Was it a mistake moving to Wisconsin? (Milwaukee, Madison: affordable apartments, neighborhood)

[intok]

As unfortunately a life long resident of Wisconsin, run while you still can. Don't confuse affordable with cheap, Wisconsin is cheap for a reason, no economic development due to a growing ever more xenophobic populace and a moronic government at all levels and from both major parties. I'm still working on getting out of this hellhole for the Pacific NW myself as it seems to offer better versions of the handful of things that are decent about WI, but with far more to offer in every other department.

[intok]

A look at racism in Wisconsin.

Unwanted label: How did Milwaukee become known as “America’s most segregated major city?” | FOX6Now.com

Why Is Milwaukee So Bad For Black People? : Code Switch : NPR

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/u...lies.html?_r=0

http://sundown.tougaloo.edu/sundownt...w.php?state=WI
A list of towns who's census data shows that they where almost assuredly "sundown towns" throughout most of their history. For those that don't know, they where communities where it was illegal to be in the town if you where not white from dusk till dawn, being found there for any reason after dark was usually met with a lynch mob.

America's Black Holocaust Museum | Sundown Towns: Racial Segregation Past and Present

Was your town a sundown town? | UU World Magazine

https://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/6/27/989124/-

[intok]

Originally Posted by Gray Beard

You should move to Racine. It is a melting pot with all races mixed together. There are many parks along the Root River and you have Lake Michigan bordering the whole east side. Although the school system may seem a little below average if you make sure your children do their homework and are involved with them they will do as well as any of the other schools in Wisconsin.

My wife and I are white and retired we moved to Racine to take advantage of the lower cost housing. My family was worried about us moving here because of possible problems but we have found it to be as nice as other places we have lived and feel safe. One of my next door neighbors is an Hispanic family and the other is a black family. Several other neighbors are people who have lived in the neighborhood for fifty years. School children of all ages walk to school past our home in both directions and we have not experienced any problems. The homes are mostly built in the 50's but are maintained and with few exceptions look nice. There are also upscale neighborhoods around the area also with many families that have lived in the area all their lives.

We can walk to our church and the Hispanic family next door attend there. The church is very open with a really nice after school program catering mostly to Hispanic children. Most of the white members are older retired people who pretty much opened the door to the Hispanic Community because they saw the need and a way to expand their ministry. The Hispanics now make up a bigger percentage of the membership.

I'm from Racine, currently living here, it's an economic dead zone with some of the highest unemployment in the nation, hanging on by a thread due to old man Johnson forcing his kids to keep SC Johnson's HQ here in his will, else this place would already be a ghost town due to how many factories have left, especially Case tractor and the GM transmission plant in Kenosha. We've had a decade of political ineptitude from mayor Dickert and the racist administration that he's run even though he's a democrat. https://www.racinecountyeye.com/tave...-racial-slurs/ He's spent vast sums of tax dollars on "economic development" with nothing to show for it, the "Machinery Row" fell through, probably for the better since no companies really wanted to move into the proposed facilities which would have just been a further burden on tax payers to maintain several vacant buildings instead of just a large empty strip where Case used to be.

Most people that I grew up with moved away when they had the chance and the new people moving in are only those that have been priced out of the Chicago or Milwaukee areas. I've watched as more and more storefronts have gone empty and stayed that way for the last 20 years throughout the downtown, uptown, west racine and douglas Ave. business districts.

So, no, I wouldn't recommend anyone move here to Racine.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by intok

As unfortunately a life long resident of Wisconsin, run while you still can. Don't confuse affordable with cheap, Wisconsin is cheap for a reason, no economic development due to a growing ever more xenophobic populace and a moronic government at all levels and from both major parties. I'm still working on getting out of this hellhole for the Pacific NW myself as it seems to offer better versions of the handful of things that are decent about WI, but with far more to offer in every other department.

Lived in WI for decades. Have now lived in PNW for several yrs. Don't think things are better here. They are just different.

1. Work ethic in midwest is much better. Harder to find quality staff here despite the constant public whining about lack of good jobs. Bodes well for midwesterners that come here.

2. Oregon and CA are broke due to decades of liberal Democrat mismanagement. Taxes will continue to explode here. WA seem to be a bit better to the gazillions being generated in Seattle last several years.
You critique WI gov't but I can tell you it is worse here. There has not been a new, non big gov't solution proposed in PNW, since Lewis and Clark walked around. OR and WA spent tens of millions to study a new bridge across the Columbia. STUDY - NOT BUILD!!! No bridge is planned yet. GOV't here is whacked!


3. The mild weather and the liberal attitude has led to lots of bums, panhandlers and other social derelicts hassling the public in the bigger cities/towns. It gets old and can really start to **** one off. i.e: "Get a job you f*&^#* loser!"

4. Expensive COL. $ goes farther in midwest.

5. The natural beauty and variety, (desert, mountain, ocean etc.) and mild weather of the area can't be beat though!


We will consider midwest and WI again when we retire. WI is a very nice place as long as we can get out before winter sets in

Let me know what specifics you think are better here and I can offer you insight based on my observations. I travel from Seattle to SF for work. I have gotten to know the area pretty well.

[adr3naline]

Mod cut: Orphaned (reply to comments which have been deleted).

OP - If you're looking for a diverse community -- I agree with the others -- you're not living in a great place. Brookfield demographics are heavily skewed white. Tosa, Bay View, Glendale, Fox Point, are more diverse. Areas that are predominantly one race (in this case White) are Whitefish Bay (aka "Whitefolks Bay"), Waukesha, Mequon, Cedarburg, and Muskego.

Good luck.

[Wellstone]

Madison area would be a better fit coming from the West coast. Milwaukee suburbs are just a right wing Utopia and anyone not part of their club would be better served to just get away from it.

The types of jobs available in Madison are quite different than Milwaukee but if there is something available in the field you work in, Madison is far and away the best place to live in Wisconsin.

I think you will find most Milwaukee suburbs to be largely the same and moving from one to another is not going to be an improvement.

[slamont61]

Do hate seeing Brookfield as the face of Waukesha County. Isn't fair to the rest of the nice towns that are most definitely not Brookfield. Can't really say anything nice about Brookfield, it just isn't very exciting. Hunt & Fish? Not them.


The truth is that Brookfield does have a history of less than harmonious race relations. Many people of color wouldn't even consider traveling there let alone live there.

[Laedus]

This is absolutely not a liberal/conservative issue. Liberals especially White liberals stand to see black people do very poorly. That's why blacks have been voting Democrat for 100 years and still poor as dirt.

Look at some of the most liberal towns/states in America. Boulder, CO is a huge college town. Very wealthy and one of the most liberal towns in a liberal state. There are no black people in Boulder and very very few black people in Colorado. Do people rant on about how liberals are racists? Of course not. Do you see liberals bussing them in? Nope. White liberals don't want blacks in their towns unless they behave exactly like them.

The reality is the most racist, wealthy, segregated white communities are liberal and Colorado is the perfect example.

[sholomar]

One of the great things about WI is there's both a strong democrat and republican presence... having one party with too much power tends to cause problems. Walker keeps the budget balanced and keeps democrats from overspending and creating another Illinois, while the democrat element works on things like diversity, good parks, and progressive ways to spend one's time, especially at the local level.

With that said, there are some really conservative areas that tend to have an attitude towards blacks based on the crime they bring in from Milwaukee. If you are not of the white persuasion, you're better off in certain communities over others and can certainly make a good life for yourself in the Milwaukee or Madison metro areas if you pick the right community for you. Other posters have already given you good suggestions.

Above poster makes a good point. Part of it is more about wealth than party. Ozaukee County, for example, is a wealthy county, and they do their best to keep section 8 from taking any sort of hold there because they want to keep it upscale, and keep crime down. I knew plenty of democrats that took refuge there in the Mequon area, despite the county being solidly republican. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that sometimes democrat policies (especially section 8, forced bussing, etc) don't work. The liberals bring in the wealth and the "culture" , and the conservatives keep it low crime and keep the budget balanced. A nice balance that can work great if you fit the right cultural profile. If you don't, there are always different places to live.. don't try to change these areas to what you want them to be.. they like it the way it is there. I did.

[pavedwithgold]

Have you thought about NWA (northwestern Arkansas) .... around Fayetteville area. While AR in general is a red state, Fayetteville is a college town (University of AR) and the Ozarks have all the natural beauty, waterfalls, hiking, fishing, camping, etc. that you could ever want......... as well as a great airport (due to walmart headquarters being based there).

Their public library is feast, and has won many national awards (libraries tell a lot about communities IMHO) esp. if you are looking for open mindedness. Their municipal dog shelter is also very progressive, gorgeous, and well-manned.

Crytal Bridges Museum is close by in Bentonville...check it out!
Home - Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

The Fayetteville Farmers Market is also award winning, and one of very best I have ever been tolive music, massage therapists, organic produce, everything you could ask for) 4.7 stars on google reviews
Gallery – FAYETTEVILLE FARMERS MARKET


Experiencing a lot of growth but I don't know what field you are in.

I've lived all over the US and that is a place I would recommend. And it's nowhere near as expensive as Seattle, etc. and the weather is mild most of the year (except very hot summers). Seems very diverse to me.