WI, CA, or VA? (Oregon, Washington: home, school districts, college)

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by redhotcrystal

I live in WI about 3 hours from Milwaukee, and visit there periodically. My brother in law lives in NYC and I also have visited there in summer and winter. Wisconsin winters suck! And it gets worse every year, with less and less sunshine and summer. This week it has been cool and is in the 60's. My brother in law visited in May and he said it was freezing in WI compared to NY. And crime in Milwaukee is pretty bad, just watch their news.

I don't suppose you have any scientific data to support your claim that the winters in Wisconsin are getting colder/cloudier/longer do you?

Your post gets a

[coffeelovr]

Originally Posted by jasminescent

my DH and I are trying to decide where to go. We like good restaurants and outdoor activities and we want to be near a big city. Here are our finalists.

He has job offers with similar salaries in:
Arlington, Va
San Diego, Ca
Milwaukee, WI

I still need to find a job depending on where we go. I can see pros and cons for each place. Milwaukee, WI has the long winters but cost of living will be less than the others while salaries are about the same. Milwaukee won't have all the great ethnic restaurants and diversity as the other two places but traffic will be a lot less. Which place would you choose and why?

Well, I think you answered your own question: If you like lots of ethnic restaurants and wish to be near a "large" metropolitan area that has world class theatre, museums; eateries; etc. and if you like numerous outdoor activities and sports, I would choose San Diego. All three places do have their pluses though. I have never lived in Arlington, VA but I've visited and it is a great place (the little I saw). I am currently living in a town just north of Milwaukee now for almost 6 years and oh my, in my opinion I would NOT move to Milwaukee! Milwaukee has great Summer festivals (many of them) and WI has delicious cheese, pastries and yummy "fish fry" BUT, living in WI as a whole has not been such a nice experience. Natives there are not very open & friendly to outsiders (I know, I am one of those outsiders!); jobs are pretty scarce (even before economic slow down); etc. etc.
Oh, and Milwaukee County HAS VERY HIGH PROPERTY TAXES; VERY, VERY HIGH!!!!! All of WI has high prop. taxes but Milwaukee county probably is one of thee highest in WI! So even though the real estate property prices may not be that high, the prop. taxes definitely are! You might want to keep that in mind. Best wishes w/ your decision.

[coffeelovr]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

I don't suppose you have any scientific data to support your claim that the winters in Wisconsin are getting colder/cloudier/longer do you?

Your post gets a

I have heard other Wisconsinites say that in the last few years, WI seems like it's even colder than it normally is, even in the Summer; so I think there is some truth to what "redhotcrystal" is saying. I live in WI (about 1 hour away from Milwaukee) and it has been very cool in the last two weeks! I almost feel that Fall is already in the air! Yikes!! It's only July!

[Milwaukee City]

Natives there are not very open & friendly to outsiders (I know, I am one of those outsiders!);

This is a bunch of crap, I was one these outsiders as well and I lived downtown Milwaukee and it was and still is one of the easiest cities in the US to make friends. Try making friends in Miami, maybe in your little town or out in the country it's not easy but for me and all my outsider friends we all have made friends very easy. I suppose if you just stay out in the rural parts of Milwaukee's suburbs it might be harder but downtown/eastside/bayview even in brookfield I found it easy to meet people.

I guess some are just better at it than others.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

This is a bunch of crap, I was one these outsiders as well and I lived downtown Milwaukee and it was and still is one of the easiest cities in the US to make friends.

Very true. I've lived in many states, if you can't make friends in Wisconsin you must really suck.

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Very true. I've lived in many states, if you can't make friends in Wisconsin you must really suck.

New Yorkers are neurotic and unfriendly, says Cambridge University 'personality map' - Telegraph
I agree 100%. Wisconsin is the epicenter of Extroverted People in the US according to a study by Cambridge University. If you can't make friends here, I'm afraid you're hopeless.

I've heard quite a few people make that same claim that they, as newcomers, were treated poorly by locals. This has been the complete opposite from my own experience as well as what I've witnessed. People who move to Wisconsin from "cool" places like Chicago, Florida, Texas, Atlanta, Denver, or wherever usually get treated like celebrities.

[notmuch69]

I have heard other Wisconsinites say that in the last few years, WI seems like it's even colder than it normally is, even in the Summer; so I think there is some truth to what "redhotcrystal" is saying. I live in WI (about 1 hour away from Milwaukee) and it has been very cool in the last two weeks! I almost feel that Fall is already in the air! Yikes!! It's only July!

I has been colder the last two years, but is it maybe that it's just getting back to the norms of the past rather than getting colder? It's actually been much warmer than usuall for quite some time up until the last two years.

[JakeInSoCal]

I was born in San Diego and moved to wisconsin when i was a kid and moved back to San Diego a few years later. Honestly you cant beat CA. Prices are going down. Plenty of good neighborhoods and when you find one you will love it. Your not held into this town for months. Theres lots of diversity. Sure there are poor Hispanics and Blacks but not a big gang problem really in San Diego, very easy to avoid. You can live in San Diego or the outer suburbs. Both are fine. Look at jjacobeclark's map. Its so true. Open minded people out here and NOT has super liberal has they say. But thats the good thing you can find any type of person here. Schools aren't the best but you can find 4 star schools. And its not even the teacheers that are horrible, its the kids. North County is nice with upper class people but affordable areas definently exist. Hope I helped

[nanannie]

Originally Posted by JakeInSoCal

I was born in San Diego and moved to wisconsin when i was a kid and moved back to San Diego a few years later. Honestly you cant beat CA. Prices are going down. Plenty of good neighborhoods and when you find one you will love it. Your not held into this town for months. Theres lots of diversity. Sure there are poor Hispanics and Blacks but not a big gang problem really in San Diego, very easy to avoid. You can live in San Diego or the outer suburbs. Both are fine. Look at jjacobeclark's map. Its so true. Open minded people out here and NOT has super liberal has they say. But thats the good thing you can find any type of person here. Schools aren't the best but you can find 4 star schools. And its not even the teacheers that are horrible, its the kids. North County is nice with upper class people but affordable areas definently exist. Hope I helped

And how did these kids get "horrible"? Who raised them? The "open minded",or "not as liberal has they say""or the "upper class"?. Where can you find "4 star schools"in San Diego?
You mean private schools?
"Your not held into this town for months"?? You mean Wisconsin people are held in their cities and towns against their will?
yikes

[JakeInSoCal]

Originally Posted by nanannie

And how did these kids get "horrible"? Who raised them? The "open minded",or "not as liberal has they say""or the "upper class"?. Where can you find "4 star schools"in San Diego?
You mean private schools?
"Your not held into this town for months"?? You mean Wisconsin people are held in their cities and towns against their will?
yikes

See all you (i dont mean people of WI alone) just rip on CA. Lots of good elemetary schools in San Diego. Quiet a few good middle and all around if the school is low graded it dont mean its ghetto or dangerous. Plenty of your schools are bad. Even though in your state they always say our education is great...no. Plenty of low grade schools all around. Kids that get good grades doesnt mean they're good at heart. So stop dissing if you dont know.