Moving (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Shorewood: apartments, rentals, crime)

[Oncomouse]

My wife and I will be moving to Milwaukee this Fall. I will be attending UW-Waukesha for a year before transfering to UW-Milwaukee. We would like something relatvely close to the Milwaukee campus. I can handle a long bus ride for a year for the convenience of the rest of my college career. My wife is an elementary school teacher. In order to be a teacher at a public school in Milwaukee, the district requires that you live inside the city limits anywyas. So what are some decent neighborhoods we should be looking into that we can afford on a modest income? She's a new teacher and I will be a full time student so we don't have a ton of money.

Still, I don't want to live in a crime ridden neighborhood. From what I understand Milwaukee is a fine place to live once you get to know the city and what parts to stick to and which to avoid. So - what neighborhoods are good to stick to and which ones should we avoid? Thanks for your help everyone.

[mikki]

My husband and I really enjoyed living in the Bay View area of Milwaukee in the mid to late 90's when we were first married (still within city limits). It is near Lake Michigan and close to downtown. I am not sure if much has changed there or not in regard to crime, but it was not too bad at that time. The area by the airport is nice as well. Good luck to you and your wife!

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Oncomouse

My wife and I will be moving to Milwaukee this Fall. I will be attending UW-Waukesha for a year before transfering to UW-Milwaukee. We would like something relatvely close to the Milwaukee campus. I can handle a long bus ride for a year for the convenience of the rest of my college career. My wife is an elementary school teacher. In order to be a teacher at a public school in Milwaukee, the district requires that you live inside the city limits anywyas. So what are some decent neighborhoods we should be looking into that we can afford on a modest income? She's a new teacher and I will be a full time student so we don't have a ton of money.

Still, I don't want to live in a crime ridden neighborhood. From what I understand Milwaukee is a fine place to live once you get to know the city and what parts to stick to and which to avoid. So - what neighborhoods are good to stick to and which ones should we avoid? Thanks for your help everyone.

You didn't indicate if you are planning / willing to rent, or if you are attempting to purchase a home. EG: If an apartment is okay.

If an apartment is OK, I know my wife and I, when we first got married, about five years ago or so, lived in an apartment on N. Oakland Ave. and Newport approximately. Great, great area, great apartment, to this day probably the best area/apt. we have ever lived in (including homes).

If you are good with apartments / renting, there are alot of great options on Oakland Ave. - ideally a bit north of North Ave. (all the way down Oakland Ave. to the Shorewood border - a suburb of Milwaukee). This is part of Milwaukee's city limits...the east side...and is a great part of the city to live in. Pretty darn safe, definitely a younger crowd, very close to UW-Milwaukee.

There are other great apartments in this same area - again, safe-yet-urban, close to UWM, just a neat part of Milwaukee. Some streets to consider - Downer, Stowell, Bartlett, Maryland...I am sure there are dozens others, but these streets/areas in the Oakland Ave / between North Ave and Shorewood area are filled with rentals for cool spots.

If you are looking to buy a home, that could make things a bit more difficult, as homes in this area are pricey that are nice.

[Oncomouse]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, we are looking to rent for now. We're only planning on staying in Milwaukee until I'm done with school, then maybe go overseas.

[Oncomouse]

My wife did get a job in the Milwaukee area. She will be teaching 3rd grade at the Milwaukee Academy of Science on W Killbourne. So now we need to find an apartment. You've already given me some good suggestions... anyone have any others? Anyone know anything about the Academy of Science?

As far as neighborhoods go, we would like to stick close to UWM. Which would include Oakland, right? I'm going to be transferring to UW-Waukesha for two semesters to finish my Associates degree and then transfer into UWM. I understand that there is a bus that goes from downtown (including UWM) out to Waukesha and back. From there I can take a Waukesha bus to the campus. So if we stay by UWM now, I will close to school and in the mean time still be close to a bus route that can take me to Waukesha.

Any more advice on apartments/neighborhoods would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone for the input.