Looking Great Value, Amenities, and Community? Move to Merrill!

Have you heard? According to a recent study by the New York financial company, Smart Asset, Merrill was named the “most affordable place to live in Wisconsin.”

This study analyzed data from all Wisconsin cities with a population of 5,000 or greater. The total cost of owning a home over a five-year period (including average closing costs, annual property tax, average annual mortgage payment, and annual homeowner’s insurance) was measured against each city’s median household income. (You can find this study’s findings here.) Merrill was ranked number 5 in last year’s study and jumped to the #1 spot this year!

But dollars and cents aren’t the only items that make living in Merrill a great decision. Here are some of the other factors that add tremendous value to buying or building a home in Merrill.

• Education. In addition to the public preschools; K-5, middle, and high schools; private and parochial schools; and daycare options for Merrill residents, students needn’t travel far for high-quality post-secondary education either. There are two technical colleges within 50 miles (Northcentral Technical College in Wausau and Nicolet College in Rhinelander)  and four university campuses within 75 miles (UW-Stevens Point’s campuses at Stevens Point and Wausau, Rasmussen College, and Globe University).
• Parks and Recreation. They don’t call Merrill “The City of Parks” for nothing! This city boasts 14 parks (including Council Grounds State Park—with campsites, a canoe and boat landing, and picnic facilities) within the city as well as a public golf course and public tennis courts, swimming pools, swimming beaches, and walking trails. There’s also the Smith Multi-Purpose Center, which features figure skating, a water park, baseball and soccer fields, and a dog park.
• Healthcare. Merrill provides its residents with quality healthcare. Ascension Good Samaritan Health Center has a hospital and a clinic in the city, and Aspirus and Marshfield Clinic also have clinics. Specialists in town include dental, chiropractic, and optical care; sports/rehab practices; and substance abuse/addiction services. There are also nursing homes, group homes, and assisted living facilities in Merrill.
• Convenience. While Merrill is a great city with many amenities, it also provides convenient access to other communities. Wausau is 15 miles away, Tomahawk is 23 miles away, Stevens Point is 50 miles away, and Minocqua is 51 miles away from Merrill. If your work or leisure takes you further from town, there is the Merrill Municipal Airport right in Merrill and a commercial airport (Central Wisconsin Airport, in Mosinee) just 32 miles away.
• Employment. Major employers of the Merrill area include Church Mutual Insurance Co., Lincoln Wood Products, Lincoln County Government, Merrill Area Public Schools, Semling-Menke Company, Sierra Pacific Windows & Doors, Weinbrenner Shoe Company, Good Samaritan Health Center, and Lincoln Hills School.

Pick up the latest issue of Up North Home Showcase to learn more about real estate agents servicing the Merrill area and to see listings of available homes in and around Merrill.