can i afford to live/buy here (Milwaukee, West Allis: apartment, rental)

[xdecayx]

hey, im looking to relocate to milwaukee, what type of a salary would i need here to live comfortably as a 25 year old single guy? 30,000? 40,000? any info would be greatly appreciated

[trizkutt]

d00d..it depends on where you want to live. Yeah you can live off 30-40k pretty comfortably in most parts of the city. Riverwest and the the lower east side are both veey exciting, young places to be with relatively low property values. Upper east side and third ward are very pricey...most houses are in the 500k and up range, some go in to the $3-4 million range.

The rest of the inner-city neighborhoods are fairly dangerous, with some very notable exceptions. I don't have time to detail them (if you want I can). Of course, there are many suburbs as well, if you want that. You can live comfortably on that money in a lot of Milwaukee suburbs, particularly the south and southwestern ones. North and West suburbs can get pretty pricey, but you can find bargains.


But tell me what you're looking for and I'll be a little more in depth.

[xdecayx]

i'm just looking for a 1-2 bedroom appartment within 15-20 miles of milwaukee, hoping for an area where i'll never get robbed or have my car broken into. How much of a 30,000 dollar salary would I be able to bank somewhere like that? And thanks for your help and your quick response

[trizkutt]

Originally Posted by xdecayx

i'm just looking for a 1-2 bedroom appartment within 15-20 miles of milwaukee, hoping for an area where i'll never get robbed or have my car broken into. How much of a 30,000 dollar salary would I be able to bank somewhere like that? And thanks for your help and your quick response

Well if you're looking to rent, your options are a bit more open. Even the Upper east side/downtown have some reasonable rents. The only area thats really out of you're price range is the third ward. The only rental properties down there are like 1500k/month and up.

I'll break it down a bit:

---If you want urban, go with either

a) the east side: (a fairly nebulous area that encompasses about 4-5 different neighborhoods). It is vibrant, ecclectic, cultured, diverse and unquestionably the hippest part of town. There's always something going on. Clubs, bars, theaters, the lake, parks, high rises condos, walk-ups, single family houses, ethnic diversity, relative safety. I've lived in some of the biggest cities in the country (NYC, Chicago, Seattle) and pound for pound, the east side may be one of the best urban neighborhoods out there...no joke (rents would be about $900-$1000 for a 2 bed).

b) Riverwest: This is the east side's liberal, somewhat disheveled red-headed stepchild. It is across the Milwaukee river from the east side in a "borderline area." It is fairly diverse, with whites, blacks and hispanics making up a pretty balanced propotion of the population. It is the heart of Milwaukee's counterculture. A lot of the stores are cooperative, socialist or in some other way collective. The politics are liberal. The rents are cheap (like $750/month for a two bedroom cheap).

OR

c) Walker's Point: It is to the third ward what riverwest is to the east side. That is, its cheaper, somewhat grimier cousin. If you're in to funky warehouse districts and some true urban living, this is the place. It may look a little run down, but its actually very safe. A ton of old warehouses, (some converted to lofts/shops, some not) dominate the landscape. Some elevated train tracks add to the gritty feel. Very cool and close to downtown.

Suburban:

If you absolutely MUST live in the suburbs (I sincerely hope you don't) here are some guidlines:

a) Brookfield, Wauwatosa, Mequon and New Berlin seem to be the most popular suburbs. The first two definitely have the most action in terms of retail, dining and entertainment. All except Mequon have pretty reasonable rates. Mequon may be a little steep, but it's a very desirable place for suburbanites. All are within a 15 minute drive to downtown, traffic permitting.

b) A few more "urban" suburbs are Shorewood, Whitefish Bay and West Allis. The first two are absolutely beautiful, actually. Great location near the bluffs of Lake Michigan. Kind of expensive. But again, look around for bargains. West Allis has a "white trash" reputation, but some people like it.

hope that helps.


Ok long ****ing post, I'm heading out.

[MKEGal]

I agree with trizkutt's descriptions. Hands down, the East Side/Lower East Side is the best area for a single person to live. You could even venture closer to downtown if you opted for an older apartment.

Riverwest is full of young people, but you're going to most definately run a risk of having something broken into there.

If you have to go to the suburbs, I'd first choose Shorewood, since it teeters on the edge of the East Side, then choose Wauwatosa. I wouldn't do Brookfield (too old of a demographic) or West Allis (nothing there).

Good luck.

[GreggB]

AS suggested, East Side, RiverWest, Old Third Ward (Walkers Point), would be your best choices. West Allis not that bad at all, another option. Shorewood, Whitefish Bay and Northward from there gets pricey. Good Luck!!

[XFILESMULDER]

If You Move To Milwaukee To Make 30 Or 40 Grand A Year You Need A College Degree If Not You Will Be Stuck In The 8 To 10 Dollar An Hour Range. Lots Of Service Jobs Low Pay No Benefits No Future. Ggod Luck

[xdecayx]

i have that college degree - thank you for your input everyone, you have helped a lot.