Thinking of moving to Wisconsin: What cities should I look at?

[pstans]

I graduate in December with a degree in Elementary Ed and my wife is a nurse, so our jobs are pretty flexible. We currently live in central Iowa and are brainstorming of places that we might want to live. We plan on taking a few weekend trips this fall to scout a few places out.

My Uncle lives in Port Washington and I have been in a lot of the smaller towns around there (Cedarburg, Grafton, etc) and like that area. It seems that Wisconsin has real small towns and the state has its own culture (Calm down, that is a good thing). I want to take a look at Madison. We both graduated from U of Iowa and loved Iowa City and I think Madison would be pretty similar. I am a little afraid that housing in Madison might be a little high compared to other places. Milwaukee is probably too big, but I would say we'd consider anywhere that has over 8,000-10,000 people. My wife would like to work in a bigger hospital, so having one nearby would be a plus. Maybe a smaller town near Madison or Milwaukee.

So what are some towns that we should consider?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Hardrada]

1. Menasha

A good working class city. Neenah is too snobby and Appleton is too lily white.

[Viking12]

41. I'll second that....

...and also agree with many other comments. I live in Menasha, work in Oshkosh, and enjoy the amenities of Appleton.

1) I love Menahsa (even Neenah, despite their curious air of superiority). Small town atmosphere. Although a minority, plenty of progressives. The lake. Some nice pubs. And the "city" amenities, stores, movie theaters, performing arts, etc..) just up the road in Appleton.

2) I second Sabriel's take on Oshkosh -- on paper it doesn't appear too conservative, but it's a backwards city (sorry to offend).

[Goblinmonger]

64. Backwards Oshkosh

I live there, and you aren't offending me. Oshkosh has taken some steps in local politics to correct some of that, but it is a pretty conservative area. People are also pretty cheap here, so we don't get a lot of the nice stores and restaurants that Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, and even Fond du Lac get.

[madrchsod]

2. madison area is very nice but very expensive.

towns within 12-15 miles of madison are now suburbs. best thing to do is get a map and figure how far you want to drive then check house prices. there`s also the green bay area, wausaw,stevens point, and eu clare that maybe of interest.

[loftycity]

3. New Glarus, Dodgeville or Mineral Point

All are beautiful--Monroe is nice too! I would move to any of these places in a heartbeat.

[TheMightyFavog]

6. New Glarus can get congested in the summer, though

It's a popular area tourist destination. The town really cashes in on its history as a Swiss settlement.

They do have a kickass brewery, though.

[sybylla]

9. Yeah, but they are a hell of a drive from the hospitals in Madison

Monroe does have a small hospital.

I have family in this area and lived on the south side of Madison for 8 years. It's one of the prettiest areas in the state. Both Evansville (where I lived for a year and a half) and New Glarus are 20-30 minutes to the south side of Madison, but the hospitals are all clustered downtown which means another 20-30 minutes depending on traffic.

Waunakee on the north side and Sun Prairie northeast of Madison might be better for your wife if she is looking for a job in a hospital setting. They still have some of that rural small town feel but are much more convenient to Madison.

[sybylla]

10. Self-delete - posted to the wrong place n/t

[shraby]

4. Two Rivers - Manitowoc area in

Manitowoc county. It's on the lake, has 2 hospitals, good schools, reasonable housing. Check it out. I love it here.
The people are very friendly. It's a very clean area. The people keep their house up and it Two Rivers there really isn't any slummy area.

edited to add.

[pstans]

14. I have been to Manitowac a couple times to see the submarine

[bananas]

5. I don't know anything about Wisconsin

but their public radio is great - I listen to it on-line instead of my local public radio.
Here are the program schedules for their individual radio stations:
http://wpr.org/regions/

[Inland]

7. Chicago.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'll shut up now.

[ewagner]

8. Madison would be a good choice

but if you like a small town atmosphere with a really progressive medical community try Marshfield.

Job opportunitites are listed here:

https://my.marshfieldclinic.org/CSS_External/CSSPage_Welcome.asp

For a town of around 19K, we have over 600 Medical Doctors and PhDs here. Housing is reasonable. Schools are EXCELLENT! Culture is....ummmmm....elsewhere.....if you want symphonies or theatre, it's about 2 hours away in Madison or 3 hours away in Milwaukee. There are some decent events in Wausau (about 45 minutes away).

Winters aren't terrible.

We're almost exactly in the center of the state so you can "get there from here" for almost any type of recreational facility.

[RevCheesehead]

25. And the Marshfield Clinic is one of the finest hospitals in the area.

Whenever there were emergencies in Eau Claire, people were usually shipped off to Marshfield Clinic, or Mayo clinic...in that order.

And, of course, there's the joy of "Nightmare"... :evilgrin:

[sybylla]

11. If I were moving to Wisconsin and could choose to live anywhere...

I'd live in the vicinity of LaCrosse/Prairie du Chien/Platteville. It's gorgeous. It's very rural and small-townish outside of the cities. It's the warmest quadrant of the state. And there are loads of things to do along the river.

A plus for you would be the proximity to Iowa for those holiday trips home. You'd have a Dem congresscritter, albeit a DLCer but at least a Dem. And there is a rather large pocket of active Dems in the area, though the further east you go, the fewer Dems there are if you're willing to take on a challenge.

Good luck in your search and I can't wait to welcome you to Wisconsin.

on edit: I second ewagner's suggestion of Marshfield if you're looking for a small town feel near a large medical community. I grew up in Marshfield and live in the middle of an Amish community 7 miles west of town (can't get any more small town and rural than that). There isn't much for cultural attractions around here but as ewag said, if you don't mind a drive, you can find them. The only drawback I see is that the school district is large and the schools are in no way small-town. The highschool has between 1500 and 2000 kids in it and has many of the problems of schools in bigger cities (I have three nephews who are recent grads or are still in the highschool). But there are several smaller communities/school districts within 5-10 miles of Marshfield that you may want to consider if you decide to move here.

[Goblinmonger]

65. Platteville

I like LaCrosse, but there is no way I could live in Platteville area. You can call it rural and small-townish (I grew up in Minto, ND, so I think I know those descriptors), but those are way too positive--I would have to say backass.

[mastein]

12. Howdy Fellow Hawk

My wife and I met in Iowa City. She lived in Currier and I lived in Stanley (I was the year that broke the virgin vaults open.) We lived there from 90 when we started school until 98 after I got my masters. We LOVED IC. We hate the damned maul at 965 and 80. It killed downtown.

As for your question, I agree with Marshfield and also think somewhere in the western I-94 corridor somewhere between Eau Claire and the Twin Cities could be a good idea for you both. It is small but growing by leaps and bounds with a good young population, and is a relatively short drive to the western portion of the TC Metro area.

We are moving to Eau Claire from suburban (Wash. DC) northern VA. We can hardly wait to get there. We are in our early 30s with one child and though we would prefer Madison because it is closer to family, this is a very good second choice. If you do move up there, write to me on this system and we can get together.

Regards,
Matt

[Hardrada]

16. Downtown in IC a shadoow of what it once was by 1990.

I was there 1967-70 (not continuously) and it was glorious to behold before the "renewal."

[mastein]

32. It is awful now

We lived in downtown IC for 7 of the 8 years we were there, and with the exception of 6 Saturdays a year, we loved it.

Downtown had so much to offer we rarely left except to go grocery shopping. Even when I went to grad school out at Oakdale, we lived downtown. There was no reason not to.

Now, if we were going back there, the only smart places to live are Coralville (former regional HQ of the KKK), or North Liberty. Downtown will come back, soon I hope.

[pstans]

36. I was in Iowa City a couple weeks ago

I was shocked to see that the Airliner closed downtown. There is another restaurant/bar going in there and they are redoing the building. It is weird to not have the Airliner in downtown Iowa City.

[Hardrada]

38. It will be the Airliner again, same owners.

The joint just wore out inside. They are trying to restore it as much as possible authenticity-wise. Joe's Bar is still where it was when I used to work there in late 1968.

[pstans]

40. That makes me feel better

:toast:

[TheMightyFavog]

13. Maybe Marinette

Granted It would be a long drive to dee the family back home, but there's a small hospital and a bunch of clinics in the area. True Marinette County is pretty red, but Marinette is sort of a blue island in that sea of red due to a strong union prescence at the ship factory and the influence of Bart Stupak's District across the river in Menominee, MI. However, The newspapers are pretty Repuke, Especailly the local weekly out of the nearby town of Peshtigo. The daily (Maeinette Eagle-herald) isn't as bad as it used to be, now that it runs columns by Cokie Roberts and Gene Lyons, however, the paper likes running that bigoted, racist, homophobic assclown Cal Thomas's column at least once a week.

[Serial Mom]

15. There are a lot of nice areas, but remember, taxes are high ...

:hi:
I like the areas you mentioned - Port Washington, Cedarburg, Grafton and of course Madison is very nice.

Port Washington where your uncle lives is a nice town - cooler in summer and warmer in winter (than inland) cause of Lake Michigan. Good schools too.

The areas around Port that you have mentioned are increasing in size, but all are still within a reasonable distance to Milwaukee to get bigger city perks - a symphony, museums, Summerfest and other festivals, good restaurants, rock concerts, art, etc.

I live in Menomonee Falls - just west of the northwest portion of the city of Milwaukee in NE Waukesha county - getting a little big. I wouldn't say move here, but I wouldn't say not to.

Wauwatosa is great but an established city of about 60,000. I grew up there - a very diverse area and just west of Milwaukee in Milwaukee County. That is where the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center is - Froedtert Memorial Hospital (biggest trauma center in WI), Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Medical College of WI are on the campus of the Medical Center.

Other than those hospitals and a few more in Milwaukee County, there aren't a lot of big hospitals in 6 county region.

Madison of course has bigger hospitals, but has higher cost of living, but it is rated very high for being progressive and safe for women and children.

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask more here - a lot of good Wisconsin DUers!

[undeterred]

17. Madison-Middleton-Monona, LaCrosse, Mazomanie

In decreasing order of size. You can't lose in Wisconsin, unless you're in Sensenbrenner's district. :P

[Lefta Dissenter]

18. Madison,

City of Middleton, Town of Middleton, Cross Plains, Black Earth, Mazomanie... progressing west and progressively smaller (sort of)...

I work for the Town of Middleton (and our home is in the Town of Middleton and Town of Cross Plains), so I'm a bit biased - but I absolutely LOVE it here! And if you live in the Town of Middleton, you'll know you're voting in fair elections, because I'm the Chief Election Inspector! :7

[undeterred]

21. Middleton, ranked one of the best cities in America

and the home of Russ Feingold. :patriot:

[eauclaireliberal]

19. Not going to reccomned Eau Claire.

(most of) the people are rather disgusting (i.e. rightards), with the exceptiopn of the geezer Norske democrats, some folks in the medical community, and people at the U. Most of the city is either run down or strip mall.

However, Chippewa Falls is rather nice. Nestled in complete midwestern ruraldom is a town with red-bricked faced shops, rustic bridges and an excellent park.

Eau Claire is more for the rightards and pissed-off WT, whereas Chippewa is a "family" kind of town.

[sybylla]

31. I agree - I'd choose Chippewa Falls over EC easily

The downtown is very quaint. I love the shops and the red brick buildings.

The whole EC - Chippewa Falls - Menomonie area is rather nice in general and provides a lot of opportunity for teaching and medical jobs.

[theshadow]

20. Washington County

West Bend, Slinger, Jackson, Germantown and the rural townships in-between all have easy access via the freeway system to Childrens Hospital, Froedert, Medical College of Wisconsin, etc.

St. Joseph's Hospital is about to move to a brand new facility between West Bend and Jackson, and from what I hear they're always looking for nurses.

[Sabriel]

22. Avoid Oshkosh

It's pretty conservative (understatement of the year). I'd live in Madison, if I could...which I can't, because we were priced out of it a couple of years ago.

Keep in mind that el ed majors tend to be a glut on the market in Wisconsin. I know former students who still don't have jobs after three years of subbing.

[heidiho]

23. I love Appleton - good place to raise kids

It is lily white but it's changing. We have good schools and good hospitals.

I love Madison even more - it's a great liberal place but a little more expensive for living.

[Poiuyt]

24. I second Appleton

Great schools, lots going on (not as much as Madison, of course), and a very safe community.

[RevCheesehead]

26. Well, I'd better chime in..

I live in Algoma, on the Lake. It's 30 miles to downtown Green Bay, and if you love small-town life, this is a delightful place to be. Green Bay has four hospitals: St. Vincent's (no, it's NOT named after Lombardi!!), Bellin, St. Mary's, and Aurora Bay Care. The people I know who work there love it. One family lives in Luxemburg, which is 15 miles from Green Bay - and they commute to our church on Sundays. :)

If you like access to the Lake, Algoma is right here. And, of course, we're at the "threshhold" of Door County. I love it here, and hope to stay a long time. In fact, I'd love to retire here.

I grew up in Fort Atkinson, which is in Jefferson County - again, about 30 miles from Madison, and about 50 miles to Milwaukee suburbs. They also have a good local hospital, but there are also plenty of other hospitals within driving distance.

Fort is growing fast - it's now at 10,000+ people, and there are plenty of new homes and condos being built.

[ewagner]

30. Algoma is great

I got to spend a little time there when I was on-the-road selling.

[pstans]

27. Wow, thanks for all the suggestions

I will be getting my atlas out and take a look at all of these places. Sounds like there are a lot of good places to live in Wisconsin. I have lived in Iowa in my entire life and could name less than 5 places I'd consider living.

Marshfield: I live in Marshalltown, so it might just be Karma! Isn't Marshfield near Appleton?

Appleton: a lot of good things said about this area, I might have to make a trip to check it out.

Dodgeville, Mineral Point: I have driven through these towns (and Platteville) and they seem like nice towns, but might be a little small.

Also, before I decided to get my Elementary Ed degree I had a job interview in Reedsburg. I thought the Reedsburg/Spring Green area was beautiful and it was close to the Dells. Any opinions on that area?

[mastein]

29. It is the country

Spring Green is beautiful, but remember at that point the nearest "Big town" is probably either Dubuque or Platville. Both have hospitals but there isn't a lot but bars, churches, and supper clubs in between.

[sybylla]

33. Reedsburg/Spring Green area has some definite pluses

But it's a long way from a major medical community.

Marshfield is about 2 hours west of Appleton. Appleton, being on a large lake and river system provides loads of opportunity for outdoor recreation all year long. I agree with everything that's been said about it.

And as Sabriel said in an earlier post, beware that there is a glut of elementary ed teachers right now. I, too, have a friend who graduated a year ago with early childhood and special ed certification and can't get a job. My school district, like all school districts across the state are being slowly constricted by a funding viper set on them by the GOPpies over a decade ago and are hiring very few teachers. I've heard reports that some schools are receiving hundreds of applications for one position. It is not a good time to be an unemployed/underemployed teacher in Wisconsin.

[ewagner]

34. Hearing the same re:Elementary Ed

It's incredibly stupid....we NEED smaller class sizes and more teachers but the economic squeeze is so bad we can't do it.

Fortunately, they're still able to provide a pretty decent education for most of our kids....I worry about "substandard" students falling through the cracks though.

[pstans]

35. I didn't know that about teaching jobs

That changes things a bit. I will still take a look, but it would be hard for me to move without a job. The chances of me getting a job in the town I currently live in are pretty good, just not sure if we want to stay here.

My wife wants to move the Kansas City area. I think it is a little too big and it is extremely hot and humid in the summer. When it is in the 90's here in Iowa, it is over 100 in KC. That doesn't seem to appealing to me.

Thanks for all the info.

[Goblinmonger]

66. Yeah, but

Bush is committed to making sure that no child is left behind. Certainly he is going to pony up the funds to make that happen.

Oh, wait, that's right.

I teach high school in Wisconsin, and I think we are fucked as far as education goes. If something doesn't change, we will be taking a plunge in the state rankings for education.

[fudge stripe cookays]

54. I saw three....

count em THREE pro-life advertisements driving from Madison through the Dells and up to Eau Claire in June.

This frightened me. And I'm from Texas! Just so ya know....I've never seen a pro life billboard here.
FSC

[sybylla]

57. I believe there are three well-fed anti-choice groups in the state

not counting the Catholic Church and their bazillion anti-choice hospitals.

These groups spend a lot of money on billboards. There was one in downtown Marshfield for a long time - not sure if it's still there.

And it is scary. So far, we're still a fairly pro-choice state, but these orgs are working hard to change that. As long as we have a Dem gov, it will stay pro-choice. This is one of the reasons I'm terribly afraid of what will happen in the next election. We need a big Dem swing in at least one house.

[loftycity]

28. Oh go for it and live in the Wisconsin Dells!!

I love it there! People who live there year round are really, really interesting. I always spent overnights there (10 years)while traveling as a Rep. Baraboo is great also..

[RetroLounge]

37. Well, I have to say Wauwatosa because I live here

Big Medical Center, as mentioned above, and good school system, we vote blue, close to everything, and just nice all around.

But I am biased. :D

Chippewa Falls is very nice, my wife's family live there, and the towns north of there on Hwy 53 too, but very rural and a long drive for anything. Agree about Eau Claire. My wife lived there and couldn't wait to get out and move to Madison.

If I were to move, I would go to Madison.

RL

[Hardrada]

39. Avoid Antigo

Seems kind of backward there.

[Dinger]

43. That's For Damn Sure, Shawano Co. and Waukesha Co. Too. . Try Wausau

New hospital going up there - should be open this fall. Economy is thriving as a result, lots of growth in the area. It will mean more jobs in education too.

[gassed]

42. If you are hoping to find a teaching job...

I would suggest not moving to Madison if you hope to find a teaching job. There are no teaching jobs to be had in Madison Public Schools or any of the surrounding communities. I went back to grad school as a mature adult. I have a school social work license and haven't been able to get more than a handful of interviews (forget about offers) in six years. My son's fiance just graduated from UW Madison with a degree in Elementary Education. She has not landed one interview yet in a search that extends at least 100 miles. You could probably get a teaching job in Milwaukee. However, I believe that they still have a residence requirement for teachers.

The good news is that your wife should be able to land a nursing job in Wisconsin in no time at all. If she doesn't like the job she can quit, walk across the street, and find a new job. It is definitely a sellers market for nurses.

[eauclaireliberal]

44. Cities to avoid if possible

I'm Milwaukee born and raised (Riverwest specifically), and while I do not have the best of memories of it, Aurora Health Care, the corporate monster it is, is actually great to work for in terms of job security and retirement benifits...for RN's that is.

Having been through Milwaukee Public Schools, I can state that MPS ALWAYS needs good teachers. Badly.

Cities to avoid, from personal experiences, observations and testimonials from others: Janesville, Kenosha...because it is too close to the Illinois border. Racine, because last I heard, is gangbanger-land. Same with Kenosha. Don't get me wrong, most Illinois folks are cool, but areas such as these end up with some of the biggest jag-offs from Illinois, or from elsewhere and the Chicago area had the misfortune of ending up with them.

Neo-nazis and KKK wanna-be's seem to like Janesville.

Fond du Lac: it looks rather trashy, and I get the impression that they really don't care about their surroundings every time our car plops through sink-holes on the main drag.

Superior: See Fond du Lac. It kind of reminds me of the south side of Milwaukee.

Areas around the Wisconsin Dells: Unless you don't mind casinos, waterparks and thousands of tourists daily during the warm months, then try to avoid the towns in this area. The Dells has to be the biggest tourist trap in the world: I'm not kidding about this. My father in-law lives near Sauk City and it is a huge pain in the ass to get to his house via state highway 12, which is the only direct route to his house going SE on interstate 94, which goes into Madison.

Green Bay: How do those folks keep bears out of their backyards? With goalposts, of course. They have a Mike Holmgren ave. Just to give you an idea. However, I've only been through there a few times, and I hear from others both pro and con about the town of Green-n-Gold. That's something you'll have to explore on your own.

Eau Claire: See previous post.

[RetroLounge]

46. Hey, Dem's fighting words

"Green Bay: How do those folks keep bears out of their backyards? With goalposts, of course"

:rofl:

RL

[ewagner]

48. ROFLMAO

"Green Bay: How do those folks keep bears out of their backyards? With goalposts, of course"

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I have a neighbor from Chicago...wears Bear Jersy to piss me off from time to time...guess what just got e-mailed to him? :evilgrin:

[RetroLounge]

52. Hee hee

I wear my Bear Jersey to work to mess with the Packer-Bots.

Great fun!

RL

[RevCheesehead]

53. ...

:spank:

[Goblinmonger]

67. Probably gets the same responses

as my Vikings jersey that I wear on "Packers' Day" at school.

[EC]

56. I agree,

Kenosha and Racine only have problems when there is a Republican in office. When a Dem is in most of those "gang-bangers" have a hard time recruiting because all of their potential recruits are in college, or tech school, or have actual good jobs...

[CatholicEdHead]

45. Thoughts on Madison

I was there for a wedding this weekend. Great city, nice urban feel, lots of nice bike paths and roads with entire bike lanes. If you do not know the city, if you go up between the Capital and the UW Campus, you can get very lost, very, very quickly with all those one-way streets. The were EVERYWHRE! But once I parked my car by the south lake, it was very easy to get around town on my bike and down towards the Capital City trail.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

47. Brookfield!

Because if you move here it will, you know, double the number of Democrats in town. But we could have some kick-ass political rallies -- just you and me. Woo Hoo!

[goddess40]

49. I put in a vote for Wausau

They just opened a new hospital and need staff.

Education is a tricker fix though - the education system is under attack by the right wing. Educated people are harder to control.

I grew up in Wausau and came back, I was gone for 15 years, after living in several places in the state. I lived in Oshkosh, Madison and Fond du Lac. I spent some time in Manitowoc and Green Lake. Wausau is my favorite, although I loved living in downtown Madison it wasn't a place I would consider for raising kids.

[ewagner]

50. Another plus for Marshfield

http://www.ci.marshfield.wi.us/pr/Zoo/Upcoming%20Events.htm

Blues in the ZooComing up on Thurdsay night....

The zoo itself is sort of cool but the Blues in the Zoo is a nice way to spend a summer's evening.....don't know much about this band but the band they had last year (can't remember the name) was really good.

[AllyCat]

51. Hmmm...as an RN, I would have to say that Madison hospitals pay

better than those in Milwaukee. That's a big part of the reason I moved back to Madison, even though Milwaukee is a fun city and really underrated in my opinion. Not sure what to tell you about education as I have no idea, but good luck in your search!!!

[EC]

55. I always thought Stevens Point looked like a nice town to settle,

also Cederberg, go to their wine festivals for Strawberry fest and Autumn get a few cases and eat and drink -shop, it's more of an arts and antiques community,(just right for me)

Then there is Milwaukee, the best little shops and restaurants.
museums, architecture - loved living there...

and where I am now in the lower corner right next to the lake, there are some nice towns at the west side of the county, like Lake Geneva (expensive), Delevan, Lake Benedict and Shangri-La...I also do love Madison, also expensive, but great for a week-end (used to always go Homecoming week-end)

Now a days, I'm always thinking of going North, around Washington Island or something...

[ctmatthe]

58. I suggest Madison

I am like you as to when I graduate I am moving to WI, but I am moving to Madison. I really like it there, and I am moving from New Orleans. Only two more semesters!

[sybylla]

60. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome

Welcome to DU :toast:

Welcome to the Wisconsin Forum :toast:

And we will be thrilled to welcome you to Wisconsin when you graduate. If you were born in LA or New Orleans, Madison will probably be a bit of a shock weatherwise but you're a Dem. You must be pretty tough.

I used to work for the UW Credit Union in Madison and every year we'd have these poor tropical creature from Africa, Polynesia or the Carribean coming to the UW to school. They would walk into the credit union in a heavy parka in October cursing the cold (it was probably 50-ish degrees and a typically blustery October day) and you couldn't help but feel sorry for them knowing what was coming in January.

[ewagner]

62. A beleated Welcome

and looking forward to having another DUer in Wisconsin!!

You'll get used to the weather.....I moved here from Florida 31 years ago.....my wife had to drag me into the house to keep me from playing in the snow at first.....now, if the temp gets below freezing it only means that I have to button the top button on my flannel shirt :) :silly:

[Bushfire]

59. Green Bay or Sturgeon Bay

Big congressional race that is within the Dems reach to win back that seat. Green Bay has Bellin Hospital which is known nationally, and Sturgeon Bay is 40 minutes Northeast which is a great resort town. Plenty of liberals in that corridor of the state.

[CarbonDate]

61. I grew up in Green Bay.

I will say this: Green Bay is one of the safest areas in the nation. It has one of the lowest per capita violent crime rates in the country. There is no part of Green Bay where I feel unsafe.

Things move a little slower up there, which isn't always a bad thing. It also has a pretty good school district. Even their "bad" schools are pretty good compared to other districts around the country.

A few other places where I can speak from experience:

Madison is much more thriving and active, but it isn't quite as violence-free as Green Bay. Still, it's pretty good by nation-wide standards.

Milwaukee isn't too bad. It's bigger than either of the previously mentioned communities. It's crime rate is significantly higher than Minneapolis-St. Paul, but it's significantly lower than the area in which I currently live, St. Louis metro (although, whereas St. Louis metro is one of the most dangerous places in the U.S., that isn't much of a feat). If you're looking for the best place to live in Wisconsin, though, Milwaukee isn't it. It is, however, better than:

Oshkosh: What a shit-hole. Sorry, Oshkosh DUers, but I went to school there for four months, and I was so miserable that I ended up flunking out of college and joining the Air Force. Everybody who was sober looked unhappy there. Don't go to Oshkosh. But still, it's better than:

Racine-Kenosha: A lot of Chicago's sewage finds its way up to that area. I went house-hunting in Racine one time when I was considering going to school at UW-Parkside (Kenosha), and I decided that I'd re-join the Air Force, instead. Seriously, steer clear of this area.

I'll probably not be moving back to Wisconsin, but I'll always be partial to Green Bay, since it's my hometown and safe haven, even if it isn't very interesting.

[Magrittes Pipe]

63. Beloit's only an hour from Mad Town.

Most of the other small cities/towns are VERY conservative; especially the suburbs of Milwaukee. Beloit real estate isn't too expensive, and it really ain't a bad little city. They're always in need of teachers.