Wausau info needed (live, statistics, safe)

[abanderson]

Thanks for the info on Wausau. We will be moving from Montana and the area where we live is Anti-Growth. Unfortunately, we are getting tons of people moving here from California. This has driven up prices of our homes(yes this is nice but we can't even downsize the houses are so expensive), etc. My husband and I were looking for a smaller sized city that wouldn't be a driving nightmare, and new subdivision after new subdivision. I don't believe Wausau is the place. We will be visiting in the next month or two. I guess we'll base our decision on that. Thanks again!

[shicksey]

Wausau might be 'booming' but everything around that area is planing to down right diving.

Houses are dirt cheap in the WR-Nekoosa-Port Edwards area but you have to put up with a terrible smell on a regular basis. As someone who did not grow up around here the smell can be pretty harsh.

If you live near Biron then you can have the smell clash of McCain foods making frozen potato products (think sitting in a locked room with deep fryers the size of swimming pools going on, choking bad smell that can drift for miles) and the paper mill.

Wisconsin Rapids is talking about adding a ethanol plant that will add a *corn muffin* smell to the air. Mixed with wood pulp that outta be a treat.

Picture it being 95 degrees out, 80% humidity and a bad paper mill smell every night at exactly 10PM shooting through the fan in your window, that was my summer.

Look to Rome or outside of Marshfield. Friendship in Adams county is OK.

But be warned, 80 percent of the population of Central Wisconsin were born here. It is sort of an insular society, not terribly friendly to begin with.

I had moved from a place were there is a more transitory population, here I was mostly greeted by "why did you move here?" for the first 4 months and a sort of cool feeling ever since. They won't admit it, and will take issue with it, but it is really true.

[Signora]

I have read about the attitude towards outsiders in other threads.... Is it bad in the city of Wausau? How are they toward foreigners?

[cityperson]

Originally Posted by Signora

I have read about the attitude towards outsiders in other threads.... Is it bad in the city of Wausau? How are they toward foreigners?

I would say the attitude is pretty good. There are a lot of Hmung (sp?) in the Wausau area. Wausau is a good area to live in also.

[Wallstreet]

Originally Posted by shicksey

Wausau might be 'booming' but everything around that area is planing to down right diving.

But be warned, 80 percent of the population of Central Wisconsin were born here. It is sort of an insular society, not terribly friendly to begin with.

I'm shaking my head....shake shake shake.

[Wallstreet]

I dont know where to begin...

The papermill in MOSINEE (NOT Wausau) rarely wafts all the way to Wausau- the distance between the mill and downtown Wausau is about 10 miles. You can catch a faint smell about once or twice a month.

No city outside of the Milwaukee slums are in decline, and especially not anywhere near Wausau, despite Shicksey's allegations. The five suburbs on Wausau's south side are all growing, rural property values are rising, and every city within 100 miles of Wausau is adding value.

Wausau is not only tolerant of foreigners, we have been accepting them in large numbers for over 20 years. The Hmong, a southeast Asian people, have been relocated from Thialand and Loas as refugees to Wausau since the 80's, and have been well assimalated and appreciated. They currently make up about 13% of the population.

Wausau is an excellent city in which to raise a family- top-notch hospitals, schools, roads, and a vibrant downtown. Rarely a traffic jam, less than one murder per year, a beutiful mountain in your back yard, a regional airport, very low unemployment, no ghettos, no gangs, no sorespots. Thats Wausau.
I moved here 10 years ago from a fairly plush suburb of Chicago, and I will never go back.

[politikally]

Originally Posted by Wallstreet

I dont know where to begin...

The papermill in MOSINEE (NOT Wausau) rarely wafts all the way to Wausau- the distance between the mill and downtown Wausau is about 10 miles. You can catch a faint smell about once or twice a month.

No city outside of the Milwaukee slums are in decline, and especially not anywhere near Wausau, despite Shicksey's allegations. The five suburbs on Wausau's south side are all growing, rural property values are rising, and every city within 100 miles of Wausau is adding value.

Wausau is not only tolerant of foreigners, we have been accepting them in large numbers for over 20 years. The Hmong, a southeast Asian people, have been relocated from Thialand and Loas as refugees to Wausau since the 80's, and have been well assimalated and appreciated. They currently make up about 13% of the population.

Wausau is an excellent city in which to raise a family- top-notch hospitals, schools, roads, and a vibrant downtown. Rarely a traffic jam, less than one murder per year, a beutiful mountain in your back yard, a regional airport, very low unemployment, no ghettos, no gangs, no sorespots. Thats Wausau.
I moved here 10 years ago from a fairly plush suburb of Chicago, and I will never go back.

I agree with nearly all of that. The only thing I disagree with, is I think the Hmong population is a bit smaller than 13%. I'd guess more around 4-7%. But for the most part they are integrated. There is also a growing hispanic population in the area, who are fairly fresh off the boat... (They all work at the Meat packing plants)

[Signora]

Thank you!
Now I just have to wait and see if we end up moving there.... Hopefully we will know by the end of the holidays where we will be.

I have one more question.... Anyone know a good Italian restaurant in the area? Is there any kind of Italian population in the area with Chicago not being so far?

[Wisco_#1]

Fazolis lol
IDK Im sorry, but do check out El Mezcal (mexican food)


You wont be sorry

[politikally]

Originally Posted by Signora

Thank you!
Now I just have to wait and see if we end up moving there.... Hopefully we will know by the end of the holidays where we will be.

I have one more question.... Anyone know a good Italian restaurant in the area? Is there any kind of Italian population in the area with Chicago not being so far?

LOL. Italian... One - I think.. The only actual Italian place I've heard of Iozzo's Italian Food. 3115 Camp Phillips Rd, Wausau, WI. I haven't eaten there, and I've only heard about it once. Outside of that Fazoli's is your best bet.

You'll need to start getting used to the concept of a Supper Club. That's the biggest type of restaurant in the area, and in all of Northern Wisconsin. The Friday night Fish Fry is a pretty big thing in Northern Wisconsin.

In my humble opinion the best food in Wausau is at Hereford and Hops. http://www.herefordandhops.com/

Outside of that the nearest good italian would be in Minneapolis (Twin Cities Area) or Green Bay.