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As a recent retiree, I am considering relocation to Milwaukee and am disappointed to read so many negative comments about the city proper. Is it really that bad and racially divided? If so, perhaps I am barking up the wrong tree and should turn my attention to Madison. In any case, I would appreciate information regarding the most desirable (clean, safe, quiet), yet affordable neighborhoods for apartment rentals within the city limits or close-in suburbs, far enough away from student-dominated areas. Criteria are proximity to shopping and other frequently-necessary services, near reliable public transit. Prefer older, well-maintained buildings (no high-rises). Price range: approx. $600-900/mo. for a studio or one-bedroom apt. Thank you in advance.
I'll start with some recommendations... it sounds like you would really like Shorewood, there is very good transit, Oakland Ave has a great amount of retail for day-to-day needs, & the community is well kept up. You are close to UWM & some students live in Shorewood, but it's a very stable & relatively quiet area.
Personally, I live just south of Shorewood on the East Side of Milwaukee & the area is simliar but with pockets of students. An active, retired couple live next door & they both attend classes at UWM (retirees have steep discounts) to keep up with their own interests & they're lifetime learners.
Other areas you might like are the downtown area of Wauwatosa, Whitefish Bay & the Bayview neighborhood of Milwaukee. These all have their own business districts, are close to other shopping & have at least a couple of frequent bus routes through them. You will have good choices finding an apartment in your price range in any of these locations, although you might have to search a bit for a deal.
As for the racial divisiveness, it's similiar to most medium/large midwestern cities. Generally there isn't a large minority middle class, which tends to highlight the divide between the have/have-nots. Honestly, an entire thread or 5 could be used to talk about this... if you want to explore that more, you might want to start another thread. My experience seems to tell me that any segregation issue or lack thereof in Madison is more because there are less people that could be labeled as 'segregated', than anything the city or its residents have done.
Thanks for the info, Jesse. Please clarify the following:
You will have good choices finding an apartment in your price range in any of these locations, although you might have to search a bit for a deal.
Ron
Hey Ron,
Basically it just means that in all of those places, there are high rents (generally larger rental companies/brand new properties) & then there are lower rents (owner-occupied duplexes, small apartment buildings, older buildings). If you want to spend closer to $600 for a 1 bedroom, you can do that... you can also spend $900 in any of the places.
Thanks, Jesse. Like anyone, I would like to find the nicest place in the best neighborhood for the least amount of money. If I had to choose, I'd go for area over rent. Having said that, which neighborhoods do you think would are the best prospects?
Thanks, Jesse. Like anyone, I would like to find the nicest place in the best neighborhood for the least amount of money. If I had to choose, I'd go for area over rent. Having said that, which neighborhoods do you think would are the best prospects?
Like I mentioned, Shorewood is probably the best fit to you, there's a bonus because you're right near Lake Michigan. As you know there is a lot of subjectivity about what a great neighborhood is, the other neighborhoods I mentioned also fit your criteria.
I would say $700 month would allow you to choose between alot of nice places.
How does Milwaukee compare to Madison, esp. in regards to apartment rentals (cost and availability)? I know they are very different places but would be interested to know the pros and cons of both.
How does Milwaukee compare to Madison, esp. in regards to apartment rentals (cost and availability)? I know they are very different places but would be interested to know the pros and cons of both.
Well Madison has higher cost than a lot of similar cities it's size and since the Milwaukee area is so much bigger your options are wider on a much larger scale. I always tell people when looking for apartments in Milwaukee or bigger city that you have three options, safe, convenient, cheap and you can only chose two. However a $1500 two bedroom on Prospect Ave overlooking the lake or a two bedroom downtown is expensive for one person if two if you are living there then $750 each is reasonable. It really depends where and what you're looking for. Old building with washer and dryer in basement that you have to take an elevator to or a newer building with in unit w/d. Does it include parking or not parking? are you renting from an owner of the building or a corporate apartment complex. Complex's tend to be cheap than a stand alone building and duplex's. Costs in Milwaukee are naturally higher but you can find deals just about any where in city if you're a good hunter. You can find a unit for $2,500 a month and 2,000sq ft with 3 bedrooms which breaks down to $833 a person per month or you can find a one bedroom on the east side or even a studio for $850 a month. It really depends where you are looking and what you are looking at.
I think that Shorewood would be a very comfortable place for you to live, both in terms of price, and in terms of building type. It's on the fringe of student areas, but by no means is it student-dominated. It is very walkable, but has public transportation as well. Most of the older buildings are going to have shared laundry facilities and limited (if any) parking. When you get into the mid century buildings, indoor parking starts showing up (if that's a factor). High rises will usually have parking, particularly the ones build in the last third of the 20th century, but Shorewood doesn't have many of those.
There are pockets of the upper east side that aren't student dominated either. I live there, and enjoy the area immensely. Also, there are some nice old buildings on the lower east side and around downtown, which might appeal to you, but Shorewood seems to be the place.
Whitefish Bay might be a little sleepy, and not have enough public transportation. It's a nice community. For whatever reason, I always feel uncomfortable in WFB. I'm not sure why. I do not get the same feeling in Fox Point or Bayside, which are to the north (and do not have good public transportation, so I don't recommend them for your purposes).
As far as racial divides, Milwaukee is normal for a rust belt city. They all have racial baggage. That's just how it is, and it's a result of history, industry, migration patterns of populations, etc. It does not indicate malicious intent, but was developed differently than cities farther west. Milwaukee is kind of a big 'small town'; there are some people who are very small-minded in the way that they think. This goes both for people who are still living in the 50s, and people who blame every racial problem on those who didn't even set foot on the earth until 20 years after the last race riot took place.
Finally, if you are making the decision to move based on the outspoken, angry words written on an internet forum, I suggest that you visit for a while first. That goes for anywhere. If, after that, you feel that you won't be comfortable, you have your answer.
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