Weather | | How much crime? | | What are the neighborhoods like? | | What are the people like? |
As you might expect in Northwestern Wisconsin, the winters are harsh and cold. Temperatures in January can dip well below zero and the wind chill can make it feel like it's -30. The winds in particular are brutal, since the town is surrounded by primarily farmland and low-lying hills. But the spring and summer can be quite warm, with highs reaching into the 90s. Summers can also bring tornadoes and early in its history New Richmond was hit with an F5 tornado. | | Like a lot of smaller Midwestern towns, New Richmond has had some recent battles with meth traffic. Not in the town itself, but the surrounding farmlands make for an ideal location for a meth lab. And that has resulted in an unexpected amount of fights and serious property damage. | | The part of town that adjoins Main Street is the most desirable part of town. Many of the buildings have been renovated and in recent years a lot of effort has been put into upgrading city services in the area. The population in the area is primarily working-class white and the housing is the older semi-Victorian style seen in many smaller Wisconsin towns. The eastern edge of town is the less desirable and many of the houses are rundown ranch-style buildings or rowhouses that have seen better days. | | Unlike a lot of farm communities, New Richmond still has a sizable young population. The town's population is split into two groups. The first is an older population that has lived in the area since they were kids. There is also a newer group of residents who have moved into the area in recent years to take advantage of the many local parks, lakes and recreational areas. The town is close to 90 percent white, so it's not likely to be a comfortable place for non-white residents. The town is friendly to outsiders, but the local businesses definitely cater to a white clientele. |
Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Noise |
While the downtown area has suffered a loss of businesses in recent years, the area is on the upturn. Former hardware and grocery stores are being replaced with art shops and trendy chain stores. | | The Laurel Supper Club is an upscale American restaurant that serves food as inventive and tasty as you'll find in a much larger town. | | New Richmond has an award-winning public school system, with a high school that somehow manages to grow year-to-year. The town also boasts a popular community college, which helps keep a lot of kids from leaving home to attend higher education. | | There is a general aviation airport located in Richmond, which means you will frequently hear small planes flying overhead. |
town comparison vs. | | General comments | | | | |
Hudson lies a few miles to the south and it is much more of a tourist community. New Richmond's population reflects the surrounding farming community and a less transient population. Nearby River Falls is a much larger community and it seems more hectic and chaotic. River Falls also seems as if it wants to be bigger than it is, while the city (and residents) of New Richmond seem to happy with what they've got. It makes for a much more content and friendly town. | | New Richmond is a comfortable small-town. It's only about 40 miles from the Twin Cities, so it's an easy commute if you need something from the Big City. But most of the residents seem happy to be living there and their affection for the town can be contagious. The town boasts a small airport and a thriving business community and maybe that's part of the reason the town feels vibrant and not like some smaller towns that seem as if they'd blow away in the first big storm. | | | | |