River Country
CRAWFORD COUNTY, WISCONSIN
Crawford County isn't a place people find by accident. They find it on a fishing trip. A fall drive through the bluffs. A weekend they didn't want to end.
Come Home to River Country is our invitation — and our investment in you. If you earn a living and want a better place to live it, keep reading.
Real money. Your choice of how to use it.
Qualifying households receive a relocation incentive award based on their housing pathway. Pick your path — the award comes with it.
Build Here
New construction
$30,000
maximum award
Entry | $15,000
Mid-Range | $18K - $27K
Top Award | $30,000
Restore Here
Buy + Rehab
$22,000
maximum award
Entry | $10,000
Mid-Range | $13K - $20K
Top Award | $22,000
Buy Here
Purchase existing home
$18,000
maximum award
Entry | $8,000
Mid-Range | $10K - $16K
Top Award | $18,000
Start Here
Long-term rental, limited
$10,000
maximum award, limited availability
Entry | $4,000
Mid-Range | $6K - $9K
Top Award | $10,000
Your award is the starting point, not the whole story.
The cash award covers more than you'd expect — and partner benefits stack on top.
Your award can pay for:
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Moving company, truck, pods
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Closing costs + deposits
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Construction + rehab costs
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Utility hookups, well, septic
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Appliances + essential fixtures
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Temporary housing
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Storage during the move
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Credential + license transfers
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Other relocation expenses
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Plus stack partner benefits >>
Partner benefits that can stack:
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Free broadband installation
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Reduced cost building lots
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Landscaping + tree planting
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Discounted closing costs
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Other banking incentives
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Civic memberships
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Liesure perks
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Credential + license transfers
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Partner benefits vary by location and availability
When you stack partner benefits + eligible covered expenses, the total value of your move can go significantly above the base award.
Remote workers. Families ready for more space. People moving closer to family. Employees recruited by a local employer. Skilled tradespeople. Educators. If you earn a living and want a better place to live it — this program exists for you.
Does this sound like you?
You live outside Wisconsin right now
Household income $55,000+
Ready to relocate - or seriously thinking about it
Want to own, build, or get settled somewhere worth staying
You're not just moving. You're trading up.
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Three rivers. One extraordinary landscape
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Remote-work ready
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Small towns with real infrastructure
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Outdoor life without the crowds
The Mississippi, the Wisconsin, and the Kickapoo — three rivers that shape everything about this place. The bluffs, the valleys, the pace of life, the way people talk about it after they leave. Your paycheck stretches further, your commute disappears, and your weekends fill themselves. Welcome to River Country.
From application to welcome mat
1
Apply
Tell us about your household, your work situation, and where you're thinking about landing. You don't need housing locked down to apply.
2
Get reviewed
DDI's review committee evaluates your application. You'll hear back with an answer either way & clear next steps if eligible.
3
Receive award
Approved households receive a conditional forgivable assistance award tied to their housing pathway. Funds are reserved for you while you finalize your move.
4
Make your move
Award funds disburse in phases as you hit milestones: signed agreement, housing commitment, confirmed residency. Money moves when you move.
5
Welcome home
Orientation tours, civic memberships, recreation outings, newcomer get-togethers — Crawford County makes sure you land, not just arrive.
Questions people actually ask.
No. Rental awards are available, but limited, with local employment requirement. Many who start renting end up buying.
No. This is an award — not a loan. For homeowners, DDI secures the award against the property, so if you leave before the retention period ends, it's recovered from the sale proceeds. Stay the full term and it's yours, free and clear. Renters have a similar retention agreement with comparable terms.
Yes. Apply first, find housing after. You don't have to have it figured out before you raise your hand.
Yes, with a simple letter from your employer confirming remote work from Wisconsin is permitted. Remote workers are exactly who this was built for.
25 households over three years. Limited spots. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis — earlier is better.
Please do. Share this page. Tag someone who keeps talking about leaving the city. Twenty-five spots — every application matters.
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