Vision, Mission, and Values

Community Unity Statement

Originally founded as a village in 1848, and later incorporated as a city in 1882, Port Washington is a historic fishing village located along the shores of Lake Michigan, 25 miles north of downtown Milwaukee. The original harbor was built in the 1870s, and the marina’s lighthouse, built in 1860, still stands today, hosting a historical museum. More about the City’s history can be found here.

Today, it is the county seat of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, and part of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Despite being closely located to downtown Milwaukee it retains its distinct town core and sits at some distance from the most urbanized parts of the area.

The City is known for offering “a touch of New England charm combined with Midwestern friendliness” and has been named by Midwest Living to their Top 100 Best Midwest Small Town Getaways. Port Washington, today, is a tourist destination with a vibrant downtown and community events.

Port Washington’s population of 12,855 resides within seven square miles with four miles of waterfront. The city offers superior housing choices, excellent education provided by the Port Washington-Saukville School District, abundant tourism and community event offerings, and award-winning health care throughout the county.

A growing and vibrant community located in the greater Milwaukee area, Port Washington has experienced considerable residential, commercial and employment growth in the last two decades. In fact, its growth rate is the highest of any community in Ozaukee County and outstrips population growth in most of the county.

Port Washington, by itself, has enough events, activities, and recreational opportunities to keep someone thoroughly engaged for a lifetime. Adding to Port Washington’s attractiveness are the additional world-class amenities offered throughout the greater Milwaukee metro area of more than one million people.

The city provides full-city services including Library, Public Safety (Police, Fire, EMS), Engineering, Public Works, Water and Sewer utilities, Building Inspections, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Marina, Senior Center, Library, Finance, Clerk and Administration. The City has 75 FTEs plus a robust part-time and seasonal employment, and a $25 million budget.