Is the north side of Milwaukee THAT bad? (West Allis, Franklin: violent crime, neighborhoods)

[Miltown414]

Pretty close to every shooting/violent crime incident has a motive (I've even heard up to 98%). Obviously in some parts, like lower and eastern north side (Burleigh, center, etc. you know) you do NOT want to find yourself walking around alone at night.

BUT, I drive east to west across brown deer, good hope, silver spring, hampton and capitol. I've also driven from the Bradley Center all the way up to Germantown going straight up 145/fon du lac ave... late at night many times. And up and down various roads like appleton ave, yes, even at night. So before you say "of course it may seem safe if you stay in your car" I frequently eat at fast food places and make stops in this area,

There are hundreds of thousands of people that live in this condense area, along with tens of thousands of visitors and people that travel through there on a daily basis so OBVIOUSLY like any other city you are going to have crime but like I said earlier it's mostly all motivated with specific targets and in certain areas.

So to answer my question, is the north side a lot of hype but in reality a white guy like me could walk around and even live in most parts of the north sides as long as I just mind my own business and use common sense?

[brrabbit]

I've been at Teutonia x Capitol Dr intersection. The bus stop station lacked any glass. Street were dirty with all sorts of debris. The only guy sitting at the bus stop was very nicely dressed guy who appeared to be nonetheless homeless. The only white person I could see was a biker. Younger black kids looked suspiciously at me (no, it was top of the day and no one made any bad moves or anything). When I approached the stop, that nicely dressed guy looked through his belongings, and then asked if I could spare him any change. I gave him a few quarters. He sitted quietly for a while and then asked if I'd give him a dollar I told him I like my dollars myself, but then changed my mind and gave him one. He advised me which bus to take. I moved to another bus stop (accross the street). A new guy came onto the stop, he asked for a smoke and I gave it to him (I've asked for smokes myself before... - I always give one if I have it). We chatted for a while and he said I'm totally on the wrong bus station. I went to a third one (again, accross the steet, on a Capuitol then)and got onto a bus. Once I left,I somehow felt very much relieved to get out of there...

It wasn't dangerous and people were reasonably polite. But I definitely did not want to be there, felt being out of place, singled out because I'm not black and not local...

So, you might be OK living in a neighbourhood like that, especially if you have a look that you can handle yourself and have nothing to lose. However, if you can afford not to live there, I'd say for at least that particular neighborhood (and obviously not for the whole north side) - stay out of there

I must add that one of my black friends who;d obviously have no issues looking out of the place there, also preferred to move out of it at the first possibility to West Allis and liked it much more around trailer park / blue collar / whateveryou can think of Stalllis residents people.

[Miltown414]

Originally Posted by brrabbit

I've been at Teutonia x Capitol Dr intersection. The bus stop station lacked any glass. Street were dirty with all sorts of debris. The only guy sitting at the bus stop was very nicely dressed guy who appeared to be nonetheless homeless. The only white person I could see was a biker. Younger black kids looked suspiciously at me (no, it was top of the day and no one made any bad moves or anything). When I approached the stop, that nicely dressed guy looked through his belongings, and then asked if I could spare him any change. I gave him a few quarters. He sitted quietly for a while and then asked if I'd give him a dollar I told him I like my dollars myself, but then changed my mind and gave him one. He advised me which bus to take. I moved to another bus stop (accross the street). A new guy came onto the stop, he asked for a smoke and I gave it to him (I've asked for smokes myself before... - I always give one if I have it). We chatted for a while and he said I'm totally on the wrong bus station. I went to a third one (again, accross the steet, on a Capuitol then)and got onto a bus. Once I left,I somehow felt very much relieved to get out of there...

It wasn't dangerous and people were reasonably polite. But I definitely did not want to be there, felt being out of place, singled out because I'm not black and not local...

So, you might be OK living in a neighbourhood like that, especially if you have a look that you can handle yourself and have nothing to lose. However, if you can afford not to live there, I'd say for at least that particular neighborhood (and obviously not for the whole north side) - stay out of there

I must add that one of my black friends who;d obviously have no issues looking out of the place there, also preferred to move out of it at the first possibility to West Allis and liked it much more around trailer park / blue collar / whateveryou can think of Stalllis residents people.

That seems like a pretty accurate description. I don't have any intent of living there, more just curiosity because I seem to find myself in these areas even though I live in metro Milwaukee.

[city414]

Nobody uses the term lower northside are you a ***** starter? North side is north side

[Miltown414]

Originally Posted by city414

Nobody uses the term lower northside are you a ***** starter? North side is north side

Last time I checked the north side is a pretty broad and general label for such a big area. And you know exactly what lower north side means. I hear it all the time talking to people, sorry it bothered you so much. Sorry I'm new to the city data forum and I didn't pick up on it right away. Anything else expert?

[zoomkay]

Originally Posted by Miltown414

Last time I checked the north side is a pretty broad and general label for such a big area. And you know exactly what lower north side means. I hear it all the time talking to people, sorry it bothered you so much. Sorry I'm new to the city data forum and I didn't pick up on it right away. Anything else expert?

Since I grew up on the north side, this is how I usually break it down so I know where I am driving. It's not geographically correct, but it's my view of the city.


North Central - I use North 27th and Burleigh as my center point. In terms of neighborhoods, Metcalfe Park, Franklin Heights, Arlington Heights, Brochert Field etc. Other neighborhoods would be included in this, but I am not familiar with all the names.

North East - East of I-43 all the way to Holton - Brewer's Hill, Beerline, Harambee, Halyard Park. I still include Riverwest in this category.

North West - Anything west of 60th Street and north of North Avenue stopping at Silver Spring - Sherman Park, Lincoln Creek, Uptown Crossing, Enderis Park, Arlington Gardens, etc.

Far North west - West of I -43, north of silver spring all the way to the County Line to the north and bound by HWY 45. - Menomonee River Hills East, Park Knoll, Maple Tree, Heritage Heights, the entire Granville area, Graceland, Fairfield etc.

[adr3naline]

The 'North Side' is indeed quite bad. To answer the OP's question directly, No, I would not walk around the North Side while looking financially stable in any sense.

[zoomkay]

There are areas of the north side you can walk around and no one will bother you. I find this to be true in various parts of the far northwest side.

There are many other areas of the north side that you can walk around and no one will bother you, but you should still keep your guards up.

As a whole, the social and economic base on the north side is changing (for the worse in my opinion), so crime is spilling over in areas where it was never common.

[just1paul]

Originally Posted by zoomkay

Since I grew up on the north side, this is how I usually break it down so I know where I am driving. It's not geographically correct, but it's my view of the city.


North Central - I use North 27th and Burleigh as my center point. In terms of neighborhoods, Metcalfe Park, Franklin Heights, Arlington Heights, Brochert Field etc. Other neighborhoods would be included in this, but I am not familiar with all the names.

North East - East of I-43 all the way to Holton - Brewer's Hill, Beerline, Harambee, Halyard Park. I still include Riverwest in this category.

North West - Anything west of 60th Street and north of North Avenue stopping at Silver Spring - Sherman Park, Lincoln Creek, Uptown Crossing, Enderis Park, Arlington Gardens, etc.

Far North west - West of I -43, north of silver spring all the way to the County Line to the north and bound by HWY 45. - Menomonee River Hills East, Park Knoll, Maple Tree, Heritage Heights, the entire Granville area, Graceland, Fairfield etc.

This is how I split it up also and I think quite accurate.

[MKEastsider]

I think the OP nailed it on the head. I don't get out to the northside like I used to, but the fear a lot of people have of even driving through the northside is ridiculous.