Relocating from Charlotte, NC to Menasha, WI (Milwaukee, Madison: best neighborhoods, house)

[mededitorinnc]

Hi All:

My daughter and I are seriously considering a move to Menasha, WI. We have lived in Charlotte, NC for 8 years. I was born and raised in Memphis and Savannah, TN. My daughter was born in Memphis, TN. We lived in South Boston, MA for a few years about 13 years ago. Now, heading to Menasha, WI. In comparing costs of living, cultures, etc., what can we expect? We are aware of the climate in WI and considering that we hate the humid summers here and lack of snow and "real winter," the weather is a definite plus for the both of us. I telecommute and will be taking my job with me, so employment opportunites are not an issue for me. My daughter is 18 - wondering if this is a good area for people her age? Also, what is the general attitude to newcomers? When we moved from TN to MA, we were not welcomed in the least, and in fact, were treated badly, and found that most had applied their "Southern people" stereotype to us before knowing us. This is something I want to avoid.

Any advice or tips would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Metamucil]

I think you should be received much better overall in Wisconsin. People are more friendly overall to outsiders than people on the east coast IMO. I think people are more reserved and closed in on the east coast. Some people say east coasters aren't unfriendly just "real". That's the oldest part of the country in terms of settlement and family ties go back very far. I'm not saying you'll not encounter any bad feelings in WI, search this forum and you'll find some people think WI is not very progressive, but I think overall it will be easier for you.

The Fox Valley (from Green Bay down to Fond du Lac) is a rapidly growing area. Appleton is right nearby and a great town. I lived there for 5 years. They have a mall on the north east side that's very big and alot of people patronize it.

There is alot of water in the form of lakes and rivers around so if you like boating or fishing you will enjoy it. Oshkosh and Green Bay have 4 year universities if your daughter is going to college -might have to be a resident for a year to get in-state tuition. You are about 1 hour 15mins from Lake Michigan and Door county (the penisula in the Northeast part of the state) is a favorite vacation spot. The "northwoods" is basically the northern 1/3 of the state characterized by a boreal transition zone of mixed hardwood/conifers and lots of small lakes throughout and also good for holidays.

Not sure if it matters but politically the Valley actually trends Republican overall. Milw. and Madison are really the only reliable pockets of Dem voting.

[NicePolishBoy]

I wish I knew more about Menasha, but I'll tell you about a nearby city.

I would agree about the real part of the previous message. I've lived in the western and eastern parts of NY State, and I would definitely call it real. I compare notes with someone on the street from the south and neither of us see the friendliness in nearby Oshkosh as real. Now, maybe we just don't understand the nature of it here! Could be.

People from the NE are just more direct--they'll stab you in the front. I don't know about all of Wisconsin, but people in Oshkosh will stab you in the back. I'll take the knife from the front. People from places like Mass and NY don't pretend to be nice. They are nice or not to you. I've met plenty of both in New York, but you know where they stand. My experiences with people in Milwaukee have been much closer to my experiences in Ohio and NY than in Oshkosh.

I can't say that of Oshkosh. Neighbors will do something really obnoxious and then act like you are out of line by politely telling them about it. It is considered rude to stand up for yourself here. My friend from the south says that the obnoxious behavior(s) would not have happened in the south. If it did, someone would be embarrassed by the polite notification.

Here, people get upset if you tell them, for example, not to have their dogs poop on your yard every day. There is a "freedom" concept here that is 'free to do' rather than 'free from.' Dogs, including mean one, run wild in even the best neighborhoods, and the Oshkosh natives tend to think this is part of their freedom.

The last state I lived in was Ohio, and this place was a culture shock. I can't say whether Menasha is like Oshkosh or not. I'd read the leaving Wisconsin thread for one side of the story, in addition to the positive threads.

[davit]

No offense to anyone who lives in the area, but the first thing that comes to my mind of that area is PAPER MILLS; I don't know that the air is unhealthy but it definitely makes my eyes water.

That said, the people (from a Wisconsinite's perspective) in the area are very friendly but will look at a southerner as a likely foreign species (same way you'll look at your first lake sturgeon ). And we don't handle confrontation well, or honesty for that matter (as was mentioned in a previous post) but make a friend in the Fox Valley and you'll have a friend for life.

Oh, and watch out for wet basements....

[BacktoNE]

Originally Posted by davit

Oh, and watch out for wet basements....

This may be the very best piece of advice for anyone looking to buy a house in Neenah or Menasha! OMGosh, wet basements are the norm in both towns which prompted us to give up on looking in Neenah and head back to Appleton neighborhoods. We found a clean, dry basement that clearly has never had a water problem. Grabbed it up quickly before anyone else found out about it.

[NicePolishBoy]

Originally Posted by davit

No offense to anyone who lives in the area, but the first thing that comes to my mind of that area is PAPER MILLS; I don't know that the air is unhealthy but it definitely makes my eyes water.

That said, the people (from a Wisconsinite's perspective) in the area are very friendly but will look at a southerner as a likely foreign species (same way you'll look at your first lake sturgeon ). And we don't handle confrontation well, or honesty for that matter (as was mentioned in a previous post) but make a friend in the Fox Valley and you'll have a friend for life.

Oh, and watch out for wet basements....

I do notice a smell while driving on 41 in the Menasha/Neenah area. I usually don't smell anything in downtown Neenah.

[EnjoyEP]

One thing I am kind of scratching my head at here in your responses so far:

Charlotte, NC (like Boston) is a large city. In fact, it is somewhat Milwaukee-sized (by far the "big" city of WI) and one of the more rapidly growing cities in the entire US Sunbelt. It is in the heart of a fairly populated coridor of the Southeast.

Menasha, on the other hand - a town I recently this summer spent some days at a conference at - is a tiny little town (in comparison) with relatively little around for hours. Sure, to a few folks on this WI Forum, the Fox Valley (which includes Menasha and nearby Appleton / Green Bay) may be semi-sizable. But the whole metro area is, what, at most 250K? And that is a spread-out metro area. This is a fairly rural, small-town area overall smack dab in the middle of isolated middle-Wisconsin.

I think this is a huge consideration for you in determining if you'd potentially like Menasha or not - do you enjoy a larger city, or would you be comfortable in pretty much small-town-USA? Some obviously very much enjoy a smaller town / area and what that offers...others would feel very isolated. It depends upon what you enjoy.

Also, it sounds like the weather would be a plus in Menasha for you, although bear in mind if Boston was the coldest winter you've experienced, this isn't terribly different (in Menasha), but it IS colder, snowier, and longer in winter. Boston should've prepped you fairly well though...so as long as you are comfortable with that, then you'll probably be good in Menasha. Far superior to Charlotte in the summers but far inferior in the winters (unless you love snow and cold).

Both regions are fairly affordable...traffic and stuff like that obviously much, much better in Menasha and amenities much, much better in Charlotte. Jobs would be much, much more plentiful in Charlotte.

[davit]

Originally Posted by NicePolishBoy

I do notice a smell while driving on 41 in the Menasha/Neenah area. I usually don't smell anything in downtown Neenah.

I lived in Ripon for three years, about 30 miles SW, and worked in Winnebago (N Oshkosh). Depending on prevailing winds, either place can become overwhelmed by the smell.

[jjacobeclark]

Menasha is located in the Fox Cities which have around 350,000 residents total from Neenah to Kaukauna. This area pretty much merges with Green Bay, Oshkosh, Fond Du Lac, and Chilton giving you approximately 1,000,000 or so people in Northeast WI. I grew up in Menasha, and it's a great little town. My main reason for not living there is the lack of opportunity for young adults. Most of my friends who still live there work low-paying manufacturing jobs or service indiustry jobs like bartenders and waitresses. There are a few options for college like the Fox Valley Technical College, UW-Green Bay, and UW-Oshkosh. I would highly recommend enrolling your daughter in one of them if you want her to be successful. Culture-wise Menasha is very blue-collar. As long as you like socializing in taverns, bowling, and fish fries you should be all good.

[windhoverblue]

Menasha is a repressed rust belt town with LONG ice cold winters and endless grey skies. Sometimes you do not see the sun for weeks. Charlotte, NC is sunny most of the time, the winters are very mild and the economy is strong and growing. Why the heck would anyone want to move to Menasha? I could see if you where thinking about Madison, with it's strong biotech economy, smart people everywhere, top rated schools, UW, and lots to do etc.....but Menesha? I am just curious as to why anyone would want to move to Menesha. I hope you have given this some serious thought??? Are you maybe confusing Menasha with some other city....you can't really be thinking about trading Charlotte, for Menesha. I have lived in Charlotte for ten years, and I would be tempted to trade Charlotte for Madison...but Menasha???????????