For much of the 20th century, Janesville was home to prominent industrial employers. Thousands were out of work due to the closing of a GM plant in 2008 that was operational for 90 years. Over the past 15 years, the city has rebounded thanks to downtown revitalization by sprucing up old buildings and opening trendy businesses and restaurants. “The downtown area is less crowded than a typical big city, more comfortable, and has free parking. You don’t find that in a big city,” says Susan Melton, marketing director at the Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The 2020 census shows the Janesville population as just over 65,000.
While Janesville's face has changed over the past decade and a half, one thing remains constant: its nickname of Wisconsin’s Great Outside. The city has nearly 2,600 acres of park space and many opportunities to hop on a walking or biking trail, strap on skis and shush along a path. The Rock River flows through downtown, inviting boating and other water activities. The other constant in Janesville is its abundant history that lives on in its 13 historic districts.
Janesville's northern neighborhoods rate high in their "bikeability" scores.
Janesville residents who love shopping tend to frequent its many vintage shops downtown, such as Modern Charm.
Janesville's Italianate Genisa Wine Bar is the perfect place to meet with friends or family.
Janesville's Rock River provides for ample fishing opportunities like walleye, crappie, bass, and catfish.
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Plenty of parks in Janesville
With the number of parks in Janesville, there’s a good bet that the Ice Age National Scenic Trail goes through some of them. The trail passes through much of Wisconsin and meanders through Janesville. Its path throughout the state and the city traces the path of a glacier that covered the state tens of thousands of years ago. Points along the trail include Riverside Park, a public playground with boat launches on the Rock River. Other amenities at the 87-acre site include tennis and volleyball courts and a disc golf course. Traxler Park is downtown and features a stadium that hosts the Rock Aqua Water Ski Team, a 22-time national champion performing free shows on Wednesday and Sunday nights in the summer for over 60 years.
Standing prominently at Courthouse Park in Janesville is a civil war monument.
Boating and fishing are some of the many activities to do at Riverside Park in Janesville.
Your family can rent a secluded gazebo at Riverside Park in Janesville.
Janesville residents can often be seen casting a line at Traxler Park.
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Historic districts in Janesville
The city of Janesville is home to 13 historical neighborhood districts. Much of that history is depicted at the Rock County Historical Society, which traces the city’s industrial past and involvement in the slave abolitionist movement in the 1800s. At the Lincoln-Tallman House, visitors can learn about how Abraham Lincoln came to the Italianate mansion in 1859 on his trip to the Wisconsin State Fair in Janesville. Other historic neighborhoods in the city include Look West, Prospect Hill and Courthouse Hill.
Many corners of downtown Janesville streets boast large, gorgeous Victorian houses with ornate rotundas.
Janesville also boasts some decorative Victorian style houses, one of which offers lodging on a nightly basis.
For fans of historic architecture, some of Janesville's homes are filled with ornate designs.
St Paul's Lutheran Church offers views of its breathtaking architecture in downtown Janesville.
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Downtown Janesville has become a retail and dining destination
Downtown features a collection of locally owned shops and restaurants. The Olde Towne Mall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in the 1800s as a department store, the landmark is home to several local businesses and offices today. The Janesville Farmers Market takes place on Saturdays at the Janesville Town Square on the west side of the Rock River from June through October. Chain restaurants and big box stores are more prominent on the north side of town around Interstate 90 and Routes 14 and 76.
Residents of north Janesville stay energized with Starbuck Coffee.
You can find great deals at big box stores in the north suburbs of Janesville.
You can peruse the retail options at Olde Towne Mall near Prospect Hill, which also hosts Janesville's downtown post office.
The Olde Towne Mall in Janesville was built in the mid-1800s, and features a public piano outside its back doors.
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Janesville home prices are well below the national average
Homes from the 1800s are common in the city's historic districts. The median home price for Janesville is about $279,000, about $130,000 less than the national average. The median price is higher than Beloit, Janesville’s close neighbor on the Rock River, 13 miles south. The median there is a little over $200,000. Homes are usually on the market for 32 days, less than the national average of 44 days.
The Janesville Police Department's annual crime report for 2023, the latest report available, says "crimes against society" decreased by 39% year-over-year, but that crimes against people, including violent incidents, increased by 14%.
School District of Janesville
Public school students attend classes in the School District of Janesville, rated a B overall on Niche. There are twelve elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools. Craig High School is rated a B on Niche and has a competitive show choir team called The Spotlighters, who have won some competitions and awards. Parker High School is rated a B-minus and is named after the founder of the Parker Pen Company. Saint Mary School is a private K-8 Catholic school connected to the historic Nativity of Mary Catholic Church in the Prospect Hill neighborhood. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Rock County is a two-year school with an enrollment of 900 with credits transferable to any school within the University of Wisconsin system.
Craig High School in Janesville is located at 401 S Randall Avenue.
Parker High School in Janesville was founded in 1968.
St. Mary Elementary School in Janesville is a private Catholic school option.
Roosevelt Elementary School in Janesville serves grades K-5.
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Janesville events
Courthouse Park in downtown Janesville is where a free summer concert series occurs at the Marvin Roth Community Pavilion during warm weather. The concert series, Music at the Marv, runs on Tuesday evenings from June through the last week of August. About 1.6 million lights are displayed in a Christmas walk-through setting at Rotary Botanical Gardens. “They hang lights from some of the tallest trees and, to do that, they have to use a bow and arrow to shoot the lights over the top branches,” Melton says. A celebration of craft beer takes place in February called Flannelfest.
Janesville has a temperate climate with all four seasons, but winters can be especially cold with average temperatures below 20 degrees. On average, the area receives 36 inches of snow per year, according to U.S. Climate Data.
Courthouse Park in Janesville also has an amphitheater with seating for 300.
On almost any summer night, there is a chance to see indoor or outdoor live music in Janesville.
The Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville hosts events year-round, including winter's Rotary Lights Show.
The Rock River in Janesville supports summer recreation, but freezes over in the winter.
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Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport
The Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport is primarily a general aviation and cargo traffic facility located south of downtown. The Dane County Regional Airport in Madison is 41 miles away for commercial flights, while the Chicago/Rockford International Airport is the same distance to the south. The Janesville Transit System provides public transportation throughout the city.
On average, homes in Janesville, WI sell after 24 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Janesville, WI over the last 12 months is $321,000, up 13% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
