Erin is a rural community with a standout golf course
On the south side of Washington County, the town of Erin was first settled by Irish Catholic farmers in the 1800s, and that heritage is still evident today. The rural community comes to life for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the towering spires of Holy Hill — one of Wisconsin’s two basilicas — draw in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The town is also known for Erin Hills Golf Course, a championship course that’s hosted two U.S. Opens.
Despite its big attractions, most of Erin is quiet, with acres of farmland and preserved forest. Located about 45 minutes outside Milwaukee, the town appeals to homebuyers who are looking for a slower pace of life and space to spread out. “I'll have a lot of clients who want a hobby farm with goats and chickens — that’s very popular there,” says Marybeth Mielke, a Realtor with Keller Williams who has experience in the area. “And there are other people who say Erin's just too far out to get to grocery stores."
Homes come with at least an acre of land
The median single-family home price is $660,000. Housing options here vary widely, from smaller rustic ranch styles to luxury multimillion-dollar estates. Erin’s land use regulations require that nearly all residential developments have at least one and a half acres of land, so even on the lower end of the price spectrum, most homes have plenty of personal space. “Erin is a very competitive area because it has sprawling acreage,” Mielke says. “I have people who have moved there from the suburbs because they want to have a big pole barn or they have boats they want to store.” All properties use well water and private septic systems.
Advanced science courses at Hartford High School
Students may attend Erin School for kindergarten through eighth grade. The school gets an A-minus from Niche. Older kids head north to Hartford High School, rated B-plus. Hartford High began a $25 million renovation in 2025, which is expected to add more space for technology and engineering facilities. The high school is known for its advanced STEM career pathways, including a Project Lead the Way: Biomedical Sciences program, which offers students hands-on experience at the college level.
Championship golf, private ski hills and hiking on a national trail
The Erin Hills Golf Course is a championship course that held the U.S. Open in 2017 and the U.S. Women’s Open in 2025. Resembling an island in Scotland with its rolling hills, the course is a large draw to the area. Erin is also home to the membership-only Heiliger Huegel Ski Club, which offers slopes of all skill levels running down one large hill. “They're not huge places, obviously, we're in Wisconsin,” Mielke says. “But it's a private ski hill in the area that a lot of families gravitate towards.”
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs through Erin’s section of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, offering miles of hiking to explore. According to Mielke, Loew Lake is a hidden gem along the trail. “You can take the backroads to get into it, and there are huge hiking trails, and you can kayak in there,” she says. “It’s a really cool little area that you can picnic and walk through. People take their horses.”
Nearly half a million visitors come to see the Holy Hill basilica
The town is home to the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill —just called Holy Hill by the locals. Built in the 1920s in the neo-Romanesque style, this impressive structure sits atop one of the highest points in southwest Wisconsin and attracts nearly half a million visitors every year. For those who live in the area, the basilica has weekly mass.
Celebrating Irish heritage at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Erin’s Irish roots can be seen in more than just the town’s shamrock logo. Every year, a stretch of Highway K turns green with over 20,000 spectators for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “People will paint their horses, and you'll have groups of people who put a big float together and decorate it and throw candy,” Mielke says. “It's kind of a big party." She says that everyone heads down to one of the local pubs after the parade is over. It’s the busiest day of the year for Erin Inn Irish Pub, a cash-only dive bar that’s used to a smaller crowd of regulars.
Homestyle restaurants and nearby shopping in Hartford
Homestyle cooking makes up the majority of Erin’s dining out options. JC’s Corner & Grill has a popular Friday fish fry, and Barbecue Company smokes its meat in-house. But there’s not much else within the town itself.
Less than 10 miles north, Hartford is typically the go-to spot for shopping and dining out. There’s Walmart, Piggly Wiggly and Aldi, as well as a small walkable downtown district. The city also has the closest hospital, Aurora Medical Center of Washington County.
Thirty minutes to large Milwaukee suburbs
Downtown Milwaukee is about 35 miles away, typically a 45-minute drive. Getting to the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is a bit farther, around 40 miles. Suburbs of the city, like Mequon and Waukesha, are both about 20 miles away, usually a 30-minute drive.
Written By
Catherine Lashley
