Help! Where to move--Mequon too upscale? (Milwaukee, Cudahy: middle-class, for sale, house)

[sar3]

My husband and I are moving north of Milwaukee and are focusing our efforts on the Mequon/Cedarburg/Grafton area due to their location and excellent school systems. Currently we live in Illinois just south of the Wisconsin border in a somewhat rural suburban community (that is very quickly becoming a part of Chicagoland!). We've driven through all three areas, and while I prefer Grafton (new, fresh, open) and Cedarburg (quaint downtown, Americana), there are very few homes for sale of the type we are looking for (around 3000 square feet, 1/2 to 1-acre lot in a neighborhood with kids) in those areas, and so we have resorted to looking in Mequon because there are so many more to choose from.

The homes in Mequon do tend to be more expensive (I don't see why), although the property taxes are less. We have found a modest house or two we are considering, but what concerns me is what I've been reading and hearing about Mequon! It sounds to me that it is very upscale and even snobbish. (??) (It didn't seem so driving through it and stopping for gas, etc. People seemed mainstream/down-to-earth)

Are people in Mequon really that snooty, putting on airs? What leads people to believe this? Is it just certain areas and/or neighborhoods? And how about the kids? We have three younger children and I really don't want them being influenced by rich, spoiled kids who's parents drop them off at school and camps because they are both too busy working to pay for their expensive homes. Or kids that have so little parental involvement and too much allowance to spend it all on drugs. I have also heard that cub scouts/schools are hard-pressed to get parent volunteers for activities, etc. I need some reassurance from anybody that lives in/near Mequon that I will not regret moving there. That is in fact a friendly, accepting, down-to-earth, family-based community with sound values (not all about money and what you do or don't have). I understand it might be populated by more professionals, but that doesn't mean they can't be all of the above as well, does it? But, if this is not so, please tell me so! Thanks so much.

[Milwaukee City]

but what concerns me is what I've been reading and hearing about Mequon! It sounds to me that it is very upscale and even snobbish. (??) (It didn't seem so driving through it and stopping for gas, etc. People seemed mainstream/down-to-earth)

I wouldn't worry about the snobbish thing however you're more apt to run into them in upscale areas such as Mequon.

re people in Mequon really that snooty, putting on airs? What leads people to believe this? Is it just certain areas and/or neighborhoods?

No their not all like that. Mequon has this stigma due to the nice homes and the people that live their such as nba athletes and baseball players and sports coaches. You'll find this common with all of Milwaukee's North Shore suburbs their very similar to Chicago's North Shore. Would you be shocked to find snob's in Lake Forest? don't be shocked if you run into some in Mequon or River Hills.

Too answer your thread, Mequon is not too upscale but a nice example of too upscale would be River Hills or Chenequa.


here this link might help to identify the most upscale communities in the Milwaukee area

http://www.city-data.com/forum/milwa...-prestige.html

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by sar3

My husband and I are moving north of Milwaukee and are focusing our efforts on the Mequon/Cedarburg/Grafton area due to their location and excellent school systems. Currently we live in Illinois just south of the Wisconsin border in a somewhat rural suburban community (that is very quickly becoming a part of Chicagoland!). We've driven through all three areas, and while I prefer Grafton (new, fresh, open) and Cedarburg (quaint downtown, Americana), there are very few homes for sale of the type we are looking for (around 3000 square feet, 1/2 to 1-acre lot in a neighborhood with kids) in those areas, and so we have resorted to looking in Mequon because there are so many more to choose from.

The homes in Mequon do tend to be more expensive (I don't see why), although the property taxes are less. We have found a modest house or two we are considering, but what concerns me is what I've been reading and hearing about Mequon! It sounds to me that it is very upscale and even snobbish. (??) (It didn't seem so driving through it and stopping for gas, etc. People seemed mainstream/down-to-earth)

Are people in Mequon really that snooty, putting on airs? What leads people to believe this? Is it just certain areas and/or neighborhoods? And how about the kids? We have three younger children and I really don't want them being influenced by rich, spoiled kids who's parents drop them off at school and camps because they are both too busy working to pay for their expensive homes. Or kids that have so little parental involvement and too much allowance to spend it all on drugs. I have also heard that cub scouts/schools are hard-pressed to get parent volunteers for activities, etc. I need some reassurance from anybody that lives in/near Mequon that I will not regret moving there. That is in fact a friendly, accepting, down-to-earth, family-based community with sound values (not all about money and what you do or don't have). I understand it might be populated by more professionals, but that doesn't mean they can't be all of the above as well, does it? But, if this is not so, please tell me so! Thanks so much.

See this post: http://www.city-data.com/forum/milwa...-prestige.html

Mequon is nice, but it's got the nouveau element, which brings a different crowd.

I saw Lake Forest, IL mentioned. I lived in LF for five years so I'm pretty well acquainted with it. There are less snobbish people in LF than Barrington, even though LF is much more refined. People in a place like LF are simply used to having money for their whole lives, where Barrington seems to attract people who are enjoying money the first time around. It's a totally different vibe.

The same goes for some of the Milwaukee suburbs. River Hills is pretty well established, as are Bayside, Fox Point, WFB, and Shorewood. Mequon is a mixed bag, as there are older sections and newer sections. Grafton and Cedarburg also have a mix of people. (There are a lot of homes that should fit your criteria in Ozaukee County.)

The best advice I can offer, is to gauge the area for yourself. Spend some time in it, and see what it's like. No matter where you go, there's going to be some element of financial status. It's the way the country is going. Racism is being replaced by class-ism, which IMO, is something to factor into a decision, when one looks at a home in Fox Point, and a similarly-sized home in Cudahy, and say "wow, I can get a great deal in Cudahy". That's true, but there is a lot more to the decision than just the property value.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you're an anti-establishment type who thinks like "the little guy" (whoever that is), the more expensive suburbs are probably all going to be something of an annoyance to you. Some will be much worse than others.

[Milwaukee City]

I saw Lake Forest, IL mentioned. I lived in LF for five years so I'm pretty well acquainted with it. There are less snobbish people in LF than Barrington, even though LF is much more refined. People in a place like LF are simply used to having money for their whole lives, where Barrington seems to attract people who are enjoying money the first time around. It's a totally different vibe

Way to read my mind, I wish I would have said that b/c that's what I was thinking. I know their are people in WFB and Shorewood that are way more snobbish than Mequon and Fox Point. Basically the richest suburbs aren't always the most snobbish or even hold the same amount of prestige.

[sar3]

Thank you so much for your input! I am more reassured about possibly moving to Mequon.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by sar3

My husband and I are moving north of Milwaukee and are focusing our efforts on the Mequon/Cedarburg/Grafton area due to their location and excellent school systems. Currently we live in Illinois just south of the Wisconsin border in a somewhat rural suburban community (that is very quickly becoming a part of Chicagoland!). We've driven through all three areas, and while I prefer Grafton (new, fresh, open) and Cedarburg (quaint downtown, Americana), there are very few homes for sale of the type we are looking for (around 3000 square feet, 1/2 to 1-acre lot in a neighborhood with kids) in those areas, and so we have resorted to looking in Mequon because there are so many more to choose from.

The homes in Mequon do tend to be more expensive (I don't see why), although the property taxes are less. We have found a modest house or two we are considering, but what concerns me is what I've been reading and hearing about Mequon! It sounds to me that it is very upscale and even snobbish. (??) (It didn't seem so driving through it and stopping for gas, etc. People seemed mainstream/down-to-earth)

Are people in Mequon really that snooty, putting on airs? What leads people to believe this? Is it just certain areas and/or neighborhoods? And how about the kids? We have three younger children and I really don't want them being influenced by rich, spoiled kids who's parents drop them off at school and camps because they are both too busy working to pay for their expensive homes. Or kids that have so little parental involvement and too much allowance to spend it all on drugs. I have also heard that cub scouts/schools are hard-pressed to get parent volunteers for activities, etc. I need some reassurance from anybody that lives in/near Mequon that I will not regret moving there. That is in fact a friendly, accepting, down-to-earth, family-based community with sound values (not all about money and what you do or don't have). I understand it might be populated by more professionals, but that doesn't mean they can't be all of the above as well, does it? But, if this is not so, please tell me so! Thanks so much.

LOL! As a Homestead High School alumn I can assure that Mequon is an excellent place to raise a family. Given the fact that it's one of the largest incorporated municipalities in Wisconsin in regards to land area, the community an array of choices. It's true that there are definitely some neighborhoods and subdivisions that are nouveau-riche--my mother detested a lot of these people. But there are also a lot of neighborhoods with middle-class/upper middle-class families that are very down-to-earth and outgoing. If you like a more traditional town setting, then Thiensville or Freidstadt are two great options for historic homes (Downtown Thiensville is quite charming actually). If you like more pastoral scenery, then some of the western and far northern portions of Mequon would be very ideal as they are heavily wooded and dotted with horse farms. If you like a lakefront setting, Mequon offers several neighborhoods along the lake as well.

The reason why Mequon is more expensive then Grafton or Cedarburg is that it's located very conveniently closer to Milwaukee's CBD. You can be Downtown within 15-20 minutes without traffic and 25-30 minutes with traffic. It's also close to the cluster of North Shore suburbs that offer a lot of commercial amenities--i.e. Bayshore.

In regards to the schools, they are among the best in the state--bar none. I loved going to Homestead as the classes were challenging, the extracirricular programs and athletics were top notch (I played football), and the student body is actually pretty diverse both ethnically and socioeconomically. As a black student, I had no problems at all and actually had a large group of friends (and was even elected captain of the football team as well as to prom court). The community really stands behind its schools and it kind of felt like being in a small-town atmosphere, although it's a suburb next to a major city.

Overall, I wouldn't trade my upbringing in Mequon for anything. It was a very ideal community to be raised and I'm glad that I took full advantage of everything the community offered.

[Milwaukee City]