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Greendale, Franklin, Hales Corners, Oak Creek, Wauwatosa and Greenfield are all nice communities within Milwaukee County.
I wouldn’t avoid the county totally. Even the city itself has a lot of nice areas along the lake and parts of the south side.
Otherwise, taxes are lower outside the county generally speaking. A lot of it is basic suburbia but there are some gems like Waukesha, Cedarburg, Port Washington, etc.
Sheboygan has some really nice areas as well as places like Kohler, Sheboygan Falls, and Plymouth. I like any of those better than Manitowoc honestly.
Homeschool laws in Wisconsin are simple. Just fill out the form online notifying your intent. Otherwise, they’re pretty hands-off.
Thanks everyone, really appreciate your responses. I know real estate everywhere has gotten more competitive since covid hit but Milwaukee seems no exception. I'm surprised at the lack of inventory in most areas, until you get closer to the 400k price range.
Hi there, we are a young family potentially looking at the Milwaukee area as a place to relocate fall of next year. Currently we live south of Indianapolis but have considered moving to Wisconsin for a number of reasons (closer to family in Chicago, church network near the Milwaukee area, etc.).
My wife and I are originally from the Midwest (she is from Chicago and grew up near Columbus, OH) so we're pretty familiar with seasons/weather. We have two young boys (4 & 6) but my wife homeschools them so we wouldn't necessarily need to live in an area with highly ranked schools. We would prefer a more suburban or rural area that's relatively affordable. Affordable, as in, renting (or potentially buying) a single family home (4bdrm) for $2,200 or (ideally) less each month.
We did live in Chicago for a couple of years but the rising COL/taxes and other factors eventually drove us out of the area (we're a single income family). I personally like the idea of being close to Milwaukee since we would have access to different events, museums, etc. in the downtown area but honestly we've also looked at living in areas as far north as Manitowoc (which I realize is quite a ways from Milwaukee). By "close" I mean a 30-45 minute drive.
I'd be interested in hearing from some of the locals what the general area is like and what we should be aware of. I know crime often gets talked about but my understanding is it's concentrated in certain areas? Also, I'm aware that the COL would probably be a bit more expensive than being in Indiana but my guess is less than being in the Chicago suburbs? I'm a remote worker btw.
I can draw parallels as I lived in Greenwood and relocated to Sheboygan originally, then moved south to be closer to Milwaukee.
Cost of living will be similar with the exception of property taxes, which will be considerably higher than you're paying in Indiana.
The weather is different in that the winter months, especially January and February, are considerably colder and windier than Indiana which has a big effect on snow and its accumulation and drifting. Driving on I-43 in the dead of winter is not a fun thing to do, and can be dangerous at times.
We relocated to Port Washington, which is now pretty much a bedroom community of Milwaukee, but when we originally moved there it was farther out than most people cared to be. It's a wonderful small town sort of community with a vibrant social scene for families with lots to do in the immediate area. You're an easy 30 minutes to downtown and around 40 minutes to the airport.
You could potentially go out a little farther to Fredonia or Belgium, but that's pretty rural. Be careful about communities farther out, such as Sheboygan or others that have a minimal number of transplants. I say that because we found Sheboygan to be very, very inclusive when we moved there. The locals really don't want you there, and you can feel it. That's one of the reasons why we ended up moving south to Port, which was far more welcoming.
I no longer live in Port, but I would say that of all the places I've lived over the years the quality of life there was exceptional.
I can draw parallels as I lived in Greenwood and relocated to Sheboygan originally, then moved south to be closer to Milwaukee.
Cost of living will be similar with the exception of property taxes, which will be considerably higher than you're paying in Indiana.
The weather is different in that the winter months, especially January and February, are considerably colder and windier than Indiana which has a big effect on snow and its accumulation and drifting. Driving on I-43 in the dead of winter is not a fun thing to do, and can be dangerous at times.
We relocated to Port Washington, which is now pretty much a bedroom community of Milwaukee, but when we originally moved there it was farther out than most people cared to be. It's a wonderful small town sort of community with a vibrant social scene for families with lots to do in the immediate area. You're an easy 30 minutes to downtown and around 40 minutes to the airport.
You could potentially go out a little farther to Fredonia or Belgium, but that's pretty rural. Be careful about communities farther out, such as Sheboygan or others that have a minimal number of transplants. I say that because we found Sheboygan to be very, very inclusive when we moved there. The locals really don't want you there, and you can feel it. That's one of the reasons why we ended up moving south to Port, which was far more welcoming.
I no longer live in Port, but I would say that of all the places I've lived over the years the quality of life there was exceptional.
Good luck!
RM
Ya, I saw that property taxes were significantly higher. I just assumed we would need a salary bump before moving. As long as the COL isn't like living in Illinois (rising taxes year after year), I think we should be ok.
Port Washington has been suggested to me other times as well (on other forums). That area, some of the other northern suburbs and then the suburbs surrounding Waukesha have all been suggested as good areas. The housing stock around Port looks super slim though. Maybe that'll change in the next year or so.
Would you describe the Sheboygan culture as similar to the Manitowoc culture given it's even further north (remote)?
I'm pretty much expecting the winters to be more brutal. We spent a few years in Chicago so I expect some additional wind and snow.
Ya, I saw that property taxes were significantly higher. I just assumed we would need a salary bump before moving. As long as the COL isn't like living in Illinois (rising taxes year after year), I think we should be ok.
Port Washington has been suggested to me other times as well (on other forums). That area, some of the other northern suburbs and then the suburbs surrounding Waukesha have all been suggested as good areas. The housing stock around Port looks super slim though. Maybe that'll change in the next year or so.
Would you describe the Sheboygan culture as similar to the Manitowoc culture given it's even further north (remote)?
I'm pretty much expecting the winters to be more brutal. We spent a few years in Chicago so I expect some additional wind and snow.
Sheboygan’s not really remote. Less than 30 minutes from the northern suburbs of Milwaukee.
It is also its own metro of over 100k with Kohler, the Falls, and Plymouth.
Manitowoc is smaller, even with the adjacent Two Rivers. It’s not a bad area, but is noticeably more… redneck, for lack of a better word.
There are some really nice neighborhoods, but I don’t care for the retail parts of it. The lakefront/riverfront is lackluster compared to what’s going on in Sheboygan these days.
Taxes in these areas are quite a bit lower than in Milwaukee.
Much of Wisconsin is notoriously insular and provincial. Sheboygan isn’t the worst offender.
Basically, really nice people that aren’t always empathetic towards the plight of transplants.
It’s probably easier if you’re from the general region of the upper midwest. I’m from the south and while I love a lot of things about Wisconsin (even the weather), it often feels like a foreign country.
Nevertheless, I still recommend it because it is really good in most ways.
Sheboygan’s not really remote. Less than 30 minutes from the northern suburbs of Milwaukee.
It is also its own metro of over 100k with Kohler, the Falls, and Plymouth.
Manitowoc is smaller, even with the adjacent Two Rivers. It’s not a bad area, but is noticeably more… redneck, for lack of a better word.
There are some really nice neighborhoods, but I don’t care for the retail parts of it. The lakefront/riverfront is lackluster compared to what’s going on in Sheboygan these days.
Taxes in these areas are quite a bit lower than in Milwaukee.
Much of Wisconsin is notoriously insular and provincial. Sheboygan isn’t the worst offender.
Basically, really nice people that aren’t always empathetic towards the plight of transplants.
It’s probably easier if you’re from the general region of the upper midwest. I’m from the south and while I love a lot of things about Wisconsin (even the weather), it often feels like a foreign country.
Nevertheless, I still recommend it because it is really good in most ways.
Good info. I'll say, from my experience, being a transplant is generally pretty tough in most cities. You do have places, like Nashville for example (where my wife and I lived for 6 years), that are super transient and that's got its own downsides, rising cost of living and friend groups that are always changing. Like, during the time we lived there we went through multiple friend groups just due to people moving to and from for family or professional reasons.
We'd like to find a good mix where people would be accepting of new residents but in an area relatively affordable. Might be asking too much? Idk.
Sheboygan’s not really remote. Less than 30 minutes from the northern suburbs of Milwaukee.
It is also its own metro of over 100k with Kohler, the Falls, and Plymouth.
Manitowoc is smaller, even with the adjacent Two Rivers. It’s not a bad area, but is noticeably more… redneck, for lack of a better word.
There are some really nice neighborhoods, but I don’t care for the retail parts of it. The lakefront/riverfront is lackluster compared to what’s going on in Sheboygan these days.
Taxes in these areas are quite a bit lower than in Milwaukee.
Much of Wisconsin is notoriously insular and provincial. Sheboygan isn’t the worst offender.
Basically, really nice people that aren’t always empathetic towards the plight of transplants.
It’s probably easier if you’re from the general region of the upper midwest. I’m from the south and while I love a lot of things about Wisconsin (even the weather), it often feels like a foreign country.
Nevertheless, I still recommend it because it is really good in most ways.
^^^^^^
This.
Sheboygan is a beautiful place, for sure. We especially liked the area around it, with all the orchards, farms, cheese factories and lovely parks.
Manitowoc is clearly more "blue collar", and as a result the area is not as nice as Sheboygan.
Kohler is very nice, but quite upscale for the area and far more expensive. It's that way for a reason, which you'll see if you visit. Plymouth is a nice area and gives you all the amenities of living in Sheboygan at a slightly lower COL.
"Insular" is a great adjective. The people are nice, but they clearly don't care for outsiders which makes it really difficult to assimilate. When your neighbor is a 5th generation family in town there's really no reason for them to associate with you - and they don't. And this is very, very common.
Many of the locals are of German and Dutch descendants, and they're very, very conservative. When we first moved into the area in the late 1980s and the savings and loan crisis was in full swing, we were concerned about getting a mortgage from the local S&L. My spouse had formerly worked for the Fed, so she checked the place out through her contacts. It was so well capitalized it was crazy! Nearly 80% of the funds on deposit were in simple interest savings accounts....
Adding to this, the conservative ways and moral attitudes were really tough on outsiders. I had people accuse me of "paying someone to raise my children" because they were in day care (the only one in town at the time.) They didn't understand why my spouse didn't stay home and take care of them. We bought a house that cost $100k when the average home in Sheboygan cost around $50k-$60k. I actually had people at my work whispering about where I got the money to buy "such an expensive house."
Granted, these experiences are quite dated, but they give you some idea as to the local culture and how insular it is. It's still a nice place, just understand what you're getting into, that's all. It was tough enough for us at the time that we bailed out after two years and moved to Port where it was far better from a cultural standpoint.
And anyone who can make it from Sheboygan to the northern suburbs of Milwaukee in 30 minutes is breaking the law big time. Unless the northern suburbs they're speaking of are Port or Belgium.
Last but not least, Port has two great things going for it, too:
True, and they are all wonderful communities, but they are rather pricey and in demand, too.
RM
Based on my quick redfin searches you're right. The inventory is pretty low, at least until you get into more expensive (400k+) real estate.
I guess I'm a bit surprised because coming to Indiana (Indianapolis area) I was finding new housing developments everywhere. Milwaukee seems to have less new construction, or at least less "affordable" new construction developments.
Based on my quick redfin searches you're right. The inventory is pretty low, at least until you get into more expensive (400k+) real estate.
I guess I'm a bit surprised because coming to Indiana (Indianapolis area) I was finding new housing developments everywhere. Milwaukee seems to have less new construction, or at least less "affordable" new construction developments.
I remember Milwaukee being like that 10 years ago. Not a lot of new construction compared to other places and what there is seems to be a bit on the high side for similar-sized cities in the midwest.
On the plus side, the area has more older homes in decent neighborhoods for those of us who like that sort of thing. Down side is the taxes are 2-4 times as high with not much to show for it.
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