up in the 2010 Census was 87.1% White; 3.5% African-American; 5.6% Hispanic or Latino of any race; 4.2% Asian; 2.7% Other; and 2.5% two or more races. The percentage of the White population decreased from 92.1% to 87.1% from 2000 to 2010, and we anticipate that the community will be reflected as even more diverse in the 2020 Census. Our Mayor Gurdip Brar is of Indian/Asian descent, and he may be the only mayor of color in Wisconsin currently.