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Old 01-09-2016, 10:41 AM
 
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We currently live in Missouri, but my husband and I want to retire and move to Wisconsin. My husband is a dye in the wool Packers Cheesehead and would love to be able to go to home games and I want that for him too. I have been focusing my search in Eagle River and surrounding areas. Hoping for mild summers, with cold snowy winters. Any info on what it is like to live in the northwoods would be appreciated.
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Old 01-09-2016, 02:40 PM
 
Location: Indiana Uplands
26,411 posts, read 46,591,155 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bummato10 View Post
We currently live in Missouri, but my husband and I want to retire and move to Wisconsin. My husband is a dye in the wool Packers Cheesehead and would love to be able to go to home games and I want that for him too. I have been focusing my search in Eagle River and surrounding areas. Hoping for mild summers, with cold snowy winters. Any info on what it is like to live in the northwoods would be appreciated.
How familiar are you with Eagle River and Vilas County? It is a very touristy area with many resorts along with high priced real estate (any that has lake frontage). Prices are somewhat less in more remote areas with no water frontage. Often these properties will abut state or national forest land. Winter temperatures are about as cold as any part of the state with the only exception being the interior NW portion of the state by Hayward. Property taxes are higher in these rural areas considering the local economy is so dependent on outsiders for revenues. Missouri is also like the Deep South culturally compared to northern Wisconsin.. Culture, bars and taverns are where many people spend their time or on a snowmobile if snows are adequate. Summer temperatures are very nice, mostly 70s with some 60s and 80s for highs. Lows can drop to the 40s and 50s. Winter temperatures average highs range from the teens to 20s with subzero lows common.
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Old 01-09-2016, 05:37 PM
 
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I not familiar at all with Wisconsin. My husband and I are wanting to live in the northwoods because of the climate. The summers in Missouri are brutal. Everyone jokes that my limit is 79 degrees and my breaking point is 80. I am definitely a winter person. Which part of northern Wisconsin would you recommend?
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Old 01-09-2016, 07:25 PM
 
Location: Indiana Uplands
26,411 posts, read 46,591,155 times
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Originally Posted by bummato10 View Post
I not familiar at all with Wisconsin. My husband and I are wanting to live in the northwoods because of the climate. The summers in Missouri are brutal. Everyone jokes that my limit is 79 degrees and my breaking point is 80. I am definitely a winter person. Which part of northern Wisconsin would you recommend?
Some more affordable areas with lower priced property compared to Eagle River would be the county north of Wausau, Lincoln County, which contains the towns of Tomahawk and Merrill. Very rural with a Northwoods feel, but somewhat closer to Wausau which has all your typical smaller city amenities. I also like Marinette County, a bit more of the beaten path, lower prices. Many of these Northwoods places have lost jobs over the past number of years so they tend to have more of an elderly population due to younger and middle aged people leaving or jobs elsewhere. Just stating some of the realities there outside of the touristy spots.
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Old 01-09-2016, 08:15 PM
 
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Thank you! I will add those areas to my list. Hoping to be up there by late spring!
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Old 01-09-2016, 08:43 PM
 
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Bummalo10,

You and your husband should take a trip to the WI Northwoods in the winter to see what you think of it. The summers may be what you are looking for but the winters can last from November until May. The Eagle River (Vilas County), Minocqua-Rhinelander(Onidea County) or Tomahawk (Lincoln County) are beautiful areas most any time of year. As GS commented, many people tend to spend time in the Northwoods Taverns/Pubs partially due to the activities like snowmobiling, 4 wheeling, hunting & fishing. This should not be considered a bad thing as you will find great food and excellent people in these locations as well!

If you take your time you can find decent deals on homes or property with off water property usually having far lower taxes but still likely double what you pay in MO. Do a lot of research and visit before making the move.
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Old 01-10-2016, 09:12 AM
 
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My husband and I have decided to rent for a while so that we can get a feel of the different areas and find the right home for us. We would like to be closer to amenities such as restaurants, coffee shops, and places where we can meet new friends. I have to say that short summers and long winters is exactly what we are looking for.

We moved to Missouri nine years ago from California and had a few surprises when we got here. The biggest one was the personal property taxes. In California you register your vehicles and paid the taxes on them the month that you purchased the vehicles...in Missouri you register your vehicle the month you purchased it but pay all your personal property taxes in December. Is Wisconsin any different?

Last edited by bummato10; 01-10-2016 at 09:41 AM.. Reason: adding a question
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Old 01-10-2016, 10:30 AM
 
Location: South Florida
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My family bought a cottage on Catfish Lake in Eagle River when I was a child and we spent our summers there as well as time in the winter.
Beautiful year round and nice people.
About 20 years ago my parents retired there.
One thing they didn't consider at that time was access to good health care and must drive to Wausau for it.
Just an FYI and something that should be considered.

Last edited by cfbs2691; 01-10-2016 at 10:31 AM.. Reason: Addition
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Old 01-10-2016, 12:42 PM
 
Location: Wisconsin
1,081 posts, read 548,908 times
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Originally Posted by cfbs2691 View Post
...One thing they didn't consider at that time was access to good health care and must drive to Wausau for it.
Just an FYI and something that should be considered.
My soul calls for me to return to the forest, but my heart requires a nearby immediate care facility. I have been researching hospitals of late. I have come to realize that deep-in-the-woods also equates to little-to-no operating capital for the local hospital. You get what your city can support when it comes to the quality of health care.

Just from patient reviews...
Duluth (Minnesota) seems to be the best "Northwoods" Wisconsin area hospital. You could still live between Ashland and Duluth and be close to quality healthcare.
Below are the other Northwoods Wisconsin Hospital that get at least average reviews and have above average life expectancy rates (always good to know that you have an equal chance of leaving the hospital alive as you do of reaching it alive.)
For the Minocqua area, the Woodruff hospital appears to be good. Arbor Vitae has what I would consider affordable housing for that area. I haven't made it up that way yet, but I have hopes to visit it in the next few years.
Wausau hospital is up there in quality care. Wausau has all the amenities of a city. If you're patient and lucky, you might find a cheap property over by Rib Mountain.


Not Quite Northwoods...
I love my area (The Fox Valley), but we're still mostly plains. My back yard is surrounded by evergreens, but that's because you fence out the neighbors you don't like by putting up a row of cedars. (They were there before I moved in, honest.)
You could look at the east side of Lake Winnebago by Sherwood. There are a lot of retirees out that way. High Cliff State Park is there along the lake and you can find some properties abutting the park with a hilly back yard and lots of trees.
There are some forested properties out by New London. That will put you in range of all that Appleton has to offer.
Lambeau Field is only 35 min from Appleton.
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Old 01-10-2016, 01:41 PM
 
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Do you know where the closest VA hospital is located?
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