Eau Claire (Chippewa Falls, Siren: house, neighborhoods, buying)

[Iseman]

Looking at EC to relocate from PA.

2 kids 6 and 8. Please suggest nice residential areas and schools.

How is the winter generally in EC. ? Windy.

Thanks

[natrlvr2]

I do not live near EC(about 2-3 hrs. east?southeast?)but I do know they get the brunt of most of the stoms.Whether it's snow or tornadoes.I do have a friend who lives in that area,I will ask her and get back to you,if I don' forget.

[dreamhunter65]

Eau Claire got the snow yesterday but usually not as bad as up north more and more plows to keep it cleaned up.

[Iseman]

Thanks. Appreciate any info.

[TaraMoon]

Eau Claire has its pluses and minuses. It's in a beautiful area and has a good university but is located in a tornado belt and is very cold in the winter. You should also know that the wages in that area are the lowest in the entire midwest.

[Iseman]

Thanks.

You are scaring me. I have never been in a tornado. How common is it. Is it during day time mostly?

We live in central PA. I believe EU can get a lot colder than here. But is life a very low key during the winter. Do you see people on the streets or they just stay at home. Are the winter days sunny or gloomy?

Any nice residential areas and schools you recommend.

[dreamhunter65]

Tornadoes in Eau Claire are rare,get watches and warnings but more heavy winds and hail from it really..as far as sunny or gloomy get both and yesterdays storm was not normal as of last few years lucky to get alot of snow this early.People will be out most of the year as Eau Claire is a busier place and people always out and about.I am north of there and we usually get more snow we had 1 1/2 inches yesterday and not alot left as deer gun season coming it will prolly all melt before then.

[politikally]

Eau Claire is a nice area. The driving used to suck there, but they recently put the HWY 53 bypass in so it has lightened alot (I drive through EC once or twice a month). All in all it's a nice little city. The major employer in town is Menards which is headquartered there. Besides that it is the University.

As for Tornados... I wouldn't worry about EC as much. There's enough hills and ridges in the area to break up tornados pretty quickly. The places where you need to be worried are in the flatlands surrounding EC.

Plus nearly every city in Wisconsin has Tornado/Air Raid Sirens. They will sound when there is potentially a supercell in the area. Generally speaking you'll have plenty of warning, but I will echo a poster above --- if you can get a house with a basement!

[Iseman]

Thanks guys.

Any info on residential areas and schools is appreciated.

How is Chippewa Falls compared to EC.

[politikally]

Originally Posted by Iseman

How is Chippewa Falls compared to EC.

Dying. Chippewa and Eau Claire used to be similar in size and type. However Chippewa's city council a few years back made some really bad decisions when some major highways and bypasses were done. Now Chippewa has lost its prominent location in terms of routes.

Basically it's dying as a city and becoming a burb, IMHO.

All in all I don't really think you can go wrong in terms of neighborhoods in EC or CF. My only suggestion is to avoid the University area for home buying... you'll avoid alot of the college age pranksters.