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Hello all I'm a 22 year old male who enjoyed the few visits I've had up in Milwaukee this year. I have quite a few friends up there that I've visited and shown me around some of the bars and clubs up there. I loved the fact that everything is so close and not as spread out as in St. Louis.
Anyways I'm thinking about making the move up there from STL but I want to make sure its the right decision. I work in the IT field with computer networking but I'll be moving to the city jobless to begin with. Would it be terribly difficult to find this type of job in Milwaukee? I lost my job here in STL back in August due too economic lay-offs and while I had a few offers they weren't the right role for me. I'm living with my parents but I have about $4,000 saved up to do whatever with.
Another question is what would you all think of these apartments and the area The Buckingham - Eastside 1 Bdrm/ ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED!!! (http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/apa/883128784.html - broken link)? I would like to be close to nightlife if possible in a relatively safe neighborhood if that even goes together lol. Anyways I look forward to hearing your responses soon because I'm going to make my decision pretty quick!
I too am making the move to Milwaukee from Denver in December. I'm originally from WI, so I'm more familiar with what I'm getting myself into. That being said Milwaukee does have a less than stellar job market, but now that's a nationwide problem. You may not land a dream job right away, but jobs are out there and the market isn't overcrowded with qualified candidates as it is in cities like Chicago or Minneapolis.
$4000 is plenty to get you started. The ad from craigslist you posted is not a very nice building, I'd keep searching. You could find a really nice 1bd for less than $600 a month. The areas bordering downtown are where you'll want to focus, areas like the Third Ward, Riverwest, Brewers Hill, Murray Hill, Westtown, Bayview, Walkers Point, Northpoint, Marquette, and UWM.
I say go for it. Milwaukee is awesome and has a very gritty urban feel to it. Bigger isn't always better. To me Denver feels like a giant suburb. STL is probably the same way. I like how in Milwaukee you have clothes stores, bars, cafes, restaurants, movie theaters, bookstores, and everything is within walking distance including the lake.
Thanks for the reply, yea Milwaukee is a lot more walkable than STL. Milwaukee kind of reminds me of what St. louis would be like if every thing in the STL was scrunched closer together. I actually just contacted a good friend of mine and he might have an opening room at his place so I'll see how that goes. Thanks a lot for the info on the areas to look around in.
I've lived in Stl and Mil, and you can send me a direct message if you need more info on their similarities and differences.
Milwaukee is much more compact, close together, shorter blocks and streets. Stl is much bigger and more spread out than Milwaukee and has more amentities, and more conveniences. Milwaukee has lots of connected, strung together good urban neighborhoods in preferable areas with realtively mild crime in those areas. Stl has lots of great urban neighborhoods, but some are surrounded by spots of urban decay, but that's improving. Traffic isn't bad in either place, but would be worse in Stl. Stl has much more forgiving winters, significantly so, and better Spring and longer fall. Milwaukee will have more tolerable summers in July and August. Milwaukee has lots of water, the River and Lakefront that St. Louis doesn't have and St. Louis has things like Forest Park etc...than Milwaukee doesn't have. More people in St. Louis your age, young adults, will be spread out all over the metro area, city, burbs, etc...whereas single young adults in Milwaukee primarily live on the "East Side" and in the Third Ward areas, much more confined. St. Louis has more of a white collar town feel than Milwaukee.
St. Louis has light rail but it's in its early stages and it needs lots of improvements. Milwaukee doesn't have it, and do to Milwaukee's smaller size and more compact nature, it isn't anywhere near as needed as Stl.
It wouldn't be that dramatic of a change from St. Louis to Milwaukee. The biggest adjustment is that Milwaukee is considerably smaller and feels smaller, which may be good or bad depending on what you seek. Chicago is 90 miles South of Milwaukee, a much easier trip than from Stl which is more like a 4 hour drive.
If you can handle the weather, and going to a smaller sized place, Milwaukee does have some of what you say you seek.
Thanks so much Fishtacos I think I seen you post a few times on the STL forums. Yea on my visits it was cool being able to get everywhere so fast. Also the nightlife surprised me VERY much, its a lot easier to have one in Milwaukee it looks like. The only thing that concerns me is finding the job; I here it's a little rougher in the Milwaukee area than St. Louis at least IT wise.
Thanks so much Fishtacos I think I seen you post a few times on the STL forums. Yea on my visits it was cool being able to get everywhere so fast. Also the nightlife surprised me VERY much, its a lot easier to have one in Milwaukee it looks like. The only thing that concerns me is finding the job; I here it's a little rougher in the Milwaukee area than St. Louis at least IT wise.
I can't speak for your job search, but generally speaking there is more money in Stl and more opportunity.
I like both Milwaukee and Stl, and I visit both frequently and have lived in both. Generally speaking they aren't all that much different compared to the Coasts and other parts of the country. With a closer look they have some similarities and differences.
As I stated, size is the first thing that comes to mind. Milwaukee has a lake on one side, but the Metro East in Stl is very under developed in population and development. When that changes, the size factor will increase even more in difference. Milwaukee does a better job in physical layout with its Lakefront, and bluffs, and Shore neighborhoods, in similar fashion that say a Chicago does, only on a much smaller scale, and sometimes more convenient.
Milwaukee has a significant Hispanic population, mostly Mexican, and being so close to Chicago and its large Hispanic population, that makes sense. St. Louis has seen this infux in much smaller scales in recent years with Cherokee Street and South City, and it will eventually boom a lot, but it hasn't yet. Both are historic beer towns, where people love their beer and taverns, and have long standing German and Irish populations. St. Louis has a bigger Italian history.
Architecture has similarities and differences as well. Both have refurbished historic warehouse districts with hoppin' retail, lofts, condos in Milwaukee's Third Ward and Stl's Washington Ave district. Stl has a lot of red brick homes, especially in the city, and Milwaukee has the cream colored, cream city brick.
Milwaukee does a better job centralizing its theater district and keeping it downtown, where Stl has been all over the place with Kiel, Grand Center and the Rep being in Webster.
Both are sports towns. The Packers and the Cardinals would have similar local, state, regional, and National followings. St. Louis has a greater level of interest in its other sports than Milwaukee does,(Blues, Rams have strong followings) and Stl host tons and tons of special sporting events annually, National Championships in College Sports, etc...Badger football has been big since the early 1990's and the arrival of Barry Alvarez (now AD) and Mizzou football has finally reached a pinnacle not seen since the 70's and 60's, with both schools being successful in other sports.
Even in the "good" areas of both cities, petty theft and car break-ins are a common occurrence, and while both have many safe city areas, one needs to always you there head in any urban area. I could pretty much say that nationally too.
Most Milwaukeans realize they have little to zero traffic, though some, a few, think they have traffic. Imo the only traffic that exists is the seemingly legions of people who somehow drive 45-50 mph on the Hwy, usually in the far left lane, or at times all the way across, needlessly holding up traffic.
St. Louis has some good festivals, but Milwaukee lives for festivals, mostly in summer.
Music-wise, both have decent local music scenes, Milwaukee has increased and improved some of its venues in recent years. After the very good Pageant in St. Louis, there is a big drop off in venues and act booking. Both towns can sometimes suffer from some artists skipping these two locales after performing a show or several shows in Chicago.
Milwaukee's 20 something going out crowd isn't that different than Stl. Stl has more places, but Milwaukee's areas are much closer together. There are more upper scale trendy areas in Stl and both towns have lots of casual bars and pubs. Milwaukee is a very casual, dress down crowd in much of its social settings, as is St. Louis but even more so.
If you can handle the weather in Milwaukee and the smaller metro, (though more compact and closer together) and can be pleased with work, you will do fine. And Madison (70 miles West) is one of the better College towns to visit Nationally. It's 3-4 times bigger than Columbia MO. And Chicago is 90 miles South for a day trip, over-night or weekend from Milwaukee.
I say go for it, you are young, and you give it a realistic chance(not just a few months) and some day you can always move elsewhere or back. I can tell you I grew up in Stl and it's a great place. But I've lived in several other places too since then, and I'm much greater imo for the experiences. Milwaukee is not a stressful place to live or make ends meet. Personally the weather was a big adjustment for me, and not something I ever enjoyed in winter, Spring or late fall. Summers were fine. (The bugs weren't so great) People are different. I got used to hot sticky summer nights and not so much wind in winter. I didn't mind it for a while, but over time and years it can wear you out. I'm more of a 70' and 80's person and sunshine and Stl has much more days of that than Mil.
As a 20 something, you have Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and lots of social opportunity. Stl's is fine/okay, but it's known for being a great place to be a kid and to raise kids, but many people who are single in their 20's live elsewhere a while and go back, other's stay and many get married young in Stl and flock to one of the many nice burbs at younger ages. Some Milwaukeans would say they'd want a change after growing up in Milwaukee and it's smaller metro size and try something else for awhile.
Thanks again Fishtacos I'm looking at Royal Plaza apartments which are located downtown. I don't really care about the amenities rather than the location to nightlife. Lucky I have a friend who's in Milwaukee that's going to help me out as far as judging places and things like that. Hopefully I can find something ASAP!
Thanks again Fishtacos I'm looking at Royal Plaza apartments which are located downtown. I don't really care about the amenities rather than the location to nightlife. Lucky I have a friend who's in Milwaukee that's going to help me out as far as judging places and things like that. Hopefully I can find something ASAP!
Actually, I've been in those apts before and I knew people who've lived there. (It's been several years) They are on Prospect, just North of the downtown area. Location is fine, as is price. Prospect is a busy street. I'd splurge for an outdoor or indoor parking spot in that location especially in winter. (Trust me on this one.) If you do not want to pay for parking or can't, my tip for you would be to go slightly further Northeast to live or park about a half mile and street parking improves dramatically. Your area is an area where you'll circle the block forever to find parking, and so will your visitors. It's easy lake access, Brady Street access, downtown access and easy access to more of the lower East Side. They are well run, no issues. It's a good place to start as far as location and price/value in Milwaukee at your age.
Make sure you walk down a couple of blocks to Koppa's Deli and get yourself a "Saturn" sandwich when you move in to your new place and eat some pizza at "Pizza Shuttle," and at "Zaffiros" and you are on your way.
I would be curious. If you *had* to pick either Milwaukee or St. Louis (and I realize there are numerous advantages / disadvantages to both cities naturally), which would you pick and why?
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