Menomonee Falls (Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay: apartments, rental, lofts)

[elsimm]

I have a possible job opportunity in Menomonee Falls and would like to know about the area.

I'm going from Miami so it will be a very BIG change for me. I'm single in my early 30's and like the big city feel but I may not be able to pass up on this opportunity.

Ideally I would like to base myself in a lively area, where there maybe hip trendy shops and cafes (maybe walking distance to a nice promenade - not sure if that exists nearby?). And ideally I don't want to commute to work more then 30 minutes. Are there any places that you can recommend that fit the bill?

What's the cost of living like? What should I expect to pay for a 2/2 apartment in a decent area.

How much is the commute to Milwaukee or any other nearby large towns?
How far is it to Chicago?

Where do the 30-35 year old singles hang out? And what is there for fun?

Thanks in advance!

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by elsimm

I have a possible job opportunity in Menomonee Falls and would like to know about the area.

I'm going from Miami so it will be a very BIG change for me. I'm single in my early 30's and like the big city feel but I may not be able to pass up on this opportunity.

Ideally I would like to base myself in a lively area, where there maybe hip trendy shops and cafes (maybe walking distance to a nice promenade - not sure if that exists nearby?). And ideally I don't want to commute to work more then 30 minutes. Are there any places that you can recommend that fit the bill?

What's the cost of living like? What should I expect to pay for a 2/2 apartment in a decent area.

How much is the commute to Milwaukee or any other nearby large towns?
How far is it to Chicago?

Where do the 30-35 year old singles hang out? And what is there for fun?

Thanks in advance!

If you're looking for the hip/trendy areas, downtown and the east side would be the place, IMO.

Rents vary greatly depending on location, building amenities, views, etc. Look around on sites like rent.com and apartments.com for pictures and approximate rents. Also check Craigslist for more options.

You could make out OK on the commute because you'd be going somewhat against traffic. There are surface street and highway options to get you there. It would be worth your while, if possible, to come up, check out the city, stay in a nice hotel downtown, check out the east side, and give a shot to the commute.

Definitely a big change, but there are some very positive things about the city.

[quijote]

Menomenee Falls is considered a suburb of Milwaukee, so you could live in a lively area of the city and commute to MF. Most thirty-something singles living in Milwaukee choose a neighborhood in the eastern sections of the city--the East Side, downtown, the Third Ward, Brewer's Hill, Walker's Point, Bayview. North of Milwaukee's East Side is the suburb of Shorewood, also a choice place for singles. All of these places mentioned are by the lake, so you would have access to lakeside parks and promenades. These are very vibrant areas with lots of singles, and if you do a search on these places in this forum, you'll find lots of detailed information. Apartment rates vary, but a typical 2/2 on the East Side will fall into the $750-$950 range, depending on amenities such as parking.

The commute from those neighborhoods to MF could be a bit time-consuming, given the reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange (the main freeway interchange downtown). Maybe 30-40 minutes in moderate traffic, if you take I-94 west and then 41/45 north? (Never did that trip, so I can't say for sure.)

If you want to live closer to MF, the west side of Milwaukee has nice neighborhoods--not quite as vibrant as the East Side, but still okay. My preference in that part of the county would be to live in Wauwatosa, an inner-ring suburb to the west of Milwaukee and south of MF. Wauwatosa has a nice mix of families and singles, and a couple of very pleasant retail sections. I particularly like Wauwatosa's downtown, around where 76th and State Street converge. That area is upscale and has very nice bars, restaurants, etc.

No matter where you live--Wauwatosa or the East Side or anywhere else--the Milwaukee area is easy to get around in by car. You can get to and from most points in 20-30 minutes. There's lots to do in Mke--Don't forget to pick up a copy of the Shepherd Express (the weekly alternative paper) for info on activities, or visit their webpage:

Welcome to Shepherd Express

Also, check the listings and info on the Onmilwaukee.com webpage:

OnMilwaukee.com - Milwaukee's Daily Magazine

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by quijote

Menomenee Falls is considered a suburb of Milwaukee, so you could live in a lively area of the city and commute to MF. Most thirty-something singles living in Milwaukee choose a neighborhood in the eastern sections of the city--the East Side, downtown, the Third Ward, Brewer's Hill, Walker's Point, Bayview. North of Milwaukee's East Side is the suburb of Shorewood, also a choice place for singles. All of these places mentioned are by the lake, so you would have access to lakeside parks and promenades. These are very vibrant areas with lots of singles, and if you do a search on these places in this forum, you'll find lots of detailed information. Apartment rates vary, but a typical 2/2 on the East Side will fall into the $750-$950 range, depending on amenities such as parking.

The commute from those neighborhoods to MF could be a bit time-consuming, given the reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange (the main freeway interchange downtown). Maybe 30-40 minutes in moderate traffic, if you take I-94 west and then 41/45 north? (Never did that trip, so I can't say for sure.)

If you want to live closer to MF, the west side of Milwaukee has nice neighborhoods--not quite as vibrant as the East Side, but still okay. My preference in that part of the county would be to live in Wauwatosa, an inner-ring suburb to the west of Milwaukee and south of MF. Wauwatosa has a nice mix of families and singles, and a couple of very pleasant retail sections. I particularly like Wauwatosa's downtown, around where 76th and State Street converge. That area is upscale and has very nice bars, restaurants, etc.

No matter where you live--Wauwatosa or the East Side or anywhere else--the Milwaukee area is easy to get around in by car. You can get to and from most points in 20-30 minutes. There's lots to do in Mke--Don't forget to pick up a copy of the Shepherd Express (the weekly alternative paper) for info on activities, or visit their webpage:

Welcome to Shepherd Express

Also, check the listings and info on the Onmilwaukee.com webpage:

OnMilwaukee.com - Milwaukee's Daily Magazine

I'd agree with most of this info.

Based on original posters background given and info....I would start with the above city areas mentioned....a fall back is Wauwatosa(Tosa for short, not to be confused with Waukesha) as a closer commute, and neighbor-ly but not as lively as you mentioned.

Considering your mentions...the lower East Side and the Third Ward would be first places I'd look, but also include the others too. Third ward is condos, lofts, brick, urban, converted warehouses on the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan...next to downtown....a young professional type of area mixed with empty nesters and all types. The East Side has the parks, neighborhood cafes, quirky population and more of what you are looking for....also look downtown as well for options......all of these places are very close to one another....

Milwaukee is very compact which is a nice benefit actually....there isn't a lot of traffic at all....so commuting isn't bad....The Falls(Menomonee Falls) is suburban Milwaukee, a NW suburb about 20-30 minutes out, quiet, suburban, families....not a good fit for your interests other than work. It's a married with kids area.

Chicago is 90 miles South and 90 minutes via train. O'Hare airport in its burbs can be reached within an hour. .....driving there all depends on traffic and time of day.....best time to drive to Chicago is between 10am-2pm....or later at night Mon-Thurs. It is not a good idea to say drive there on a late Friday afternoon or evening.

Twin Cities, Minneapolis St. Paul, are 5 hr drive. Madison WI, the big college town/city is a little more than an hour West....U of Wisconsin. It's one of the better college towns in the country. Lots of lakes and resort areas a couple of hrs North.....The Green Bay Packers play under 2 hrs North.

That should cover much of your geography.

Milwaukee is a good smaller city. It'll be a lot different than where you are now,....it has pros and cons like many places. But you should do fine.


The one thing I'd disagree with in the other post is rental costs...in some areas....you cannot get those prices....some of the East Side and Third Ward etc would cost you well over $1000 a month for 2/2.....but shouldn't be more than $1500......but you can find a wide range of prices depending on where and how old or nice. Overall it isn't that bad.

Gas prices are ridiculously high, in the top handful of states in the country...not kidding either...Illinois is up there too.

Cost of living in Milwaukee isn't bad at all....not as low as it should be in comparison to other places, but it is lower than it's neighboring states.