Tell me about (surrounding) Milwaukee area - potential relocation (Waukesha: apartments, for rent)

[Kluch]

Hi there, we are a young family potentially looking at the Milwaukee area as a place to relocate fall of next year. Currently we live south of Indianapolis but have considered moving to Wisconsin for a number of reasons (closer to family in Chicago, church network near the Milwaukee area, etc.).
My wife and I are originally from the Midwest (she is from Chicago and grew up near Columbus, OH) so we're pretty familiar with seasons/weather. We have two young boys (4 & 6) but my wife homeschools them so we wouldn't necessarily need to live in an area with highly ranked schools. We would prefer a more suburban or rural area that's relatively affordable. Affordable, as in, renting (or potentially buying) a single family home (4bdrm) for $2,200 or (ideally) less each month.
We did live in Chicago for a couple of years but the rising COL/taxes and other factors eventually drove us out of the area (we're a single income family). I personally like the idea of being close to Milwaukee since we would have access to different events, museums, etc. in the downtown area but honestly we've also looked at living in areas as far north as Manitowoc (which I realize is quite a ways from Milwaukee). By "close" I mean a 30-45 minute drive.
I'd be interested in hearing from some of the locals what the general area is like and what we should be aware of. I know crime often gets talked about but my understanding is it's concentrated in certain areas? Also, I'm aware that the COL would probably be a bit more expensive than being in Indiana but my guess is less than being in the Chicago suburbs? I'm a remote worker btw.

[brrabbit]

Everything near Milwaukee that isn't Milwaukee county is nice. There are some places inside Milwaukee county that are also nice, but prices will be higher, compared to being outside of Milwaukee County.

[Kluch]

Originally Posted by brrabbit

Everything near Milwaukee that isn't Milwaukee county is nice. There are some places inside Milwaukee county that are also nice, but prices will be higher, compared to being outside of Milwaukee County.

Right. So I take it most areas inside Milwaukee county are considered "low rent" or potentially less safe? It seems like the immediate downtown area though is nice and a place many people like to visit?

[Empidonax]

Originally Posted by Kluch

Right. So I take it most areas inside Milwaukee county are considered "low rent" or potentially less safe? It seems like the immediate downtown area though is nice and a place many people like to visit?

There are some very nice parts of the city (and the county) to live in, but a few of these areas are not far from distressed neighborhoods, and that makes some people feel unsafe.

Also, Milwaukee County has higher property tax rates than the suburban counties do, and scares off some people.

In the city itself, the East Side is a very popular area to live, and there are many amenities (including lake access). Downtown, the Third Ward, and the northern part of Walkers Point have lots of condos and high-end apartments (lots of downsized retirees and young professionals), and Bay View has some decent apartments and nice houses.

Other good parts of the city to live in include parts of the west side (near Mount Mary) and the south side (in the Alverno College neighborhood).

The East Side/Downtown/Third Ward/Bay View swath is highly urbanized, but the other areas I mentioned are more suburban in feel.

In the suburbs, but still in the county, are some nice communities to consider. The North Shore communities are highly desirable, but for some people they're too close to the distressed neighborhoods I mentioned.

Same goes with Wauwatosa, another nice suburb that's close to some impoverished Black neighborhoods.

More suburban places in the county are Oak Creek and Franklin. Both have some pleasant, though rather bland, neighborhoods.

The outer suburbs are in other counties. Ozaukee is very nice and has a rural-suburban feel. Washington County, too, but it's farther out and not as interesting, IMO. Waukesha County has some fine communities, but it's mostly cookie-cutter-and-chain-store territory.

[sub]

Greendale, Franklin, Hales Corners, Oak Creek, Wauwatosa and Greenfield are all nice communities within Milwaukee County.
I wouldn’t avoid the county totally. Even the city itself has a lot of nice areas along the lake and parts of the south side.

Otherwise, taxes are lower outside the county generally speaking. A lot of it is basic suburbia but there are some gems like Waukesha, Cedarburg, Port Washington, etc.

Sheboygan has some really nice areas as well as places like Kohler, Sheboygan Falls, and Plymouth. I like any of those better than Manitowoc honestly.

Homeschool laws in Wisconsin are simple. Just fill out the form online notifying your intent. Otherwise, they’re pretty hands-off.

[brrabbit]

Let me explain my statement. Certainly, there are some great areas inside the Milwaukee County. But
a) the OP wanted more country side rather than the city
b) Milwaukee county has much higher property tax than Ozaukee or Waukesha county.


So, for the same rent / mortgage, you'd get a better deal outside of Milwaukee county, than inside. But if you're willing to pay a little bit extra for rent, then areas mentioned by prior responders are perfectly fine.

[brrabbit]

There has been another thread in this forum with a map of increases and decreases of people living in Milwaukee. Those areas with increases seems to be good areas, and those with the decreases are less so.

[brrabbit]

[brrabbit]

But this is City of Milwaukee proper, there are good areas outside it, still in the Milwaukee County. And even better ones outside of it.

[BK Broiler]

I love the lake country area, but I am not sure you can find very much in your price range. You could try Oconomowoc - it's not too far from the city. There is so much to do with a family in Oconomowoc since you have the lakes with beaches and summer festivals, etc. The downtown has really come a long way and it keeps getting better. Cedarburg is north of the city and another favorite of mine.