Considering Moving to MKE from Chicago (Milwaukee, Madison: transplants, crime rate, safe neighborhoods)

[GrtLks]

Hello WISCONSIN!

I'm hoping to get some feedback from natives, and transplants alike, to get a feel for the Milwaukee area.

I've been in the Chicago area for four years now, and it's just not my bag. My some-time dream has been to move to Portland, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. I know there's a world of difference between Milwaukee and Portland, but let's face it, sometimes we need to be realistic, right?

Being a native Michigander, WI always seemed like a far-away, mysterious place. I went to the air show in Oshkosh when I was 15 and we took the (grueling) scenic route from Detroit, all the way up through the U.P. I had never been to Milwaukee until last weekend when I decided to drive up and check things out.

So, here are my questions:
Is it really that hard to get to know people up there? I've read in some of these threads that people in WI are generally more reserved and it can take a while to get to know people. I'm not exactly a social butterfly, but I'm no hermit, either.

Right now I'm working as an accounting clerk (trying to get more into more HR related work). It looked like there were a good number of jobs that I'm well qualified for, but is it difficult for someone from out of the area to be considered for a position? I haven't finished my degree yet, but I've also been looking at UWM.

And lastly, neighborhoods... Where to live? I'm a 27 y/o gwm, but really not into the gay "scene." If I was, I would stay in Chicago. I would prefer to live in an area with people my age, though.

Thanks in advance for info!

[iceminx]

Originally Posted by GrtLks

Hello WISCONSIN!

I'm hoping to get some feedback from natives, and transplants alike, to get a feel for the Milwaukee area.

I've been in the Chicago area for four years now, and it's just not my bag. My some-time dream has been to move to Portland, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. I know there's a world of difference between Milwaukee and Portland, but let's face it, sometimes we need to be realistic, right?

Being a native Michigander, WI always seemed like a far-away, mysterious place. I went to the air show in Oshkosh when I was 15 and we took the (grueling) scenic route from Detroit, all the way up through the U.P. I had never been to Milwaukee until last weekend when I decided to drive up and check things out.

So, here are my questions:
Is it really that hard to get to know people up there? I've read in some of these threads that people in WI are generally more reserved and it can take a while to get to know people. I'm not exactly a social butterfly, but I'm no hermit, either.

Right now I'm working as an accounting clerk (trying to get more into more HR related work). It looked like there were a good number of jobs that I'm well qualified for, but is it difficult for someone from out of the area to be considered for a position? I haven't finished my degree yet, but I've also been looking at UWM.

And lastly, neighborhoods... Where to live? I'm a 27 y/o gwm, but really not into the gay "scene." If I was, I would stay in Chicago. I would prefer to live in an area with people my age, though.

Thanks in advance for info!

I've lived in Milwaukee all my life. High crime rate in the city -Milwaukee is not the city to live in unless you're going to live downtown, east side, or suburbs. I recommend Wauwatosa. You can't really go wrong there.
It really depends what you're looking for. Everything closes by 2:30, no liquor past 9. There's not a whole hell of a lot to do here so most people drink.
As for the people -it ranges from very urban to very preppy. The preppy people wear sweatshirts all year round with sandals and are not friendly. I've heard there are several gay bars around here. I'd recommend staying the weekend on Brady Street before deciding anything. In fact, we could switch cause I think it's totally boring here...

[quijote]

Originally Posted by GrtLks

Hello WISCONSIN!

I'm hoping to get some feedback from natives, and transplants alike, to get a feel for the Milwaukee area.

I've been in the Chicago area for four years now, and it's just not my bag. My some-time dream has been to move to Portland, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. I know there's a world of difference between Milwaukee and Portland, but let's face it, sometimes we need to be realistic, right?

Being a native Michigander, WI always seemed like a far-away, mysterious place. I went to the air show in Oshkosh when I was 15 and we took the (grueling) scenic route from Detroit, all the way up through the U.P. I had never been to Milwaukee until last weekend when I decided to drive up and check things out.

So, here are my questions:
Is it really that hard to get to know people up there? I've read in some of these threads that people in WI are generally more reserved and it can take a while to get to know people. I'm not exactly a social butterfly, but I'm no hermit, either.

Right now I'm working as an accounting clerk (trying to get more into more HR related work). It looked like there were a good number of jobs that I'm well qualified for, but is it difficult for someone from out of the area to be considered for a position? I haven't finished my degree yet, but I've also been looking at UWM.

And lastly, neighborhoods... Where to live? I'm a 27 y/o gwm, but really not into the gay "scene." If I was, I would stay in Chicago. I would prefer to live in an area with people my age, though.

Thanks in advance for info!

To a large extent, the social situations you encounter in Milwaukee and some other cities (like Madison) will be rather different from what you encounter in much of the rest of Wisconsin.

In Milwaukee, there are many people born and raised in the city and metro who have a somewhat clannish approach to people, and it can be hard to break into these circles. However, Milwaukee is cosmopolitan enough to have other native Milwaukeeans, as well as many transplants from other places, who are not as reserved and clannish.

I'm a gwm who's been in the Mke area now for close to seven years, and I've made quite a few friends, but most of them are from work (and it's full of transplants from other states and countries). If you attend UWM and/or live in the more cosmopolitan parts of the city, you should have no problems meeting people to click with.

Most of my gay friends are from work, though a couple of others are originally from Milwaukee. The lgbt community is quite developed and extensive, and there are many organizations, clubs, etc. to join and meet people. However, you may have to work a bit to enter into some circles; the lgbt community can be a bit cliquish, not so much because people are from Wisconsin, but more because people like familar surroundings and people. I've found similar levels of cliquishness in other cities, but in Mke I've had less time to work against it and break the curtain.

In spite of the little cliques--the social hierarchies, the who's who, etc.--there are always great people out there to meet. You may have to try out different groups before you feel in your element, but be sure to explore the offerings at UWM, as well as city-wide venues.

The most obvious neighborhoods for a single gay guy are those on the eastern fringe--the East Side (including the UWM neighborhood), Downtown, Third Ward, Riverwest, Walkers Point, and Bay View ("Gay View"). There is no "gay ghetto" as such, but gays live in these areas in high proportions. Each of these neighborhoods has its own special profile--for example, Riverwest is more edgy and bohemian, whereas the Third Ward is more upscale, trendy, and white-collar. If you want more info, let me know.

Outside of the eastern fringe of the city, other strong gay-friendly neighborhoods include Sherman Park and Washington Heights. A couple of the neighborhoods mentioned, including Wash Heights, have lgbt neighborhood associations.

Many gays live in suburbs, too, most notably Shorewood, which is adjacent to the UWM area of Milwaukee. It's more of a place for couples, but I know some singles there, too.

Gay life in Milwaukee is relatively laid back, though there is a scene (or two) if you want it, and there are plenty of activities, and clubs to join. If you google the Milwaukee LGBT Center, you'll get an idea of some of the things going on. Also, google the LGBT Film Fest at UWM--it starts in just a few days, and it's great.

[GrtLks]

Oops- I should have mentioned that I'm also considering Minneapolis. If anyone can offer a comparison between the two that would be great.

[quijote]

If you go back a page or two on the Milwaukee and Minneapolis subforums, you'll find threads that address a similar Milwaukee/Minneapolis comparison. Though I personally prefer Milwaukee's low-key lgbt scene as well as the city's blend of grit with upscale, more people seem to prefer the more visible lgbt scene and the more uniformly upscale profile of Minneapolis. However, I like both places for different reasons. Mpls does have some great advantages--a better economy, more college-educated people, more vibrant retail downtown, a very large and well-known university, etc. On the other hand, Milwaukee is more ethnically/racially/socio-economically diverse, is easier to get around in, has more contiguous walkable neighborhoods, and has more of a scrappy, grassroots feel to it. And though opinions such as these are somewhat subjective, I think Milwaukee's culinary and cultural scenes are just a tad more interesting overall, though Mpls has some specific cultural institutions and restaurants that are unique and outstanding.

For many people, the main drawback to Milwaukee is the real or perceived racial segregation--decades of ethnic neighborhoods combined with white flight and localized immigration patterns have resulted in a city that is comparatively not highly integrated at the residential level. However, things are changing slowly, yet some ethnic neighborhoods still exist. There is much more integration at the commercial level (malls, retail streets, etc.)

For many people, the main drawback to Mpls is what has been called its "whitebread upscale" look. Parts of the city are quite lovely, and the prosperity is evident. The city is very white, though the northside and parts of the south-central areas have large concentrations of blacks. Though Mpls is not considered as segregated as Mke, it's pretty clear who lives where in that city. (Neighboring St. Paul is much more diverse, but also a bit sleepier.) Downtown Mpls has a good showing of retail (Macy's, Nordstrom, etc.), but to me it just seems a bit overly polished. Uptown is the city's self-proclaimed "artsy" neighborhood, but it too strikes me as a bit too manicured. The same goes with the warehouse district, etc. This isn't necessarily a bad thing--most people prefer it, it seems--but it just doesn't seem "city" enough to me.

In some ways, from the perspective of urban geography, Minneapolis seems to me like a large Madison--white, professional, liberal, outdoorsy, pleasant, and well-scrubbed. Milwaukee is more of a mix, sort of like a mini-Chicago--more of a quintessential city.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by iceminx

Milwaukee is not the city to live in unless you're going to live downtown, east side, or suburbs.

While not total B.S., this is largely B.S. Milwaukee's crime rate is similar to Chicago's, but there are more nice neighborhoods than this guy listed. The "East Side" is really a pretty huge conglomeration of smaller neighborhoods on the north lakefront of the city. It's THE place to be if you're young in Milwaukee. Ohter "safer" options are Downtown, the Third Ward, and Bay View (another huge area along the southern Milwaukee Lakefront). Some happenin' kinda safe up-and-coming neighborhoods are River West (just across the river from the East Side), Brewer's Hill, and Walker's Point. There are other safe neighborhoods on the edge of the city in various places, but they would be dreadfully boring for a single guy your age. The main gay bar strip is in Walker's Point, but you already said that doesn't really appeal to you.