Which of these three areas do you prefer and why? (Milwaukee: low crime, new home)

[Sunburnpenguin]

I thought this might be fun and also convince me I'm making the right choice . The areas are-

Madison area and suburbs
Lake Geneva and surrounding areas in Walworth County
Waukesha County

[Sunburnpenguin]

I don't know yet but I thought I would offer some advantages/disadvantages that I can see

Lake Geneva area (Fontana, Elkhorn, Delavan, etc)- beautiful lakes, affordable, nice proximity to several cities (Madison, Milwaukee, Janesville, Beloit, Rockford, even Chicago area isn't too far), antique shops and historical areas, low crime
Waukesha County- some areas are quite pretty, nice suburb feel with an abundance of places to shop, yet some areas are nicely tucked away in the woods
Madison area- healthy living and education are valued, good schools

That's all that comes to mind right now.

[EnjoyEP]

I would vote for Waukesha County.

Why? It is in the Metro Milwaukee area, and in my opinion, the big metro area of WI is the best place to live in the state. In Waukesha County, you would have a mix of more suburban/wooded/quiet areas, but would be very close in general to retail/shopping/restaurants/Milwaukee, etc.

For the urbanists on this forum that hate all things suburban, Waukesha County represents alot of what they hate - there is a decent amount of affluence, it is truly suburban, etc. However, Waukesha County has so many nice communities such as Lake Country communities, the city of Waukesha, Brookfield, Muskego, New Berlin, Menomonee Falls, etc. Lots of very scenic areas and nice lakes...all relatively close to Downtown Milwaukee.

The other two areas you mention each have their definite great qualities as well...all three are nice that you mentioned...however, in terms of every day livability, I would vote for Waukesha County.

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by Sunburnpenguin

I thought this might be fun and also convince me I'm making the right choice . The areas are-

Madison area and suburbs
Lake Geneva and surrounding areas in Walworth County
Waukesha County

Well, I least like the police in Walworth County and Lake Geneva. Does that help? Don't speed there...just a tip.

All relative based on interest and need etc....

Milwaukee is the big city of the 3, ...albeit a small city, but big in comparison. If that is what you seek, Madison and Lake Geneva are nice, close, weekend getaways for different reasons. Madison is one of the better college towns for a weekend, and Lake Geneva is a close weekend retreat spot. Milwuakee is a more of a major metro in terms of good and bad etc...that come along with that.

Do you want to be suburban major metro or do you want a big college town, or do you want a quiet retreat/vacation destination town?

Depends on what you are seeking.

[Sunburnpenguin]

Do you want to be suburban major metro or do you want a big college town, or do you want a quiet retreat/vacation destination town?

Depends on what you are seeking.

I really just wanted opinions. Obviously everyone is coming from a different place and desires different thing but I thought it would still be interesting and helpful.

[adam76]

I sat here and had to think about this for a little while. Why? They are all nice areas and I wouldn't mind living in any of them. If I had to choose I'd probably go with Waukesha County. The land and lakes are very beautiful and yet you have the proximity to the jobs and life of a major metro area. The Lake Geneva area is kind of like Waukesha County without the influence of a bigger next door neighbor. We're city folk ourselves but if I could find a good job I wouldn't mind living in this area if I had to.

Madison is a much difference beast than the other two areas in many ways. This would probably be my least favorite choice of the three but that is just personal preference. I have relatives and friends in Madison and they all like the area. It is a growing city with a robust job market.

[Wellstone]

part of this depends on your career because while madison always boasts the lowest unemployment in the state, the jobs are largely government, finance, service etc - not a very industrial area. it also happens to be the nicest city in the state by far.

waukesha is going to have a bit more industry locally but this is part of the segregated milwaukee exurbs, where a lot of the closed minded far right wingers are located. if you are one of them, you'd fit right in. if you are not, it could be hell on earth. if you are a minority, stay the hell away.

lake geneva - not much to offer there. if you are looking for a quiet place on a lake, much better off in vilas county

[srhoag]

Well, we currently live in Whitewater which is a college town and we just hate it. It is politically left of left, the college students basically get away with whatever they want, and there is just not much to offer a family there anymore. We have a 5 and 8 year old and I don’t appreciate them being subjected to the poor behavior and mightier then thou attitudes of the college students. These students have no common sense. They just walk out in front of moving cars without even looking. One was killed just a couple of months ago right on main street.
We are currently buying land in Sugar Creek and are planning to build a new home there in the spring. I work in Hartford which is a long drive (1hr 10min), but I like this area. You are only about 45 minutes from Madison or Milwaukee and even closer to Waukesha, Brookfield, and all the other suburbs of Milwaukee. There are plenty of job opportunities out there if you look for them and are willing to drive a little bit. Talk to anyone living in Chicago and a one hour drive to work sounds wonderful to them. I would rather drive to work and live in a good area than have to live in the city. I hate city life and want nothing to do with it. We go shopping in Janesville once per month and stock up on everything we will need. The occasional visit to the city is more than enough for me.
Walworth County has a lot to offer and the taxes are not nearly as bad as in Waukesha County. I really like parts of Waukesha County, but after living there for just one year, I was ready to move out. Again, nice to visit, but I do not want to live there.