Moving to Milwaukee... need advise on residential areas!! (Waukesha, Wauwatosa: to rent, violent crime)

[raja10]

Hello Folks
I am in the process of accepting a job offer in Milwaukee. We live in California.
We are in late 30s with 3 kids, my daugter is the eldest and is going to start her KG next year.
I have been reading posts on this forum and what I have understood is that north of Milwaukee is not a safe area, South of Milwaukee is safer then north( I have doubts about places like Oak Creek, Cudahy)......Waukesha seems to the best bet ,(its been rated #36 on CNN's best places to live).
But to say frankly, I am confused, I have come to know of the prevalent "segregation" and crime scene in Milwaukee areas, it really worries me and my wife. I have lived in US for 8 years now and am a US permanent resident, but I have never heard about "segregation" in today's times.
I want to move to an area, whcih is not very far from my work place (2nd st south) and safe, with good schools and hospitals and where the community accepts diversity.
We plan to rent initially and then may be buy a home.
I would highly appreciate if any of you folks could give us some info on which areas to look.
Thanks much!!

[43north87west]

Look on the East Side if you are looking for a house and diversity in population.

I lived there for years and moved early 06 for a job related transfer. I'm now looking at moving back because it was so nice, and liveable. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee brings a wide group of students to the area and kind of lays a groundwork of acceptance, at least in high level terms.

Live EAST of the Milwaukee River and you'll be fine. While there are definitely many exceptions to that rule, if you stay EAST of the river you will rule out mistakenly moving to a place you may not want to stay in.

My old house was on Newberry Blvd, which is a great street full of old turn of the century mansions and large boulevards. Having kids in that whole area is great, they will have many playmates and there are a lot of families. Families co-exist with students pretty well, plus there is a good and accepting community in that area. I can't say enough about it.

As far as racial tensions in Milwaukee, there are some, and there will always be some. Like most northern cities, the minority population is largely segregated from the majority population. It is no different than Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, St. Louis, or any other Midwestern city.

It is not as cheap as living in Waukesha, but you have many more amenities at your disposal, without even getting in the car. If you are looking at anything in Waukesha County, you will be driving. It is a typical suburban culture, no walking, no exercise, drive everywhere. Nice area, but homogenized and not diverse.

The East Side property values are anywhere from the low $200,000 to well over 1 million, depending on where you go. Taxes are NOT cheap especially compared to other cities.

If you are looking for a "very safe" suburban area, Fox Point or Bayside are decent communities. I lived in Fox Point for quite a long time as well, and while it is not my "thing", it was a lot more accepting than other areas, in terms of diversity. I am not a big fan of suburbs in general but those are nice.

DO NOT LIVE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE. There are SOME nice areas, but there are some that are not nice, in fact, they are very bad. I hate to categorize a whole area on only "Some" parts, but that is how it has to be.

In terms of other good and diverse neighborhoods, Wauwatosa is a good place too. Very good in fact. Another good place to have kids. Nice architecture too if you like that kind of thing.

With respect to the "Segregation" and "Crime" in Milwaukee... the segregation is a result of the crime, period. There is an economically viable inner city in Milwaukee, but it has been ruined, as in most northern cities, by drugs and gang culture. This is no different than ANY other major northern city. It has just been publicized more in the Milwaukee area (I have lived in several areas including Chicagoland, which is not any different).

In terms of crime, the crime is a function of the drugs and the gang culture in the inner city, west and northwest side areas. When the temperature goes up, the crime goes up, when winter hits, it goes down. Racial tensions are largely a result of the crime in "segregated" areas. This problem exists in other cities.

[raja10]

Thanks a lot 43north87west for your reply. It has given us usefull info....

[EnjoyEP]

You may also want to consider Wauwatosa which would be fairly close off of the freeway. Affordable, nice, safe, centrally located.

Waukesha is decent, but it'd be a very far trek into where you'd be working. Truly, really, Milwaukee METRO isn't as segregated or crime-ridden as some posts on this board make it out to be by far. There are surely closer, easier communities distance-wise that fit your criteria than Waukesha would be.

You may wish to look at Greenfield as well or even Hales Corners or Franklin or Bay View / St. Francis.

Some parts of the Walker's Point area (an area very much near where you'd be working) in Milwaukee itself might be good for you too.

The east side of Milwaukee would be great...it is a great area...but with kids, etc., you may actually find some of these above mentioned areas to be more family-oriented. All - including the east side - are pretty safe, (and all except for the east side are highly affordable).

[brewtown12]

Milwaukee is as segregated and crime ridden as these posts suggests.You would have to be blind not to see it.Many within the white community of Milwaukee do not go to these areas,and have an ''out of sight out of mind'' mentality.


Over 600 people are shot and survive every year, and over 100 are killed.Indeed Milwaukee is listed within the top 10 most dangerous large cities on a regular basis,and is also commonly ranked in the single digit (top 10)range for large city homicides.Robbery and assault rates are also well above the national average.Milwaukee has a low rape rate,lower than the national average in fact.Most of the crime in Milwaukee is fueled by persistent discrimination in the labor market against black males and an abundance of drugs,guns and gangs.


The vast majority of the homicides are within the segragated Black areas followed by the largely latino populated near south side.Milwaukee has a black male unemployment rate of over 60% with the majority of those counted as employed working for temporary/low paying jobs.Staying away from the North-west,near south side,and certain parts of the eastside(Black or Latino neighborhoods) will greatly decrease your chances of encountering violent crime.

[celldeath]

The location of you new job is S. 2nd street and what intersection? That would help. Bayview is also an up & coming neighborhood on Milwaukees southeast side. south of Bay street, east of chase ave/1st street, north of Howard ave, and the lake acts as the east border. The blocks there nearest the lake are gorgeous and near property values aren't too high like on the east side. It's a quiet pocket of the South Side that is just recently getting recognized. The homes here are older but well taken care of with a lot of personality.

[sunflower53072]

If you wanted to look a bit further out you could check out Brookfield. Good schools, safe and the commute wouldn't be that bad.

[Fishtacos]

More info needed...other than your diversity comments. price/cost...etc..

I would add to the original poster...NW parts of the CITY...not suburbs are areas of crime etc...North East along the Lakefront are very upscale all the way out to far suburbs. And more central North are mostly fine as well.

Downtown is safe. And most other suburban areas are very safe as well. Diversity....the city would be more of your best bet, on the East Side.

Are you seeking small lots and homes, very close together, but in safe areas with good schools, older, character, near the lakefront? Or are you looking to be out in suburbia more, with more land etc...a more affordable up and coming mixed area of quality...etc...and so on...