Compare and Contrast Whitefish Bay and Shorewood (Milwaukee, Wilson: renters, houses)

[skaufman]

Hi - My family and I are relo-ing to Milwaukee w/ my husband's job. (He'll be working downtown.) I'm excited. We live in Minneapolis, so Milwaukee kind of already feels like home in my mind. :-) We're having to make a very fast move, and I could use some advice since I've never actually been to Milwaukee. Based in internet research, I'm leaning towards Whitefish Bay and Shorewood because of proximity to downtown and what appear to be good public schools for our 3 and 5 yr old boys. How would you describe to two? Pros? Cons? Characterisitcs? Are they essentially the same? Thanks!

[Empidonax]

Both communities are affluent and have a high percentage of residents with college and postgrad degrees. But Shorewood is a somewhat more demographically diverse community than WFB. It's predominantly Caucasian, but its proximity to UWM and the East Side has attracted a fair number of Asians and Hispanics. Russian Jews have also created a bit of a community in Shorewood. Shorewood has a mix of homeowners and renters, though the renters tend to be UWM students (mostly grad students) and live south of Capitol Ave and on the west side (Wilson Ave.). The part of Shorewood north of Capitol Ave. and east of Oakland Ave. is much more similar to Whitefish Bay--more Caucasian, more upper middle class. Both communities are highly densely populated (urbanized suburbs), but Shorewood is the most densely populated community in the area, if not the state.

Shorewood is home to many UWM faculty, and is also quite liberal. It is also quite walkable and has a mixed housing stock: some bungalows on postage-stamp lots, some historic stone houses on mini estates, and everything in between. Whitefish Bay also has a high number of college-educated, affluent residents, but they tend to be a tad less liberal. (WFB has leaned democrat in recent elections, but Shorewood has been reliably democrat for ages.) Overall household income and educational attainment are higher in WFB, partly because there are far fewer renters. WFB is much more Caucasian, and is sometimes nicknamed "Whitefolks Bay." However, many Jews call WFB home, and there's a growing number of Asians in the community.

Shorewood has a noticeable presence of "middle class hippies"--people who shop at health food stores, patronize yoga and bike shops, maintain organic gardens at the front of the house.... It's a small subculture, but it's there and vocal. WFB is much more bourgeois--the residents are more likely to patronize boutique clothing and houseware stores--and there is less economic variation between households. WFB's main commercial street (Silver Spring) is very walkable and pleasant, and it's a bit more upscale and interesting than Shorewood's. But both communities have more similarities--the northern part of Shorewood blends right in with WFB, and demographics are similar. Both communities are reasonably walkable, upscale suburban places with a significant urbanized commercial area.

The schools in both communities have a great reputation, though Whitefish Bay schools seem a tad better to me. Nevertheless, both school systems reflect the communitarian values of high achievement.

In general, I find Shorewood more appealing because it's a bit scruffier and more diverse than WFB, yet it's still upscale. WFB is nice, but much more manicured. Both places have high educational levels and a lot of "creative class" residents, but Shorewood's geographic and cultural proximity to UWM appeals to me more. If you want to feel a bit more removed from Milwaukee yet still in an urbanized, dynamic area (and where houses have bigger lots), WFB may be more appropriate.

[skaufman]

Fantastic info - thanks very much! Both Whitefish Bay and Shorewood sound so neat. Now I'm REALLY looking forward to coming in and spending the day just getting acquainted with both...