Best and Worst places to live in WI (Milwaukee, Madison: cliquey, renting)

[saykinriseo]

I live in Superior right now. I really like it. Yes, cold weather (this is Wisconsin though), not too many jobs, but Duluth, MN helps that somewhat and it's right across the bridge from Superior. The people are really friendly and there is a lot to do, BUT...you have to like winter. It is pretty much winter 8 months out of the year. Lots and lots of outdoor recreation opportunities and the scenery is unmatched. And it's only 2 hours from the Twin Cities if you feel like doing something different. Also only 90 minutes from Bayfield and the Apostle Islands.

It's not for everyone, but I got hooked. Tried to move away and just came right back. Great area. Lake Superior is soooooo much cleaner and nicer than Lake Michigan.

[milwaukeeproud]

Originally Posted by saykinriseo

I live in Superior right now. I really like it. Yes, cold weather (this is Wisconsin though), not too many jobs, but Duluth, MN helps that somewhat and it's right across the bridge from Superior. The people are really friendly and there is a lot to do, BUT...you have to like winter. It is pretty much winter 8 months out of the year. Lots and lots of outdoor recreation opportunities and the scenery is unmatched. And it's only 2 hours from the Twin Cities if you feel like doing something different. Also only 90 minutes from Bayfield and the Apostle Islands.

It's not for everyone, but I got hooked. Tried to move away and just came right back. Great area. Lake Superior is soooooo much cleaner and nicer than Lake Michigan.

I love Duluth. One of the most criminally underrated cities I've ever been in.

[MSPLove]

Originally Posted by strawflower

I LOVED living in Appleton..a great community with lots of nice neighborhoods.

I'd probably never live anywhere north of Wausau. Too isolated for me.

LOL... sorry, but you don't know isolated until you live in Montana. I wouldn't imagine North Dakota (which we drive through everytime we go back and forth for vacations) is any picnic either, as far as that is concerned.

Once you get north of Wausau, at least on the middle and west side of the state, you're quite close to Minneapolis/St. Paul and Duluth at that point. So that part of the state is not too isolated, in my opinion. And the northeast side has got Green Bay, I suppose. (Although I've never really been to that part of the state.)

[MSPLove]

Originally Posted by milwaukeeproud

I love Duluth. One of the most criminally underrated cities I've ever been in.

Your tires can get bald quickly stopping at stop signs and stop lights on those steep hills downtown though. haha! You have to hit the gas quickly or you'll roll backward. But all that water is beautiful.

[Melizerd]

Originally Posted by BadgerNut

The reason why I asked this question is because I'm thinking of moving and was curious what people thought. Does anyone have an opinion of Manitowoc, Port Washington, Grafton/Cedarburg area, Portage, etc.

I'm in Grafton and have lived in Cedarburg as well. Honestly given the choice if I could afford it I would pick Cedarburg over Grafton. Cedarburg is just cuter and has a nicer downtown area. Grafton is slightly less expensive than Cedarburg but they both have fairly high taxes. Both have great schools though.

My family has been here for 35 years so we're not going anywhere.

I like them both because I can get to downtown Milwaukee for a show or a game fairly quickly. I'm not out in the boonies like some other places. Baraboo is too far out there for me.

[wisconsinlifesincebirth]

I would NEVER move to Manitowoc. I lived in Manitowoc from 1998-2003. Manitowoc has become infested with gangs and drugs. I went to jr. high, high school, and to the college there. The jr. high had so many kids expelled because of drugs and fights. There is extreme tensions between the asian, mexican, black, and whites. In 2000, Manitowoc got a hail storm that destroyed many cars and homes. A big increase in the hispanic population occured due to construction. Manitowoc has many minorities; however, they are not "good" minorities. They are illegal immigrants and uneducated black families. Just this year Manitowoc had 4 stabbings in two months. There is nothing for kids to do there. There is a YMCA and rollerskating place, but there is where all the thugs go too. So many fights. I would totally stay away from Manitowoc and Sheboygan. Two Rivers is okay, but a very small town and you find yourself and the kids hop from Manitowoc to Two Rivers alot. Plymouth is near Sheboygan and that is a nice area. I would recommend Plymouth, some communities in Green Bay like Bellvieue (spelling?), Allouez (spelling?) De Pere, if you are looking at the east side of the state.

[onemansaves]

If you are talking friendliness , appleton is one of the easiest places to make friends I have ever seen. Fond du lac was actually listed in some magazine as one of the toughest places to fit in in the country. Sheboygan sucks too.


As far as friendliness goes , I'd say the best places in wisconsin are appleton , wausau , la crosse , eau claire , and madison.


The least friendly places are west bend , fond du lac , sheboygan , and racine.



Crime wise , here's how I see it as far as what I consider the worst places in wisconsin for violent crime. Racine , milwaukee , kenosha , keshena area(reservation land) and may even throw parts of green bay in there as well

[c_k3377]

I think West Bend is one of the worst places to live if you are a younger person. I have lived here most of life (about 17) years and there is absolutely nothing for a teen and younger adults to do. The city is nice in terms of crime (there should be low crime seeing that the city has one of the largest number of cops to people in the state) and stuff but really unless your in your older years West Bend has nothing to offer. Also at the rate that West Bend is expanding I imagine it will be going south fast soon.

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by c_k3377

I think West Bend is one of the worst places to live if you are a younger person. I have lived here most of life (about 17) years and there is absolutely nothing for a teen and younger adults to do. The city is nice in terms of crime (there should be low crime seeing that the city has one of the largest number of cops to people in the state) and stuff but really unless your in your older years West Bend has nothing to offer. Also at the rate that West Bend is expanding I imagine it will be going south fast soon.

So what other city the size of West Bend has a lot to offer? I don't think it's West Bend's fault for having nothing to do, keep in mind that downtown Milwaukee is only 35min away.

[c_k3377]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

So what other city the size of West Bend has a lot to offer? I don't think it's West Bend's fault for having nothing to do, keep in mind that downtown Milwaukee is only 35min away.

Well Fond du Lac is only a bit bigger in land size and population and they have much more. For one they have the Forest mall. It may not be the best mall out there but at least that's somewhere for teens to go. Then they have the indoor driving range right off of highway 41. I never said it was the cities fault for having nothing to do. But from my own experience I know for a fact that if the city put more money into the teen population there would be less problems with teens. And for the part about downtown Milwaukee being only 35 min away, I know many people don't want to travel that far and use the gas just to do something for a couple hours.