Moving to Sheboygan, Need everyones help!

[Kylee]

You should check out SASD online, short for Sheboygan area school district.

I have just started a semester at UW Sheboygan, and so far so good. Yes Sheboygan is part of the UW Wisconsin system.....Kylee

[Kylee]

Originally Posted by roseamrygoddess

I moved to Sheboygan, WI 2 years ago and would not recomeond it. I plan to move in the upcoming year to the west side of Wisconsin, LaCrosse area. This area is much more progressive, in Sheboygan I feel like I moved back in time many years, people are very stuck in their ways. I moved from Seattle, WA, which is quite "hip and trendy", and it was shocking to move here. I have spent time on the other side of the state and find it much more in line with my lifestyle and way of thinking. I also learned recently that Sheboygan County has the highest alcoholism rate in the state, this does not bode well for those who do not indulge.
Best of luck.
LC

I know what your mean. I lived in Portland, OR 15 years in one of the trendiest area's in that city. But it sure got expensive there, and also everyone and their mother moved there over the years so the traffic was unreal...Sounds like LaCrosse will be more your style... Were you born in
Wisconsin?

[sheboygansoprano]

We are originally from Portland, Oregon and have lived in Sheboygan about a year and a half. We are looking at relocating because of a new job opportunity out of state. We moved here after a few years in Bloomington, Indiana.
Pros of living here: very safe, cheap, quiet. Small town life in best sense. Great place to raise a family, good prices on historic homes, particularly in the eyes of someone coming from a much more expensive market such as Portland, Chicago, etc.. People are friendly and kind. The JM Kohler Arts Center offers a great dose of big city culture in their exhibitions and perf arts events. Some great coffee shops, a few great restaurants amazingly enough, enough to keep you entertained esp. for families I would say. Snow is not that bad and there is NO traffic. Lots of nice family activities, free or low cost things like swimming lessons in summer, and from what I hear, great schools.
Cons: not a lot to do for young childless couples/singles. We go to Milwaukee a lot but at least it's not that far away. Not a lot of job opportunity unless working for one of the biggies such as Kohler Co. Somewhat conservative. People are extraordinarily frugal--to the point of being cheap--you can't shop at the salvation army because the things that end up there are already used within an inch of their lives! Crime--like someone else said, if anything does happen it makes the front page. It is sometimes absolutely silent at night. If I had a great-paying job and a family. it would be worth it to live here to be able to have a high standard of living, good opps for kids while saving for the future, it is that affordable. But that's not our situation.
****We're looking to sell our home soon and are hoping to find out-of-town relocators, such as we were, who will appreciate the historic details and relative affordability of our place. We LOVE our home--it's what we like most about Sheboygan, actually--but we have to move away for job. If anyone is interested or has general advice/ observations to offer about selling in this market, I'd appreciate input or questions.

[diegosmom]

I am a Kohler native that has lived in various states and now live overseas. Here is some input to Sheboyan area I think is constructive & objective. Altough I don't live now, I visit many times a year and still have family and friends there.

Sheboygan and surrounding area: Conservative and slow to change as everyone says. You have some mixing of cultures now with hispanic, hmong, and very small percentage of african american (hope I am politically correct enough). This gives some diversity that was not present many years ago. It is the world today so it is good not to insulate our kids. Sometimes "backwards" can be a good thing...slower pace...etc. Just don't dwell too much if some of the thinking is backward. Embrace the fact we are all different no matter where we live.

Not much goes on around town..so it is up to you to make "it" happen. You decide what floats your boat and seek out the activities: YMCA Programs (Sheboygan & Sheboygan Falls), Sports Core (in Kohler), JMKohler Art Center (in Sheboygan) w/arts festival in summer, church (I am not religious), neighborhood, school activities, sports, fishing, camping, ice rink (yes, there is a hockey team for kids now), family style restaurants,movies, etc. Lots of families have traditions of Saturday breakfasts, antiquing, going to garage sales (moms really), Sunday brunch after church, football parties with the neighbors, etc. It is what you make it.

Sheboygan is along the lakefront and has riverfront, so lots to do with restaurants, shops, strolling along the waterway, etc.

Schools: check out greatschools.net to see about any comments and ratings. You will be in WI and public schools are very good - you will know the money comes from your tax bill on your property. It will be high, but you will get a better school in the long run. Think Florida on that.... I can't speak to a specific one, but I have never hear "bad, horrid, etc" of any of them. You have the option also of Luthern or Christian School, which are private and faith based. There are some small Catholic Elementary schools that are very good as well: St. Dominic's - have a great fall picnic every year too. The catholic only do grade school, where the other Luth and Chri are through high school. I believe someone has started a Christian Academy or Charter school...not sure on that so not quoting me....

Sheboygan Falls, Kohler (me= JR. Kinder through graduation), Howards grove, etc are all good. This area has School Choice which under some criteria I don't know will allow you to have a house in Sheboyan and send your kids to Kohler and vice versus. I would not recommend it since it is hard to integrate in the community, but it is a good option if your child excells in a particular sport not offered (no varsity swimming at Kohler, for example...send them to Sheboygan North or South).

All places have good and bad places to live. I am super predjudice to Kohler. Small town and quaint. Is it expensive? That is a misnormer since there are plenty of older, WELL-TAKEN CARE OF homes, etc. And now a days the property tax bill will be higher in Sheboygan than Kohler. New McMansions...yes, will be expensive BUT you will always have a high value due to Kohler.

I can understand the "snob", rich comments, etc. I got them all my life. My parents were hardworking people from N. Dakota looking to improve our life. Mom even worked at the Bemis factory on the weekends to help put food on the table. My dad chose to work at Kohler as a "white collar" over 40 years ago so he could walk to work and only have to buy one car. I worked as a maid at the American Club and in the factory to pay for college. If you go there today and see "rich snobs" I can guarantee you it is the new money that came in from some big "city" elsewhere and think they are something special in their mortgaged to the roof mcmansion and their financed foreign SUV. To each his own....you will find a very special community in Kohler. If you have kids I really would recommend it. Summer swimming program in the gorgeous community pool - it is in the school, but it is owned by the village. Tree lined streets, sledding in the "bowl" (email me on that one), parks, neighbors, ice cream socials, 4th of July concerts outside with fireworks......I could go on.....You may have to knock down a bit of the shell on some of the folks, but I have nothing but good things to say about even the people today. Remeber, it is a small town. If there is someone you just don't jive/click with it is harder to avoid, so that is where some of the comments are since I know there are snobs everywhere and they are the ones who really "aren't sumthin, sumthin...".

Feel free to private contact me. I would go back in a heartbeat with my 6 year old. My "furiner" husband as well. I compare all his schools (we move a lot) to Kohler. They by the way were ranked top in the state for ACT scores 2nd year in a row.

I didn't even touch on restaurants...more are coming and awesome ones. I recommened to someone b4 to go to Stefano's or Il Ritrovo (owned by Stefano) in Sheboygan. Having lived for many years in Italy...this is where I go...close your eyes and you are back in Italy.

Good luck and please drop me a line....happy to help, that what the natives of Wisconsin and Sheboygan county (even Kohler - ahast!) do...ha, ha...but true.

[PDXBADGER]

I was born and lived in Sheboygan for approximately twelve years. I have since moved to the great NW, thank goodness!! Nonetheless, if you must move to Wisconsin, the move to Madison. I lived in Madison and enjoyed my years there (except for winters). Unlike Sheboygan, Madison is white-collar with jobs, low crime and a great University. If I were to move to the Sheboygan area, I would move to Kohler.

[CheeseheadGB920]

Sheboygan is fairly small. There are some parts that are extremely run down and the schools range from poor to pretty good. A lot of the population is Slovenian and mostly white. Kohler is fun to visit for fine dining and great golf. The jobmarket in Sheboygan is ok, depending on the field it may be difficult. Housing is pretty nice, but like most cities you need to throughly check the area first. There is a super Walmart that is a dump and several hotels. Sheboygan summers and falls are to die for and every year they have a polka mass and bratwurst days. They have a few hole-in-the-wall dives that serve amazing heart-attack food (it's really good!) with pretty good customer service. The city itself is fairly dispursed. It has a main North and South area. Most of the shopping is on the South side close by Kohler. They recently built a Best Buy, Pet Smart, etc over there. My fiance is from the area and I know quite a bit. Feel free to email me at madenk20@uwgb.edu with any questions. Personally, I would not care to live there because economically it's not in great shape and there isn't much to do. However it's a 45 minute drive to Milwaukee and an hour away from Green Bay.

[CheeseheadGB920]

Oh and btw Kohler is very stange. It is an uppity down and suitable for those who have amazing annual incomes of at least six figures. It also seems like Kohler is a "picture-perfect" city. There is hardly any trash in the public areas and everything is decorated to a t.