Easy access to Madison in rural Belleville
The scenic Sugar River runs through the center of town in Belleville, a quiet, south Wisconsin community surrounded by wooded groves and farmland. Just 20 miles south of downtown Madison, the village has a laid-back, rural feel and is centered around Lake Belle View. “Belleville is a peaceful, bedroom community of Madison,” says Jim Olson, a village local and owner of River City Realty. “Most people who live here commute to the city for work, but you’ll find significantly lower home prices here. We used to be more of a farming community, but our population has increased and we’ve built more homes as people have been moving away from the city.”
Century-old farmhouses and brand-new developments
The area has a diverse housing market, from 1890s farmhouses to 20th-century Colonial Revivals and craftsman-style bungalows. Houses sit on lots of around a quarter acre, and front yards are dotted with mature oak, maple and pine trees. Fenced-in back lots and detached garages are common. New developments are underway in the Bell West subdivision, with the oldest homes built in 2022. Single-family homes range from $180,000 to $690,000, with prices increasing alongside modern upgrades, square footage and property size. Townhomes and condos can go for $210,000 to $290,000.
Highly rated public schools and library programs
Kindergarten through sixth-grade students can attend Belleville Elementary School, which earns an A-minus grade from Niche. Belleville Middle School and Belleville High share a campus and both receive B-plus grades. “People will move here just for the schools,” Olson says. “They have a really good reputation and we have some newly built facilities here in town.” The high school has over a dozen extracurricular offerings, including clubs centered around forensics, outdoor adventure and school spirit. Belleville High also partners with Madison College and Blackhawk Technical College for its dual enrollment courses. The Belleville Public Library and Community Center hosts a variety of events and programs, including a monthly book club, kids’ music hours and a weekly knitting group.
Recreation on the Sugar River and Lake Belle View
Bordered by the Sugar River and Lake Belle View, Belleville Community Park has picnic shelters, a basketball court, a baseball diamond and open field space. Visitors can launch a kayak from the park’s put-in or cast a line from the fishing pier to reel in bluegill, carp and largemouth bass. The Brooklyn Wildlife Area lies just east of town and spans across around 3,000 acres of marshlands, forests and prairies. The area has over 3 miles of hiking trails and a creek where anglers can fish for trout. The Badger State Trail winds through Belleville and runs for 40 miles, spanning from Madison to the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
Small businesses on Main Street
Main Street has a small selection of shops and eateries. Lingonberry Llama serves coffee, tea, fresh baked goods and sandwiches. A few doors down, Belleville Ale House has a varied selection of craft beers and a rotating evening dinner selection. Borland's is known for its Friday and Saturday night fish fries, with ice cream sundaes for dessert. Locals can do their grocery shopping at the nearby Piggly Wiggly or take the short drive north to Verona for Festival Foods and Miller & Sons Supermarket.
A local farmers market and annual events
On Tuesday evenings from June through September, locals flock to Pearl Street for the Belleville Farmers Market. Since 2013, Music in the Park has been held on Tuesdays throughout June and July. The free concert series is hosted at Library Park, where folks gather with their camp chairs and blankets. “There’s also the annual UFO Days,” says Olson. “It’s every October before Halloween, and people gather in their costumes downtown for a parade of UFOs.”
A quick drive to Madison amenities
Downtown Madison is around 20 miles north via Wisconsin Highway 69 and U.S. Route 18. Madison is home to St. Mary’s Hospital, while Dane County Regional Airport is roughly 30 miles away.
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Written By
Jillian Pillow
