Almost 170 years after it was founded, one of Green Lake County’s greatest advantages is that it is in the middle of everything. Green Lake’s proximity to larger centers like Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Appleton makes this Wisconsin county ideal for businesses and for the county’s 19,000-plus residents.
Back in 1858, Green Lake County was well-known for fur trading, owing largely to the historic Fox River. Running through Green Lake’s Berlin and Princeton communities, the Fox River is ideal for water transportation. Encompassing 20 lakes and rivers, the area has become popular for its sandy beaches, stunning shoreline, woodlands, and many charming resorts.
While fur trading is an industry of the past, the county’s water access and central location in the state make it ideal for anyone wanting to be close to big city amenities but avoid the stress of living and working in dense, congested, and costly urban areas.
“It isn’t unusual for people to take day trips from bigger communities,” says Green Lake County President Scott Mundro, who also serves on the Economic Development Corporation board. “For anyone wanting to be in a bigger city, we are well within driving distance. But here in Green Lake County, you’re away from it all, and you feel that. There is a freedom you don’t have being in a big city, and that’s a huge draw for a lot of people who make their way here.”
Across North America, traffic is such a problem that many people are choosing quieter places to live and work, says County Clerk and EDC Secretary, Liz Otto. “Here, you can traverse the whole county in about half an hour.”
Less expensive than big cities, Green Lake County is accessible by water, major highways 23, 44, 49, 73, and 91, and Union Pacific, Wisconsin, and Southern Railroads. With communities including Berlin (partly in Waushara County), Markesan, Princeton, Green Lake, Kingston, Marquette, and others, the county is famous for its many quality-of-life amenities.
“We have bike trails and walking trails that traverse the county, and UTV/ATV (Utility Terrain Vehicle/All-Terrain Vehicle) accessibility in most of the townships,” says Otto. The county’s namesake, Green Lake, also known as Big Green Lake (Little Green Lake is near Markesan), is also a huge draw, famous for boating, swimming, and other water activities in the summer and ice fishing in the winter.
Indeed, water access continues to be a major factor in the county’s success, with many boating-related businesses in the area, such as GEAR. Family-owned and operated, this popular shop sells outdoor products catering to everyone from surfers to golfers, and unique Green Lake-branded apparel and gifts. Proud of its place in the area, GEAR’s management says, “We want to enhance the Green Lake experience and invest in its future.”
Along with Green Lake—the deepest natural inland lake in Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 237 feet—the area is known for smaller lakes, like Lake Puckaway. With six species of fish, including Walleye, Northern Pike, and Catfish, Lake Puckaway is popular with anglers. “There’s a lot of good-sized fish coming out of those smaller lakes,” says Mundro. To ensure the local lakes remain healthy, rehabilitation groups ensure new fish are being introduced to keep populations strong.
The area is also home to other established businesses, including Ripon Athletic. Based in Berlin, Ripon Athletic’s legacy goes back to 1921. Starting off making sweaters and athletic uniforms for football, baseball, and other sports, Ripon Athletic introduced synthetic fibers into its clothing in the 1930s. The company continues to innovate with durable, breathable fabrics like Lycra and other unique materials and manufacturing methods.
Today, Ripon Athletic is a key maker of jerseys and patches for colleges and high schools, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and more.
Other well-known companies in the area have a local, national, and even international client base. These include generator manufacturer Generac, the Badger Mining Corporation, and Wisconsin Spice, Inc., one of the world’s foremost makers of mustard-based products. Other large employers include Tank Technology Inc., which makes water heaters, boilers, and related items, FLASH Trucking, and ThedaCare-Froedtert Health.
“We have a lot of huge, worldwide industry in Green Lake County,” says Mundro. Unlike some areas, Green Lake isn’t looking to attract any particular type of business per se. “We are very diverse,” he says. “We have a strong manufacturing base in all of our communities, a lot of agriculture, quite a bit of retail, and lots of smaller, entrepreneurial startups in our downtown. And we hit on all cylinders for economic diversity in general.”
With overall costs being considerably lower than in big centers, Green Lake County continues to attract everything from family-owned, mom-and-pop stores to large corporations. All four major municipalities—Berlin, Green Lake, Markesan, and Princeton—support industrial partners and smaller companies alike. All communities have places available in their industrial parks and have done a tremendous job of setting up infrastructure to welcome new businesses to the area.
“There is a definite draw here, not only with local businesses but world-renowned companies,” says Mundro, “and with the great standard of living and proximity to larger cities, we are seeing people moving to this area. You’re a little removed from it all, but not completely.”
Despite its modest size, Green Lake County is home to plenty of year-round activities. One of the best-known is The Famous Princeton Flea Market. Held every Saturday for over half a century, this year’s flea market runs from April 19 to October 11, rain or shine. Popular with locals, visitors, and treasure hunters alike, it boasts dozens of vendors selling everything from furniture to toys, antiques, and tasty snacks. Occupying an entire block, the market attracts people from the Tri-County area.
“There are regularly people from Chicago, Iowa, Minnesota, and throughout Wisconsin who come up here to go to the flea market specifically—but they don’t only go there,” says Mundro. “They spread out and visit all our communities throughout the weekend. The market is a lot of fun to walk through. Anyone you want to see from the area, you’ll normally see them there. It’s a definite destination for a lot of people.”
Providing something for everyone, several communities hold concerts throughout the week, along with farmers markets, art sales, and more. The area is also home to award-winning cheese makers, the Golf Courses of Lawsonia—consistently named among the Top 100 public courses in the United States —and the world-famous Heidel House Hotel & Conference Center.
Originally built in 1890, this 115-room facility provides guests with spectacular lakefront views and is ideal for weddings, anniversaries, and other special occasions. Last year, Heidel House was selected to grace the cover of Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association (WHLA) for 2025. The publication has a distribution of over 140,000 copies, with Heidel House beating out over 500 entries. “When you feature one business, or one person from the area, you’re featuring the area as a whole,” says Mundro. “That was really exciting.”
Through a partnership with the UW Extension, the area will also host the Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference in 2026. Excited about the event, Mundro says the target audience includes entrepreneurs and smaller businesses looking to get started or expand their current business.
Most recently, the event hosted about 200 people from across the state, helping them take the next steps for their business. “We are thrilled to host that event, show off our communities, and help our local entrepreneurs get information,” Mundro says. “We have all different areas of economic development—from manufacturing to agriculture to small mom-and-pop shops—and people love going to a lot of our downtowns because you never know what you’re going to find in these unique shops. So there are a lot of great people who have ideas.” Some in attendance are active retirees looking to start their second business, and “this gives them an opportunity locally to have that information and maybe take that next step.”
A true hidden gem, Green Lake County remains popular with tourists and residents alike. Many will stay for a day, a weekend, and even longer. “And then there are the 19,000 of us lucky enough to call this place home,” says Mundro. “It’s a great community. My parents just moved up here a couple of years ago. They would come and visit, and realized it was a great place, so why not move permanently?” he shares.
“Many people make that same decision throughout the year. They’ve been coming to Green Lake County for so long, they say, ‘let’s make it our home.’ And so they do.”
