Any "Bad" areas in Eau Claire? (Chippewa Falls, Hallie: rentals, crime)

[stellar9]

We're a family of 9 looking for a 5 bedroom home and the ones that fit our budget best are on the northside, near the airport. Is this a bad area, or just an older area?
Are there any neighborhoods in EC that you would not want to live in because of concerns of property crime, or drugs, etc.?

Thanks

[Hot_Rod_Otis]

Northside is just an older area. Stay away from downtown.

[the_hungry_wanderer]

Originally Posted by Hot_Rod_Otis

Northside is just an older area. Stay away from downtown.

How bad is downtown?

[stellar9]

Originally Posted by Hot_Rod_Otis

Northside is just an older area. Stay away from downtown.

Thanks for the info.

[Hot_Rod_Otis]

Originally Posted by the_hungry_wanderer

How bad is downtown?

That's the college bar district.

[lizmagee]

My last apt. in EC was downtown )just 6 monthes ago). It's not really a "bad" part of town, it's just not were I would go if you weren't a 21 yr old college kid. It's almost all rentals with 18-23 yr old kids who aren't always the best neighbors. The closer you get in any direction to Water St. the worse it is. There are some family homes there, but not many.
I've never heard anything bad about the Northside, just that some of it is older and further away from like the college, etc. My sister lives back there and loves it. You might want to check out Lake Hallie too, with the new bypass EC is only like a 10 min. drive to the heart of the city and you're kids would be going to Chippewa Falls schools. Chippewa's smaller than EC and you don't have to worry as much about all the junk that comes with having a university 10 blocks from your house.

[stellar9]

Thanks for the reply lizmagee. Eau Claire is similar in size to San Luis Obispo and we have lived there near the University, so I am familiar with what that's like if you aren't a student.

It's good to hear you haven't heard anything bad about the Northside. Have you heard anything bad about other neighborhoods. And by 'bad', I mean drug problems or crime problems or gang problems. I'm assuming there is not a gang problem in EC.

[wimom]

I've live in EC for 20 years, starting as a student at the University. The newspaper publishes a monthly map showing where crimes occur, and the "bad" areas for crime are dowtown and the Water Street area. As for the North side being older, there are many newer areas on the north side. I think properties there are priced lower because they are less convenient. All your major shopping is on the south side. And I personally would prefer to send my kids to Memorial HS on the south side, rather than North HS. Test scores at Memorial are slightly higher, and students there historically have been more involved in after-school activities. As for gangs, there have been some problems with Hmong gangs, although minimal. However, the problems have been more frequent at North HS than at Memorial, which has fewer Hmong students.

[stellar9]

Thanks, wimom, for your response. Is the newspaper to which you are referring the Leader-Telegram? I wonder if they post that map online.

I'm not too concerned about the high schools because we are a homeschooling family until my teens are ready for junior college.

[GoHogsGo]

The crimes that are being committed are probably just college-kid crimes, probably not drug manufacture, murder, etc, probably resisting arrest or being drunk in Pub-LIC.