Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Welcome to the City of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin!

Beaver Dam, population 16,200, is centrally located within the 'Triangle of Opportunity' including-Madison, Milwaukee, and the Green Bay/Fox Valley area - 80% of Wisconsin's population is concentrated in this region. With a well-connected highway system, residents benefit from easy access to various metropolitan amenities while enjoying lower cost of living, a safe and neighborly community and a quieter daily life with plenty of shopping, dining and fun! With a thriving theatre, music and arts scene, golf courses, festivals and organizations to fit almost any area of interest, you are never short on quality entertainment and activities.

Beaver Dam is surrounded by a multitude of recreational opportunities such as local parks, the Beaver Dam Lake and Beaver Dam River. Beaver Dam is close-by several county parks and only 10 minutes from the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area. This marsh is one of nine units in the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve system. Beaver Dam’s environmental ethic is seen through our initiatives, as we are a Wisconsin Bird City and Tree City USA community.

Excellent primary and secondary education is available through the Beaver Dam Unified School District, a US News Best High School silver ranking, parochial schools, and Wayland Academy college preparatory school. Moraine Park Technical College offers quality, real-life learning for career development to recent high school graduates and adults seeking advanced-learning opportunities. In addition, the city offers an abundance of quality daycare options.

We strive daily to make Beaver Dam its best version of itself. During the past two years, city government has focused on these key initiatives:

1. Public Safety – entering into a cost saving health care collaboration with the county thereby enabling police and fire equipment purchases and the addition of one full-time firefighter/paramedic, being named the 16th safest city in the US to raise a child.
2. Sustainability – reducing energy consumption through energy efficiencies and use of renewable energy. Beaver Dam’s municipal goal is to generate 25% or more of its energy from renewable energy sources by 2020 and 35% by 2025.
3. Cost Savings - renegotiating copier contracts, partnering with Dodge County to realize healthcare savings, more than $360,000 received through competitive grants.
4. Infrastructure Improvement – emphasis on maintaining and repairing roads and utilities
5. Thriving and Wide-Ranging Economy - increasing Beaver Dam‘s tax base by working with area business leaders to expand business opportunities and preventing/minimizing future business loss through proactive measures.
6. Enriching Quality of Life – revitalization of the downtown with a focus on place-making initiatives, pedestrian and bike access for the community, creation of dog parks and rejuvenation of city parks.
7. Addressing Blight and Drug Abuse – removing abandoned buildings and utilizing county-wide prevention resources to curb drug usage.
8. Expanding Housing Options - addition of lake view condominiums, townhouse apartments and senior apartments.
9. Evaluating Effectiveness of Beaver Dam City Departments – adapting Kaizen management principals, with the aid of Toyota consulting, to improve city department efficiencies.

Beaver Dam is an up & coming community due to the efforts and commitment of many creative and talented community members. Perhaps you’re one of them? We invite you to be a part of the energy and vision for this city. Again, welcome to Beaver Dam – “Life here is good!” 

We hope to see you soon!

Mayor Becky Glewen