Mequon, Brookfield or Oconomowoc???? (Milwaukee, Wauwatosa: middle-class, homes, school district)

[mom2ak]

Hello - My husband may be taking a new job in WI/Milwaukee area. I am currently researching the suburbs of Milwaukee region. Can anyone please describe to me and compare the towns of: Mequon, Brookfield and Oconomowoc? We have two children (ages 10 and 21 months). We are looking for an upper scale community, professional/executive style subdivision with large, new/newer homes, golf/swim country club. Looking for great schools, good shopping, need a Target, Caribou or Starbucks for sure, Chico's, Talbots, Baby Gap, Catholic church...would like to have access to newcomer's/mom's groups, good access to major routes, airport not too far away (within 45 minutes tops)...I have read so much on all of these areas - would love to get feedback from others who have the first hand experience of these towns/suburbs. Thanks for any input, we may be relocating as early as the end of this summer 2008.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by mom2ak

[color=black]Can anyone please describe to me and compare the towns of: Mequon, Brookfield and Oconomowoc?

Hi mom2ak -

OK, off the top of my head:

First, all three are going to be quite safe, have very good schools, are largely upper-middle to upper income areas. All probably would largely fit the bill of what you are looking for.

Mequon -

This is the only of the three geographically based more "east" than "west", although Mequon is geographically quite spread out, so portions of it are *quite* east (very near to Lake Michigan) while the western boundaries post nearly as far west as to where Brookfield would start on an imaginary extension up of the boundary line (albeit far north of Brookfield).

Mequon is about a 20 to 40 minute drive to Downtown Milwaukee depending upon *where* in Mequon and traffic, etc. On a weekend with light traffic, more towards 20, 25 minutes. You are fairly close to I-43 for access in Mequon. You'd be 30 to 45 minutes from the airport, depending upon traffic.

Head south of Mequon and you are getting into fairly urban areas (Brown Deer, north Milwaukee, etc.), head north and you are into corn fields, farmland, etc. Mequon feels part of the Milwaukee metro area, however, feels on the outter edges of it.

The major mall nearest you for some of your retail options would be Bayshore Town Centre - a very nice outdoor mall - located in Glendale, off of I-43, half-way on your jaunt down to Downtown Milwaukee. Probably a 10 to 20 minute drive from Mequon. No Baby Gap at Bayshore, for that, I believe the only store in the entire metro Milwaukee area is Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, WI (reasonably close to Brookfield). Bayshore does have a Gap Kids. I am sure Bayshore would have Talbot's, Chico's, etc. A very nice retail complex.

Certainly Mequon has plenty of the Starbucks type jaunts, etc., with very nearby Targets. Lots of discretionary money from folks in Mequon. For more specialty store shopping, nearby Cedarburg is quite popular, but there is quite a bit of retail options in the Cedarburg-Thiensville-Grafton-Mequon area.

Politically, this is probably the most "mixed" areas, with a mix of conservatives and liberals.

Oconomowoc -

This is part of the Lake Country region, on the far western edges of the Milwaukee metro area.

Lots of very beautiful lakes. Oconomowoc until somewhat recently was a quite isolated nice town with lots of rural around it, but it is starting to grow fairly rapidly (still very nice - just not quite as rural).

A major retail project is going into the Oconomowoc area (Pabst Farms) that forseeably could be the most exclusive "mall" destination in this area, although the grand opening is still probably a bit of time away. You can see the details here:

Pabst Farms - Experience A Rare Way Of Life

Oconomowoc still feels out of these three cities the most like it is away from Milwaukee metro and still kind of feels like its own isolated (not saying isolated in a bad way, better term would probably be separated) little city.

Frankly, out of the three that you are throwing out there, *my favorite* is Oconomowoc. I really, really have always liked Oconomowoc. A friendly, neat community. Dark, star-laden nights. Quiet but still alive. Quite pretty scenery.

It is hard to beat Oconomowoc on a crisp fall night under the stars either dipping in a hot tub or around a fire, etc. My only complaint with Oconomowoc is that I need to access (want to access) Milwaukee frequently, and it is a relatively long drive in; also, with all of the expansion going on in the Lake Country area, the main route in from Oconomowoc - I-94 heading east-bound - often times has the most congested / slowest / worst rush hour traffic. Yet, for those that don't mind a bit of a commute and traffic, it is a lovely community.

Oconomowoc of the three communities you mentioned has the most middle-class populace, but there surely is quite a bit middle-upper / upper class areas here too.

Oconomowoc would of course have the nearby Starbucks, Targets, etc., but your nearest major malls would be (until Pabst Farms is up) Mayfair Mall (in Wauwatosa) - probably a 20 to 30 minute drive depending on traffic, and Brookfield Square - probably a 10 to 20 minute drive depending on traffic.

Oconomowoc to Downtown Milwaukee could be as quick as 25 or 30 minutes (with no traffic) to up to 60 minutes in rush hour. To the airport, you could often do it in your 45 minute timeframe, but in rush hour / heavy traffic, etc., you could be looking more in the 60+ minute range.

My favorite of these three, but due to the longer distance from the inner rings of metro Milwaukee on the far west edge, travel/commuting, etc., would be the biggest challenge-side to consider.

A fairly heavily conservative political climate, although surely you'd find libs there too.

Weather-wise, this would have the warmest springs for daytime highs (sometimes significantly over Milwaukee and areas closer to Lake Michigan), and with the warmer daytime highs alone after our long winters, that is a nice plus.

Brookfield -

This is the closest-in suburb; definitely much of it is in the "inner ring" of metro Milwaukee suburbs.

While it certainly is predominantly suburban and even has some rural areas still, this would be the most "urban" of the three suburbs, with the most retail, etc. Brookfield Square mall is located obviously in Brookfield, and Mayfair Mall is only 10 or 15 minutes away. Here, you'd be the closest commute to the airport, although not terribly closer than Mequon due to Mequon's eastern proximity. You'd also have the closest commute to Downtown Milwaukee.

Brookfield is nice; you'd kind of consider it classic middle-upper / upper class suburbia. An older, established community. A suburb that leans heavily conservative.

Originally Posted by mom2ak

We have two children (ages 10 and 21 months).

All would be safe, family-friendly communities. All would be equally good for children.

Originally Posted by mom2ak

We are looking for an upper scale community, professional/executive style subdivision with large, new/newer homes, golf/swim country club. Looking for great schools,

All three of these would fit this bill.

Originally Posted by mom2ak

good shopping, need a Target, Caribou or Starbucks for sure, Chico's, Talbots, Baby Gap,

I tried to address this above for the most part. For the more general stuff, all three communities would have your fill (Starbucks, Target, etc.) very nearby if not in the community. For the more store-oriented places (Chico's, Talbots, etc., similar type stores) you might have to drive a little to Mayfair / Bayshore / Brookfield Square in Oconomowoc or Mequon, but even then the commutes to these malls wouldn't be all too significant.

Originally Posted by mom2ak

Catholic church...would like to have access to newcomer's/mom's groups,

This entire metro area has a fairly significant sized Catholic population. You'll find numerous Catholic churches throughout the area, and you'd not have a hard time finding a nearby one in any of these three communities.

Originally Posted by mom2ak

good access to major routes,

I covered this above, but all three have good access to major routes, as Mequon is near I-43, Oconomowoc near I-94, and Brookfield is near I-45 and Bluemound Rd. / Capitol Dr.

Originally Posted by mom2ak

airport not too far away (within 45 minutes tops)...

Answered this above, but if 45 minutes is your absolute top-limit for an airport, you may have to scratch Oconomowoc.

Good luck to you! I hope this helped. If I can answer any other questions for you, please let me know, I would be happy to help as best I can.

[JoshB]

I only know a bit about the Milwaukee suburbs but I would recommend asking on the Milwaukee Forum.

[#Littledog]

Just a thought....Milwaukee is a really easy city to get around. I know you want to be close to certain stores but Milwaukee's not that big of a place; Mequon and Oconomowac are within 20 minutes of those stores you mentioned so I don't know if you need to make a decision based on stores (unless, of course, you shop all the time.)

[Megan1967]

I lived in Mequon for a year, so while I didn't spend enough time there to really give the place a chance I do have some basis for an opinion. I didn't like Mequon at all. It was very "countrified." The people have a small town mentality and there are a lot people who think they are much more important than they really are.

Brookfield seemed more normal to me. The people there seemed more secure and didn't feel the need to put on airs. They know who they are and don't feel the need to make sure that you know. It seems a much more sophisticated community overall.

[argyle]

Originally Posted by mom2ak

We are looking for an upper scale community, professional/executive style subdivision with large, new/newer homes, golf/swim country club. Looking for great schools.

Bristlecone Pines in Hartland (east of Oconomowoc, west of Brookfield, 20 minutes from Milwaukee) is an executive golf course community in the Arrowhead School District, one of the highest rated school systems in the state.

[sunflower53072]

You could also check out The Legend Of Brandybrook in Wales.

[Alt Dach]

Whats to know? Just typical richer burbs that could be around any american city
from New York to Los Angeles or anywhere in between.
Same cookie cutter made 'em all and the folks in "em.

[justallex]

Brookfield would be first pick, then Oconomowoc, then Mequon. Mequon is older and farther away, very upscale community though. Oconomowoc is quite a ways away and considering gass prices are fairly high, wouldn't recommend there. Brookfield is close, great schools being 2nd best in the state, lower taxes, upscale with lots of shopping.

[mom2ak]

Thank you for your input. May I ask what town/city do you live? Is it in Mequon etc...or near this area? I am still researching these areas and appreciate any input. Thank you.