Questions about Plymouth and Sheboygan (Milwaukee, Green Bay: condo, crime, houses)

[gooz71]

My husband may be getting a job offer at a company in Plymouth, WI. We currently live in the Green Bay area and would move to that area if he does get the job offer. Here is the problem...anytime I mention that I might be moving to the Sheboygan area I hear nothing but negative remarks. Crime, drugs, nothing to do, no shopping, etc. Not that Green Bay doesn't have crime, it's getting worse every year but we live in a suburb outside Green Bay.

Can anyone who lives in Plymouth/Kohler/Sheboygan area tell me some positive wonderful things? I want to be excited about moving there but no one seems to think very highly of the area. We have two young boys so we want a very family friendly place with many things to do.

I will anxiously await your replies, thank you!

[ekg56]

My sister lives in Plymouth and they love it. My niece just started high school and it seems to be a good school. I have heard of problems in Sheboygan but Plymouth seems to be a good place to live. They live in town and when I have visited I loved the big old houses.

[Wi_Girl]

Plymouth is a very nice area. My mom dated a guy who lived there and we always went to the fairgrounds for racing, etc. It always seemed like a very nice place to live. I havent heard of much crime there and the schools seemed good. This was several years ago but I always liked the area. Good luck!

[caleefe]

I live in Sheboygan, born here, and moved back in 1994. It really is a nice place to live and raise a family. If you want big city excitement, this is not the place to be. Lots of good restaurants, great schools (this all goes for Plymouth, too), the taxes are a little on the high side, but in exchange for that you get really nice schools. No big mall for shopping, but there is the usual Target, Wal-Mart(s), Sears, Kohl's, WG&R, Younkers, etc.

The crime is really not bad. Just a lot of overflow from Milwaukee (and Green Bay, for that matter :-) ). And people tend to exxagerate...if they see three teenagers standing on the corner, all of a sudden there is a "gang" problem in that neighborhood. I personally have no problem walking anywhere at any time, and have never encountered anything bad.

And, of course, you ARE only an hour away from Green Bay/ Appleton and Milwaukee. So you can easily get your big city fix.

[diegosmom]

Sheboygan County is very nice. Crime - well compared to virtually none 10 years ago, well yeah. But the previous posts are correct, just flow from other big cities. The 1-43 Milwaukee to Green Bay run often puts Sheboygan in the "way" of potential crime. Car robbery, etc. Nothing earth shattering. The County police, city, state patrol, have it figured out for the most part.

The schools are good in Sheboygan, Kohler, Sheboygan Falls, Plymouth etc. You even have public and private (religious based & Charter) school options. There are certain areas in Sheboygan that used to be nice to live in and now not so much, but there is still PLENTY of nice places.

Shopping....options as mentioned and then in Kohler there is BestBuy, Target (with a starbucks), Home Depot, etc. Plymouth has some nice boutiques in the downtown and a Fleet Farm, etc. You can always make "runs" to Green Bay or Milwaukee to your bigger brands.

Raising kids - you can't beat Sheboygan County. Recreation department, YMCA programs, school programs etc. Family style restaurants and some more special ocaision ones as well.

Please feel free to PM me if you want to. I grew up in Sheboygan County (Kohler specifically). I don't live there now because of my hubby's work, but visit many times a year and still have friends and family in the area. Nice place to make roots and I am transplanting some of them to my son.

good luck.

[gooz71]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I have been told that the school district in Sheboygan is horrible and to "never send your children to the Sheboygan school district". Everyone says to live in Plymouth or Kohler. How would you compare Plymouth schools to Kohler schools?

Another thing I am worried about is living in such a small community (Plymouth or Kohler). Do people keep to themselves or is everyone into everyone else's lives? I live in a town of 21,000 and feel like it's gossip central, I am really concerned about moving to an even smaller town and sneezing and everyone knows about it.

We could easily afford to live in Kohler but I have heard everyone there is REALLY "uppity", that is why Plymouth seems more appealing. Not sure what to think....

Also wondering if Plymouth has more of a Milwaukee influence (shopping, etc) or small town "behind the times" feel.

Sorry for all the questions...

[diegosmom]

I can't speak of the current Sheboygan public school situation, as anything can change quicker than we imagine. I would just choose Kohler schools over Sheboygan.

Yup, the small twon feel of Kohler and Plymouth will make it feel like gossip central. It is the human reality. I live in Latin America (Kohler native who visits alot) and you don't know your neighbor. So they freak (possitively), when we invite them over for a drink, say hello, play with our kids and THEIRS, etc. Gossip is the downside of the small towns. It will be there anywhere not just Wisconsin small towns. Put the armor on and try not to give out too much info for ammunition later.

Plymouth is definitely a turn your clocks back kind of town. In a quaint way, not negative. No chain stores except Walmart, Kmart, fleet farm if that gives you a taste of the demographics. I think what appeals to people is that it is a bigger town, local shops, know they neighbor and good schools. You now have an art gallery - wow! and they try to have a jazz event in the summer, art festival, etc. All of WI wakes up in the summer. You are close to the quaint town of Elkhart Lake - the lake access, Car Races (I am think vintage, etc not Nascar -sorry no disrespect), the resorts, Sat. farmer's market, etc. cute coffee shop, antique store, etc. You will come to Kohler for Pier One...

The schools are bigger than Kohler so on a curricular front you may have more options, but you cannot beat the education of Kohler schools. #1 ACT school in the state for the 2 year in a row. I loved growing up in the Kohler school system and participating in everything, etc. I wish I could live there now with my kids. I know many people who happy they went to Plymouth, etc. Check out greatschools.net and see what you find. I would visit both schools and see what gets your "gut".

As far as "uppity"....I love to hear that. That comes from the newbies that grew up outside of WI and buy a McMansion (they are beautiful mind you), top of the line car, kids dressed to the nines, etc. The natives aren't that way for the most part. You will find that attitude everywhere, you just notice it more in a town of 1800 people more or less. It is like being the new kid at school. You will connect more with some than others, and it can be a bit overwhelming to show up at the local summer swim program as the new person...but that will happen everywhere.

Your home value and neighborhood will NEVER deteriate in Kohler. Plymouth doesn't have the tight zoning restrictions and so on that Kohler does. Some people hate that, but I love the fact that my neighbor CAN'T park his boat in the driveway 9 months of the year and paint his/her house hot pink because it was on discount at Menards. That is not to say Plymouth is that way...I am defending the point of property guidelines such as in Kohler. Visit the two and you will know what I mean. PLymouth has a beautiful historic district - gorgeous older homes and some homes on the outskirts with wooded lots, etc.

It is really your personal taste, but Kohler has excellent schools, Plymouth has good schools for sure. I like the COMMUNITY of Kohler, but that is what I know. It may be too small for you.

You can't go wrong with Plymouth, but don't rule out Kohler based on school and perceptions of others. Take a visit.

again if you want to click on private message and ask me anything more you are welcome too.

[gooz71]

Diegosmom - I am not sure how to post a private message, MOD CUT

To DM someone, just click on their user name and the option will show up on the drop down menu--don't post your email on a public site--there are all kinds of nuts out there--mod.

[smilinginside5]

diegos mom is rigght... not really earth shattering crime, but nice schools, nice parks! Oh my gosh i miss the parks in sheboygan. Lived there 21 years... loved the area but took it for granted. Please everyone, DONT TAKE SHEBOYGANS ACTIVITIES for granted... i did cause i lived there and moaned and groaned "oh there's nothing to do in this town" but in hindsight ... i am totally missing how clean and earthy it was there. The lake, the parks near the water... i live on Lake Eric now, in Huron OH and pee eww. It's not that bad but Sandusky has crappy dirty yucky parks! Glass and used condoms everywhere, no real nice beach parks like sheboygan.

Sheboygan is a nice place to live. If you don't think so, move to sandusky, OH... you'll be missin it soon enough.

[smilinginside5]

Oh yeha, not much with shopping in sheboygan, but there's the oshkosh outlet malls just about an hour away... of course milwaukee, green bay malls... just a short hour drive. Nothing major. fon du lac mall is even better than sheboygans and there are some great little shops in fond du lac, plymouth, and even sheboygan