Former Wisconsinites...where did you move to and how do you like it in comparison to WI? (Madison: house, unemployment rate)

[mom2kcmd]

Hi freetohope. Like you, my husband and I want to move due to the looong,cold winters, and other issues. We are looking into Tennessee. We traveled down there recently and really enjoyed the time we spent down there. Very friendly people and the weather was a tease. Can't wait to explore the cities and decide on one. The faster the better.

[UW Badgers]

Born Wisconsinites. Moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa 5 years ago for hubby's job promotion. Worst, city/state EVER! Working our way back to Wisconsin. Trying to make it here 1 more year. I wouldn't tell my worst enemy to live here.

[Bullitt007]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Colorado doesn't compare to Wisconsin in my opinion. While the Front Range gets significantly less snow than anywhere in Wisconsin, it's much less predictable. It almost seems as though the worst storms in Colorado happen during April and May, long after Wisconsin has stopped getting snow all together. Colorado is very dry and brown for a majority of the year, with most of the green coming in late May and early June. After that, it gets too hot and everything goes dormant. The cost of living in Colorado is pretty outrageous, especially considering jobs don't have higher salaries than they do in Wisconsin.

Weather facts for Colorado Springs...average of 16 days per year over 90 deg. I hardly consider that "too hot", compared to Wisconsin. (and that is minus the humidity) Also, many more sunny days as well.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[Bullitt007]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

The cost of living in Colorado is pretty outrageous, especially considering jobs don't have higher salaries than they do in Wisconsin.

False.

Colorado does have higher salaries than Wisconsin:
Income - State Median Income

Furthermore, here are more facts to counter your claim of higher cost of living in Colorado: (note that the cost of living is 16% higher in Milwaukee than Colorado Springs and Madison also has a higher cost of living.

Salary.com's Cost of Living Wizard Tool

Also, Wisconsin has the 7th highest tax burden in the United States. (Colorado is 30th)

Tax-Friendly Places 2007 | 8 | CNNMoney.com

Lastly, Utilities, specifically electricity is cheaper in Colorado is well:

Electricity Rate Comparison by State

As I said before, I LOVE Wisconsin, but facts are facts.

If I weren't here in Colorado Springs, I'd definately be back in the La Crosse area.

Cheers,
Bullitt

[jjacobeclark]

Originally Posted by Bullitt007

Weather facts for Colorado Springs...average of 16 days per year over 90 deg. I hardly consider that "too hot", compared to Wisconsin. (and that is minus the humidity) Also, many more sunny days as well.

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Last year temperatures in Wisconsin only went above 90 degrees once the entire summer. Just as you say Colorado Springs has milder weather than Denver or Pueblo, so does any place in Wisconsin that falls within a one mile radius of Lake Michigan. The "lake effect" makes temperatures much cooler, a good 10-20 degrees cooler, than temperatures further inland. The lake also regulates the humidity and makes the weather much more tolerable in Milwaukee than Madison.

Originally Posted by Bullitt007

False.

Colorado does have higher salaries than Wisconsin:
Income - State Median Income

Furthermore, here are more facts to counter your claim of higher cost of living in Colorado: (note that the cost of living is 16% higher in Milwaukee than Colorado Springs and Madison also has a higher cost of living.

Salary.com's Cost of Living Wizard Tool

Also, Wisconsin has the 7th highest tax burden in the United States. (Colorado is 30th)

Tax-Friendly Places 2007 | 8 | CNNMoney.com

Lastly, Utilities, specifically electricity is cheaper in Colorado is well:

Electricity Rate Comparison by State

As I said before, I LOVE Wisconsin, but facts are facts.

If I weren't here in Colorado Springs, I'd definately be back in the La Crosse area.

Cheers,
Bullitt

Why in the world would you compare Colorado Springs to Milwaukee? There's 2 million people in Greater Milwaukee and 600,000 people in the Colorado Springs area. A much better comparison would be Colorado Springs to Madison or Denver to Milwaukee.

In Depth: Best Cities For Young Professionals - Forbes.com
Milwaukee came in at #9 on Forbes 2008 Best Cities For Young Professionals, Denver only came in at #20.

Here's a quote from the article:

Surprised to see Milwaukee here? Don't be. It has the fifth-highest concentration of top companies in the country, by our count. And those jobs pay. Despite a below-average cost of living, salaries paid to professionals are comfortably above the national average, at $54,169. Sweetening the deal further, the city is in the top quartile for its population of never-married citizens between 20 and 35.

[Bullitt007]

I also compared it to Madison...and Madison also has a higher cost of living than Colorado Springs.

The fact of the matter is that wages are higher in Colorado and the cost of living is definately not worse here compared to Wisconsin. Then add the fact that taxes are outrageously high in Wisconsin.

I lived in Wisconsin for 20 years and it will always be a very special place for me and my girls, regardless of wages and the cost of living. My dream is to be able to afford a nice little place near a lake in Northern Wisconsin some day. Until that time, I'll be enjoying Colorado Springs.

[EnjoyEP]

To the original poster -

Check out Rio Rancho, New Mexico. It is a rapidly growing suburb of Albuquerque, NM; Rio Rancho is a town approximately 70,000 population (about the size of Wawatosa, WI I believe); it is attached to Albuquerque...a bigger city the size of Louisville, KY.

It fits all of the items you are looking for nearly perfectly - it is about the warmest / mildest climate you can have with still having all four seasons; it will snow a smidge in the winter (approximately 7 to 11 inches annually) that melts extremely rapidly, and due to the altitude (5000 feet), it isn't nearly as hot as lower desert cities. Springs and falls are nearly perfect and are super long.

Rio Rancho is family-oriented and as safe as Green Bay crime-wise. There are 310+ days of sunshine annually, very little rain, dry air, and gorgeous mountains to the east.



As a life-long Wisconsinite, I moved with my wife in my late 20s in 2003 to the Albuquerque area and spent the most enjoyable four years of my life there. I lived in ABQ itself, although attended church and had work functions in Rio Rancho. I loved it dearly and miss the area sincerely each and every day of my life. We returned to WI after having a few young tykes to be nearer to family here in WI, however, central New Mexico still has my heart. I miss the weather, culture, food, laid-back pace, mountains, sunsets/sunrises, etc., so, so very much.

[jjacobeclark]

Originally Posted by Bullitt007

I also compared it to Madison...and Madison also has a higher cost of living than Colorado Springs.

The fact of the matter is that wages are higher in Colorado and the cost of living is definately not worse here compared to Wisconsin. Then add the fact that taxes are outrageously high in Wisconsin.

I lived in Wisconsin for 20 years and it will always be a very special place for me and my girls, regardless of wages and the cost of living. My dream is to be able to afford a nice little place near a lake in Northern Wisconsin some day. Until that time, I'll be enjoying Colorado Springs.

Using the link you provided, I compared Madison to Boulder based upon making an annual salary of $50,000 and here's the results:

The cost of living in Boulder, CO is 30.9% higher than in Madison, WI. Therefore, you would have to earn a salary of $65,452 to maintain your current standard of living.

Employers in Boulder, CO typically pay 4.4% more than employers in Madison, WI. Therefore, if you take the same type of job in the same type of company in Boulder, CO you are likely to earn $52,196.

As you can see, it is significantly more expensive to live in Boulder than in Madison. The slightly higher wages paid in Boulder don't come anywhere near offsetting the much higher cost-of-living.

[notmuch69]

Check out Rio Rancho, New Mexico

If you value green and moisture at all, you might not want New Mexico. It's about as brown, dry, and dusty as you can get.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by notmuch69

If you value green and moisture at all, you might not want New Mexico. It's about as brown, dry, and dusty as you can get.

You'd be surprised...the Rio Grande snakes right through the middle of Albuquerque (very close to Rio Rancho) and huge groves of lush Cottonwood trees trail along side it (called the "bosque").

Also, large, lush pine trees adorn the Sandia Mountains for any hiking.

Otherwise, while it is true that the desert doesn't have the conventional "green" of the Southeast, there are very beautiful and unique colors that adorn it - especially the biggest, brightest, most vast blue skies in the nation, the nearly ever-present glowing sunshine, the spectacular (nearly daily) colorful sunrises/sunsets, etc. Also, plants like rose bushes thrive in the 7b gardening climate, adding nice color as well.