Pros and Cons of Madison? Madison or Indianapolis? (New Glarus, Winter: low crime, unemployment rate)

[dtimm28]

My wife and I are looking into moving from TX soon. I'm considering the Madison and Indianapolis areas due to various reasons, including my IT (networking) career. What are some pros and cons of Madison?

[Drover]

Pros:

• Unemployment rate below 3%
  
• The winters may suck (that's a matter of opinion, I happen to like cold snowy winters) but the summers are fabulous
  
• Lots of outdoor recreational opportunities in the city itself (three large, interconnected lakes and some nice parks) or within a short drive (every corner of the state provides its unique opportunities be it hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, rock climbing, river rafting, et cetera)
  
• Unbeatable Farmer's Market on the Capitol square in the summers
  
• Hanging out on University of Wisconsin Union terrace overlooking the lake on a summer evening
  
• Madison has the best local beer scene in all the Midwest -- nearby world-class breweries include Great Dane (right downtown), Capital, New Glarus, Tyranena, Lake Louie, Central Waters, and probably a couple others I've forgotten
  
• Lots of community support for local business gives the city a unique, eclectic personality and keeps it from being a generic chain-store Hell
  
• Lots of good restaurants, particularly ethnic restaurants
  
• Very good schools for a city of its size that compete with the best suburban school districts
  
• Low crime rate

Cons:

• Insane housing costs, especially for a city of its size and location
  
• Winter is about one month too long, even for a winter-lover like myself
  
• The insufferable self-righteousness that wafts from the university, but at least it's less militant than I've observed from other major universities
  
• Speaking of universities, UW is both surprisingly civilized and quite rambunctious. The former element rules downtown during the day; unfortunately the latter takes over downtown at night, especially on weekends
  
• Sky-high property taxes. BUT, for once you actually get what you pay for in the way of high-quality schools, nice clean parks and a sound, well-maintained infrastructure
  
• Traffic through downtown can be a snarl during rush hour, but compared to major metros like Chicago, DC, L.A., NYC, and whatever, it's a minor inconvenience.