Is Wisconsin a good fit? Which region? (La Crosse, Superior: live in, airport)

[stealheadrun23]

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry

OP, yes I was talking about how precipitation varies both by region and year. For instance we went in 2018 and rented a Airbnb in an old farmhouse on 10 wooded acres. We envisioned hiking with our big dog, using the kayak on their pond, cooking outside with friends, etc. Instead unknown to us they had a very rainy spring so when we arrived the end of June the mosquitoes were swarming during the day and we literally ran from our car to the door.

We couldn’t use any of the amenities and even the big dog was getting bit and didn’t want to be outside . It wasn’t as bad in town but still had to use citrella candles to sit outside during the day when usually you only need them at night. This was unusual but it does happen occasionally.

Which part of the state was this?

[stealheadrun23]

Originally Posted by riffle

I've lived for a while in both Idaho and Wisconsin. People are people. The following are concrete reasons you might prefer Wisconsin: cheaper real estate (but you should rent first), more green / less arid (unless you like the desert), experiencing a new region. If those aren't persuasive, I wouldn't make the move.

Side note: if your airport criteria could be relaxed, you might look into Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

La Crosse, WI
Dubuque, IA
Rochester, MN (on the edge...)

You can look up the populations. None are large, but these are the only cities large enough to have suburbs. The driftless is pretty but remote (by Midwest standards, not West) and I don't think it makes much sense for you.

My first impression of people in Wisconsin may or may not have been non-representative, but I have to disagree with the idea there are no significant differences between people in different regions at a cultural level. I've only lived in a few places and only traveled to a few more, but people have definitely been perceptively different across these places, even if they look the same physically.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by stealheadrun23

Hello, I am currently located in SW Idaho, remotely employed and considering moving elsewhere to try something new while I decide where I want to buy a first home. I visited Wisconsin for the first time last year during Spring turkey season and was immediately struck by how friendly and neighborly everybody was even in the suburbs (briefly spent some time in Sun Prarie)

I would greatly appreciate if anyone could help me decide:
1. if Wisconsin in general is a good fit for me
2. which part of the state best fits my stated needs and preferences

Deal Breakers:
- I am not interested living anywhere near significant violent and property crime, which for me includes anywhere "civil unrest" has been practiced in the past decade
- I work from my home office so reliable internet connection is mandatory
- I have heard alcohol abuse can be a major issue in this state; would want to avoid any area where this sort of thing would present a disproportionate safety risk (DUI's, etc)

Climate:
- I suspect anywhere in Wisconsin is going to be colder than anything I have experienced in Idaho, especially because I live in one of the warmer parts of ID; I would like to get clarification on the seasonal nuances of the different parts of the state ("lake effect" and snow volume, Northwoods vs Southern, dryer vs more humid, etc)
- That being said, I like the cold winters in SW Idaho; I hate the hot Summers here, so Summer humidity is probably my biggest concern with WI climate
- I can probably learn to live with ticks; how bad are mosquitoes and other flying pests, and is there any way to mitigate against them (besides copious peremethrin)?

Social:
- I am single in my late 20's and dating access is important, so abundance of interested, fit, single women in my age range is the primary demographic preference I have
- secondary preference would be a bias towards the smaller-end, relatively suburban and rural populations that meet the first requirement; I am not inclined towards "urban-ness" and big cities
- I have some acquaintance who live full time in the state and others who own property in a different part of the state; otherwise, I would prefer to live somewhere where I can build a social circle or find places to fit in socially with relative ease

Hobbies:
- Archery: ideally it would be nice to have access to an indoor range
- Fishing, Hunting, Camping: I understand some sacrifices would have to be made moving from Idaho but otherwise the more diversity the better; I have heard the DNR's Northern units are more opportune for black bear hunting but of course would also be interested in deer, turkey and whatever else is available throughout the state; potentially open to the Great Lakes areas but as long as I had access to walleye and other midwest staple fish, all would be well with me (in an ideal world, also trout)

Politics/ Culture:
- the biggest draw of this move would be the neighborliness I experienced while in the area
- I would strongly prefer to avoid anywhere where partisan political hostilities/ activism are part of everyday life
- that being said, looking to avoid areas characterized as "progressive", with bias towards areas that are independent, mixed or right-leaning
- I would be bringing some guns with me, so acceptance of that type of culture is important

Misc preferences:
- an international airport within a 3 hour drive would be mandatory, with 1.5-2 hours strongly preferable

Misc questions:
- How common is it to own a home in the Southern part of the state and a cabin/ recreational property in the North?
- I have never lived East of the Rockies, what else do I need to know?

Thanks all!

I have a friend who lives in Pocatello ID. I've visited. You may like it.

[riffle]

Originally Posted by stealheadrun23

My first impression of people in Wisconsin may or may not have been non-representative, but I have to disagree with the idea there are no significant differences between people in different regions at a cultural level. I've only lived in a few places and only traveled to a few more, but people have definitely been perceptively different across these places, even if they look the same physically.

I'm not suggesting that there are no perceptible differences in the predominant culture between different places. I'm saying that those differences are unlikely to have a material impact on your quality of life, particularly if you are comparing generic upper middle class suburban neighborhoods in both places.

Particularly for an outdoorsman, I'd say that the differences in ecology and terrain are more significant. I can't say which you would prefer.

In terms of climate, I find the muggy humid heat to be worse than the dry baking heat of SW Idaho. This can be mitigated somewhat if you live close enough to Lake Michigan to go down by the lakeshore regularly. Fall and spring are lovely. Winter snow varies greatly by year; the more populated areas of the state don't get that much snow but in a snowy year it is likely to stay on the ground unlike in the low elevations of the Treasure Valley. Winters are cloudy and dark but you'll be used to that.

The Extended Stay America on the far west side of Madison wasn't a bad place when I stayed there some years ago. If your budget would allow an extended visit to explore.

The only area of northern Wisconsin meeting your criteria would be Superior/Duluth. The cities have a decaying rust belt vibe compared with where you live now, but the surrounding nature is gorgeous. The climate is different from southern Wisconsin with much more snow and milder summers.

[mayfair]

You won't find Idaho's wild type of nature outside your door anywhere in Wisconsin where you also will find lots of other young people and a right leaning populace and the airport. You're going to have to prioritize what's most important to you.

[glass_of_merlot]

Well, I live in Trevor and I love drinking Wine. My neighbors are flying Trump flags. So avoid SE Wisconsin. lol

[stealheadrun23]

Originally Posted by riffle

The only area of northern Wisconsin meeting your criteria would be Superior/Duluth. The cities have a decaying rust belt vibe compared with where you live now, but the surrounding nature is gorgeous. The climate is different from southern Wisconsin with much more snow and milder summers.

Thank you, I will look into that area.

[EllieKay56]

I think LaCrosse area would fit. It has a couple of colleges. Nice area. Close to the Twin Cities. We left Chicago 37 years ago. We are in Northcentral Wisconsin.
We have 5 inches of snow on the ground. South got hammered.
We find regional airports with deals. We live by CWA but also fly out of Green Bay, Appleton and Madison.

[Teacher Terry]

Originally Posted by stealheadrun23

Which part of the state was this?

That was 20 miles outside of Kenosha. It was unusual but can happen. The farther north you go the more bugs and mosquitoes you will find.

[mikeugh]

Originally Posted by stealheadrun23

Are there any sizeable suburbs in the driftless region or is it pretty remote?

I live in the driftless, and love it. But there aren't any suburbs, because there aren't any cities, not real cities. La Crosse comes closest to a city. I think if I were younger I'd look at Viroqua. If you want fit women in their 20s though for dating, well, best of luck. There may be one or two. Excellent trout fishing waters in the area though. Kickapoo branches are excellent.

And while MKE is great getting in and out of for domestic travel, its not a true international airport despite the name. You need to be near Ohare or Minneapolis for that. More Ohare, IMO.