moving to Madison!!! where to live? im 26 very single (Marquette: rent, condominiums)

[Jonnyjovial]

Ive lived in city proper of chicago for awhile, raised around milwaukee, but really dont know madison well, but im 26 and very single, would like to live near the nightlife/pubs/coffee shops, but dont wanna be in the middle of college children, what part/neighborhood around madison should i live? i'd be looking in the 800$ range for a one-bedroom, hope parking available. insane ive only been to madison like 3 times even tho i grew up 60 miles east of it.

[Megan1967]

I would say just East of the Capital Square if you want to be near the amenities of downtown without the annoyances of the tiny bopper crowd. You may have to up your rent budget to live there though, I'm not sure. Parking will cost you extra in that area, too.

The Williamson Street area may meet your criteria as well and I think $800 should get you a very nice place around there.

One thing to know going into your move is that things are spread out in Madison. You aren't going to find a neighborhood/area of town that has everything you are looking for. Most people find a nice place to live with the understanding that they have to travel to their favorite cafe or whatever.

[Jonnyjovial]

thank you megan! I will keep all that in mind.

[RemiJP]

I agree with Megan. I live on Jenifer Street (considered the Williamson-Marquette neighborhood) and I rarely have to leave the neighborhood to go out to eat for dinner, drinks, or for coffee! Being close to the co-op is fantastic and I love walking my dog by the lake every morning! I wouldn't really consider living in any other neighborhood - we plan to buy something in the Willy/Atwood area within the next few years.

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by RemiJP

I rarely have to leave the neighborhood to go out to eat for dinner, drinks, or for coffee!

This is very true of that area. Everything there has a certain creative, bohemian vibe. Sometimes you need a change of pace though. For more upscale dining, for instance, I'd go to Ocean Grill, Harvest or L'Etoile. This is just not the kind of thing you'll find on Willy Street. For day to day living Willy Street is one of the best though. That's kind of what I meant when I advised to pick a nice place to live and be prepared to travel for other things.

[Sweetpremium]

Over on willy street is probably going to be your best bet if you're looking primarily for a night life. The williamson st. area has many of independently owned restaurants, bars, and shops. You have a lot of interesting live music/ interesting bars in the neighborhood or within biking distance, an independent theater company (broom st theater) that is nationally recognized right next door, if that appeals to you. You'll also find a lot of diversity, as far as ethnic groups, income levels, and types of employment there in that area. It's somewhat "gentrifying" but it is still a 'happening' area. It is still in touch with its roots as a former hotbed of hippie activism. There's a fun neighborhood festival every year there too.

In my mind, there's only one other possible choice, and that is the monroe street area near the arboretum. You have prime access to tree lined bike paths and the arboretum (literally across the street) and great views of the park land, lake wingra access across the street, a local trader joe's grocery, several local restaurants and bars. There's usually a lot of people out and about during the day and night time. It's a bit less lively as far as a music/bars scene, but the laurel tavern is a real popular local spot for excellent grill food and microbrews. (age range mid 20s-50s) if I was going to move from where i live on the west side, monroe st would be my first choice due to the fact that it's probably the quietest and prettiest neighborhood with proximity to downtown (10 minute bike ride up to the stadiums and it's on madison's prettiest pedestrian/bike path.

[Nique]

Yeah, I lived in the Willy St. area for 3 years and loved it. It's really where most of the post-college pre-marriage folks live. It does tend toward the hippie side though. If you're used to a more urban setting, it may be a bit different.

Otherwise just East of the Capitol is good - there are a lot of new condominiums going up in the area.

Pretty much no matter where you live in Madison you're going to be around a lot of college students. But most of the undergrads live West of the Capitol, and most of the folks East of the Capitol are grad students.