Single moms? (Milwaukee, Madison, Waukesha: sales, renting, co-op)

[foilgirl]

Hi,

I'm a newly single mom w/ a 2 yr old kid and 2 dogs. I currently live in California, near the San Francisco bay area. I've been a Californian all my life, apart from a year-long stint in Milwaukee 10 yrs ago. My ex wants to move back to Milwaukee (actually Waukesha), and as I have a job that will let me go pretty much anywhere, I'm considering moving to Madison so my son can still have regular access to his dad. I do know some people out there, mostly in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, but no one who actually lives in Madison.

I'd be renting, and I'm looking for a pedestrian-friendly, politically liberal, urban area with good schools and dog/kid-friendly parks. I like independent bookstores/record shops, used clothing stores, and good restaurants. I prefer living in neighborhoods with "character" as opposed to suburbia, but I do need to be in a decent school district (not hard to do, compared to CA's schools) and have access to daycare. I'd also be depending on dog walkers/doggie daycare and AM/PM walks by me to get the beasts out, so a yard isn't a requirement.

My job's office is in downtown Madison, near the west end of that "strip" between the two lakes. Since I've never driven in snow, it would be nice to be within walking distance.

So, what's Madison like for families? How are the schools? Any neighborhoods that would be better/worse for my situation? I don't need to meet all the above criteria, just trying to get a feel for what I'd be in for. I'm also open to other towns near Madison, if that would be a better fit.

Thanks for reading this far,

Meghan

[pinkgonegreen]

If you like San Fran, I think you'd hate it here. We just moved from OC 3 months ago.
Schools are, like you said, all better than CA...simply due to high taxes and low ratios.
My almost 2 and 3.5 year olds have been BORED since we arrived, even being summer there are no kids at any playgrounds and it is REALLY hard to find any reasonably priced programs (under $200-$400 per 12 weeks class - 30 minute mommy and me) for these kids to socialize. Overall, the safety and schools seems good enough but the social aspect of this area has fallen far short of my expectations for family friendliness.

[Harpoon]

Madison is definitely not comparable to San Fran, but it is probably more family oriented and there are plenty of kids around for your kid to play with. The Madison schools are excellent when your child reaches that age. Daycare for a 2 year old will run you from $200-250 per week if you choose a facility, less if you go to a home daycare. There are plenty of parks to take kids to. Access to downtown Madison for your job may not be walkable depending on where you live, but the bus system can get you there from most parts of the city. The Willy-Atwood area sounds like a location that you may like, or even close to the Hilldale area on the west side. I'd stay away from the University since that is mostly party central on the weekends with the influx of students. Middleton is more family friendly, has a nice downtown with several restaurants, but not as much of the eclectic style it sounds like you want. Restaurants here won't measure up to San Fran, and most are pretty bland. There are some great micro breweries in the area if you enjoy beer, so that is a plus. Good luck with your decision.

[foilgirl]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies! I was also looking at the Middleton/west side area. area. Where exactly is Willy-Atwood? I can't seem to find it on the maps I have.

One of the reasons I'm considering moving is the lower cost of living (my salary would stay about the same), but I keep reading threads here about the sky-high taxes. What does that refer to? Property tax? Income tax? Sales tax? All of the above? I'm not necessarily opposed to higher taxes (low taxes is one reason CA seems to be on its way to bankruptcy), just trying to figure out what the difference is.

Thanks again,

Meghan

[Bo]

Originally Posted by foilgirl

Where exactly is Willy-Atwood? I can't seem to find it on the maps I have.

Williamson St. - Atwood Avenue

They're not connected, but if you follow their paths around the isthmus, you'll get the general idea of the Willy-Atwood area.

[ryanj0]

Originally Posted by foilgirl

Hi,

Thanks for the replies! I was also looking at the Middleton/west side area. area. Where exactly is Willy-Atwood? I can't seem to find it on the maps I have.

One of the reasons I'm considering moving is the lower cost of living (my salary would stay about the same), but I keep reading threads here about the sky-high taxes. What does that refer to? Property tax? Income tax? Sales tax? All of the above? I'm not necessarily opposed to higher taxes (low taxes is one reason CA seems to be on its way to bankruptcy), just trying to figure out what the difference is.

Thanks again,

Meghan

What you are hearing about high taxes is, in fact, property tax. Anywhere in Dane County is VERY high in property tax compared with most of the rest of the state. Income tax, I'm not sure how that calculates out compared to other states, I don't find it too absurd. And sales tax is among the lowest of all the states at 5.5%. Now, WI has an above average cigarette tax, if you are a smoker, that may make a difference. I know CA has the lowest cigarette tax in the nation according to US News and World Report. But yes, property taxes are high, although I wouldn't expect them to be a whole lot higher than CA, just a lot higher than say, Fond Du Lac... And Middleton/West Side area, I would say would be an excellent choice...

[RemiJP]

My boyfriend is from San Francisco (we moved here from Boston) and he enjoys Madison very much. I agree with what others have said, take a look at the Williamson St (though not on Willy as it's very busy) and Atwood Ave area. Though yes, there aren't as many restaurants as there are in SF, we are pretty happy with the variety of ethnic restaurants. Within walking distance from our house we can have Laotian, Thai, Jamaican, Japanese, Indonesian, Ethiopian, Indian, Afghan, Himalayan...the list goes on! The Willy St Co-Op is fantastic for organic/local groceries. A lot of the problems that got to him in SF (like huge homelessness and drug problems) aren't nearly as large in Madison. He lived in the Castro and in Hayes Valley during his 5 year stay after graduating from UCLA. In the Willy St/Atwood area, there are great festivals in the summer, cute parks (I always see kids at Orton Park), easy access to larger parks and the dog parks (I usually take my dog to Warner Park or Quann Park). The Wil-Mar Community Center, Goodman Community Center (new and beautiful!), and the Goodman Community Pool are all nearby and have good programs for kids. There are at least 2 day-cares immediately off of Willy Street, but I don't know about their reputations. All over town, you should be able to find kids music classes, signing classes and mom-tot yoga classes. My favorite yoga studio, Perfect Knot, off of Willy has one for kids 3+. I should also add a word for Happy Bambino (my neighbors are involved with the store) an independent baby store on Atwood - they hold drop-in toddler-parent groups.