Location Help! Moving to Mid- North Eastern WI-best towns? (Milwaukee: crime, homes)

[DoKumentor]

Hi!

I hope this posting finds everyone well! My husband and I would absolutely love some advice. We will be relocating from just outside the Washington DC area in Virginia to the Mid-North Eastern Wisconsin area. My husband will be retiring from the Marine Corps and already has a job lined up in the St. Anna area, so we are looking to find a new place to settle in that wouldn't be more than a 30/40 minute commute and I would LOVE any advice you could all offer.

Places we are considering right now:
Two Rivers, WI
Fond Du Lac, WI
Plymouth, WI

Details:
We are late 20s/early 30s couple with a very young daughter, so schools are important. Catholic Schools would be awesome, but not a requirement.

I'm a city girl, and while I understand that I'm not moving to the big city, it'd be great to find a place with SOME places to eat that aren't all chains and some local flavor. I guess this is why I'm considering places on water, (Two Rivers and Fond du Lac), because it seems like places on water have good places to eat, or at least, local places to eat that aren't all Applebees.

From above, I don't think I'd do well in TOO small of a town, who knows? I love Kiel, for example, but I think it may be too small town for me.

I love neighborhoods with sidewalks and older homes, really not into the newer built communities. We're interested in rehabbing a bit, but not looking for a money pit. We're trying to spend under $300,000K for a home, and more like in the $200-if it needs extensive remodeling.

Places where there are young families. I'm not going to get on the whole, 'all people do in Wisco is drink bandwagon,' because I love me my wine. So. I'd love to find places where young, fun couples live who we could have over for Bar-B-Ques.

I've read some posts that talk about how people are pretty unfriendly in the Fond Du Lac area that concerned me. I know I should take this all with a grain of salt, but I'm certainly an outsider, having been raised in Northern IL, I know I'm a FIB (ha! ) and I've also lived in LA and now DC. My husband is from Seattle, and lived in P'Cola, FL, San Diego, and again, now DC. So we are not locals by ANY means.

I freaking LOVE people and would like to think of myself as pretty outgoing and a fan of local taverns, etc and I've never had a problem anywhere making good friends-even in DC where people are big a-holes. But, am I going to have a REALLY hard time in Fond Du Lac? My parents are in a town not too far East, so I'll have family, but searching through City-Data left me totally confused. I don't care really where I live as long as I'm surrounded by people and if people do 'shun' outsiders like I've heard, I may be screwed.

Safety. It seems like all of these places are a good fit, though. Is there any place we should avoid? I was a prior crime journalist, so I get a little iffy on the safety stuff.

Anyway, are there other cities we should check out? Two Rivers may be a bit too far, Sheboygan (She-Vegas, I've heard?) may be a bit too, ehhhhhh, depressed in some areas.

I've run on. Thank you so much for any of your help!!

Warmest,
Kate

[Merkin]

Fond Du Lac

[Ragnar]

I visited Fond du Lac in 2011 and the place was very underwhelming, depressing even. I'm sure there are some nicer areas than others, but overall I was less than thrilled.

You should really visit Sheboygan too see it for yourself. There are some nice state parks nearby (Kohler Andre, for example) and it's right on Lake Michigan. Much prettier area than either Fond Du Lac or Plymouth. If you're considering Two Rivers you may also wish to consider Port Washington or Manitowoc.

Regardless, be prepared to cheer for the Packers and remember that a brat is something you eat!

[mistyb]

Would not choose FDL. I have only been here 1 year and am happily moving away. I would go closer to Lake Michigan or to Appleton. I have lived in many places around the world and FDL is at the bottom of the list thus far.

[BurbstotheCity]

As a fellow FIB who has spent a great deal of time in most of those areas over the last three years, I'd personally choose Appleton over FDL, though I don't think FDL is atrocious and have never encountered unfriendliness there (not only a FIB, but a minority, FWIW). I'd also consider Oshkosh. I'd keep FDL in mind especially since it has the easiest access to Milwaukee and Chicago (Sheboygan's about the same but I've spent almost no time there, so no clue), for when you need a taste of civilization every now and then.

[alle]

Manitowoc

[wolfman24]

Hello

If you are looking for a nice place to live with activities and choices in eating. I suggest the following

Green Bay 100,000 people not including the "Subs" Although it is not on the Lake per se it is on the Green Bay.

Appleton 80,000??? This has always been known as a nice city with lots to do and is at the north end of Lake Winnebago.

Fond du lac 60,000?? A blue collar town at the south end of Lake W. However some of the outlying areas are really nice. There is a real nice bike trail on the southeast? part of town. It has a rep for higher crime though as does Sheboygan which is east of Fondy on the lake.

If you don't mind going a little further south, Port Washington is a small town on Lake Michigan but is only about a half hour drive from the north side of Milwaukee which has tons of stuff.

Other than that, thats about it for the places that meet your criteria.

Thanks

Wolfman 24