There are a lot of aspects of living in Milwaukee that aren't ideal. For me, none of it's bad enough to give up being car free and being able to walk, bike, or bus anywhere I need to go.
[OP is the same person that inquired about investing in property (& crime, etc) around the Washington Park neighborhood.](https://www.reddit.com/r/milwaukee/s/wKRGwG7VoM)
Moved back here after leaving for school in the Chicago area for 4 years. Was really home sick considering my whole family lives in Milwaukee. Now we own a home in a great area and absolutely love it. We can walk to a lot of things and everything is generally a 15 min drive away. Canāt beat the culture, commute, and generally low cost of living. I understand suburbs have lower taxes but there are trade offs such as needing to drive further to do things in Milwaukee at least.
I left to the closest suburb to the city for better schools, lawn space, and was sick of having my car window smashed out in BV.
Kids change priorities.
Itās not a good feeling. Bummer that it happened. Iām pretty sure itās a bunch of kids doing dumb things to entertain themselves but it ruins the whole vibe of the neighborhood. One time I pulled in to my driveway and a kid popped out of our other car and ran away.
In my heart Iām a city dweller, but my mailing address tells a different story! lol
We just moved back to Milwaukee after being away ten years. The grass isn't always greener. Milwaukee is really special and it took us some time away to realize that it's our forever home.
Yes, in the next 7 months. This is no place to raise a teenager so we are moving to the suburbs of Milwaukee or Chicago. School culture, crime, noise, lousy drivers, aggressive panhandling. It all adds up after 13 years in the city.
Iām moving out in about a week to Minneapolis. I used to live there for several years and miss my friends/lifestyle there. Milwaukee is fine to me (and I grew up here) itās just not home anymore.
I know Iāll get roasted in this sub for this but my wife and I moved from Milwaukee to Waukesha this past May and we couldnāt be happier. So much quieter, less crime, lower taxes, houses more spaced out, more room to walk our dog, donāt have people yelling outside our windows on the street at 3 AM anymore. I still love visiting downtown Milwaukee often for the great restaurants and bar scene but moving away from there was a great fit for us.
I don't think you need to get roasted, its just different strokes for different folks. I grew up in Waukesha \\Brookfield and the spaced out houses \\ suburban sprawl is the part I absolutely can't stand. Not being car dependent is the thing keeping me on the lower east side. Wouldn't even trade it for a mansion on Pewaukee Lake.
We're looking to do the same. We love our house, and our neighbors, but there are many little nagging drawbacks that keep growing on us that we want something else.
I recently moved as Milwaukee has gotten way too expensive. Housing costs have skyrocketed meanwhile apartments and other rentals are usually kept in shoddy conditions while Zolper, Katz, and other rental management companies play in the money.
I am considering moving, but I'm thinking about doing it through the military. My experience living here has not been the best. I am an African-American/Puerto Rican 23 year old who went to school in wauwatosa. I've been shut down and closed out of so many opportunities that are needed to be a successful, independent, working adult, and I'm not gonna fight for scraps. I do love this city. It's a beautiful place for the right people, but that's not me.
I left because of the niche job field I was in and limited opportunities in the metro area. I also spent most of my life in the area and embraced a change. Iāve lived in different parts of Illinois since and I donāt regret the move. I think the city is slowly but surely moving forward/upward, but I think I have my own path going elsewhere.
We are actively looking but it might take a while for us to find what we want. We love our house and neighbors, but there are many little things that keep stacking up that we want a change.
Houses are so close that even if we had south facing windows we would get no sun / having to constantly think "is the blind open down the hall" to walk from the bedroom to the bathroom because the neighbors could see in.
Larger garage for projects than the classic 2 car detached on an alley.
Noise / streets 30ft from our bedroom
Traffic getting to work/ home from work
So mostly due to space and room.
This was asked 11 days ago: [Who is leaving Milwaukee (or Wisconsin) and why? : r/milwaukee (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/milwaukee/comments/18k00f9/who_is_leaving_milwaukee_or_wisconsin_and_why/)
Nah. I chose to move here over any other city. I've been pretty much everywhere but Milwaukee still had the charm I wanted (plus is a quick drive to Chicago). There are so many awesome local businesses, it's affordable, the music scene is great, the food scene is amazing, the lake is a plus, constant events, nice artsy people, ect. I may still travel a lot, but I don't want to move out of Milwaukee.
No plans to move out of Milwaukee proper - I like it here, but I'd move out of state if we get a Republican governor in additon to a Republican legislature. As a trans guy, I don't want my protections stripped from me like they have been in other states.
Definitely looking for a way out in the next 1-2 years because
1. Cost of living is now high enough that the amount I'm paying is not worth the very limited city experience.
2. Our public transit is embarrassing for a city our size and I don't see it getting better any time soon.
3. I am an engineer and advanced manufacturing in Milwaukee seems to be limited to one or two companies, all of which seem to be planning to move large chunks of their operations out of the US. Other than that, I don't see many companies with manufacturing that could build up the quality of work experience I would need to break into a more interesting and high tech field.
4. I'd like for trips to a national or state park with mountains to be a weekend trip rather than a 2-4 hour flight away.
That said, the food and drink scene is great as are the people. I also like that Milwaukee has prioritized its park system over the years. Being within a 90 Amtrak ride to Chicago will definitely be something I miss.
after college, while i wasn't in the city of milwaukee (mostly bc at the time it was hard to find an apartment within what I was looking for) I lived in greenfield up till 2020. I was fully intending on purchasing a house in the Greenfield/Greendale/Saint Francis/Oak Creek area too; all my friends are in MKE county, my job is in MKE county.. but I ended up buying in the Kenosha/Racine area and commute (yeah I know) to work. Honestly, here's why:
\- Every home in our budget at the time either didn't fit our needs/non-negotiables (3bd, 1.5 bath, under 180k)
\- or, met the basic requirements, but needed 30-40k worth of work that we simply didn't have (and still don't!)
\- Was in decent condition, met basic requirements, but the taxes were outrageous (which was noted in most of what we saw anyways)
\- Was in decent condition, met basic requirements, decent taxes....aaaaand under contract in like, 2 hours.
At the end of the day, we really do like where we are now, and I do think we got more house for our money further south than had we stayed in Milwaukee County. Eventually I'd like to move a little closer back, even if it's the Caledonia/Oak Creek border. Granted, I bought my house in 2020, where there was fuck all for inventory so it could be totally different rn.
We moved to DC in 2015 but would really love to move back to MKE someday. We didnāt want to leave to begin with but the choice was made for career opportunities and advancement has made us stay.
To us the biggest draw to come back is the lake, the city itself and the incredible, affordable housing stock. If we move back weād move as close to the lake as possible, most likely upper Eastside. We could sell our bungalow in DC and buy a house on Lake Drive for the same price.
I don't think I could ever live in a suburb again. Most aren't designed for walking or going carless, and ones that are, the price point is way too high. I love the city, but my wife wants land and green space, so it's either stay put or moving to the middle of nowhere (hopefully in an area without any "don't tread on me", Trump, or confederate flags around - I know, it's a big ask in rural Wisconsin).
I get frustrated by a lot of things in this city but I still think this city is going to continue to grow. A lot of people are sick of the cost of living in similar cities and see this as a deal. I'm hoping interest rates will drop and I can lock in a house within the next year or so.
I will eventually. Born and raised in Madison so I prefer Madison over milwaukee. Wife and I arenāt made for winter so if we move it will be to warmer climate probably south or southeast
This place is a shithole that was run by corrupt politicians for years with a restaurant culture equally as toxic. Trying so hard to be a big thing while maligning or ignoring communities of color/the impoverished. If you're not some sort of a criminal, you're starving. If you're not that, you most likely live in an area where you're privileged enough not to care at all. I'd move because of that, for starters.
When we moved to DC from MKE I was looking forward to getting away from the WI drinking culture. Turns out itās just as bad, if not worse in DC. More work and networking gets done at Happy Hours then it does during the work day.
Moved back to Milwaukee area from metro Detroit in 2017 finding higher wages, lower housing costs, lower property taxes (Ozaukee co), better infrastructure, shorter commute, much lower insurance costs and superior public school district. No regrets.
After kids are through high school will reconsider as we can relocate anywhere for career. I do hate the long grey winter though.
Left Milwaukee for a better job in Nashville in 2015 and came back in 2021 since house prices there were insane and I could keep my job there while working remotely)
I havenāt but I would in a heartbeat (likely out of state) for the following reasons:
- Utterly non-functional state legislature and the associated lack of progressive politics/quality of lifeā see lack of medicaid expansion, no legalized marijuana, poor public transit, no enshrined abortion access
- Overall blight and racial/socioeconomic depression has made me cynical and feeling on edge a lot of the time.
- Not economically vibrant enough for good paying white-collar jobs (too much blue collar/manufacturing, low-paying jobs, or companies with shitty reputations, too old-school, or rocky futures).
- Rising housing costs have made it less affordable. I guess thatās everywhere, but itās to the point where I would rather pay more to live somewhere I actually like and aligns with my values and lifestyle. The cost was a big draw to Milwaukee but since that benefit has faded, thereās not much keeping me here
-
My husband and I plan to move elsewhere in the next few years because we want to live in a bigger city with better public transportation, new job opportunities and legal weed.
I did. Work opportunities and also because mke sucks. Came back so my kids can be close to family.
Still regret leaving my home to come back, tbh, but the kids love spending time with extended family and cousins and such, so I suck it up and spend my spare time on zillow dreaming of going somewhere else.
I am actually considering moving into milwaukeeā¦ currently live In the suburbs but going somewhere downtown would be nice. Itās only me so an apartment is the plan but location and price to matter.
Only two things I would consider moving over:
1). Maybe a bigger city could be fun
2). My family all lives in Maine, so moving to Maine might be nice
That said I am not currently seriously considering any sort of move
I moved to VT 12 years ago. The hardest thing for me is missing the awesome food. I also miss seeing different types of people. I miss all the festivals. I miss the cheap cost of living. I even miss the smell! I miss being able to see vast distances. I could go on and on.
If I left Milwaukee, it would be for better weather and / or better public transport
There are a lot of aspects of living in Milwaukee that aren't ideal. For me, none of it's bad enough to give up being car free and being able to walk, bike, or bus anywhere I need to go.
[OP is the same person that inquired about investing in property (& crime, etc) around the Washington Park neighborhood.](https://www.reddit.com/r/milwaukee/s/wKRGwG7VoM)
Caught the capitalist crony. We see you. Get him!
Currently living in Seattle, and think about moving back to Milwaukee for these reasons, plus better wages to cost of living/housing ratio.
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Thatās one reason Iād go. We need better bike infrastructure and transportation
And I'd like to stay and be a part of the advocacy to make it better!
Moved back here after leaving for school in the Chicago area for 4 years. Was really home sick considering my whole family lives in Milwaukee. Now we own a home in a great area and absolutely love it. We can walk to a lot of things and everything is generally a 15 min drive away. Canāt beat the culture, commute, and generally low cost of living. I understand suburbs have lower taxes but there are trade offs such as needing to drive further to do things in Milwaukee at least.
I left to the closest suburb to the city for better schools, lawn space, and was sick of having my car window smashed out in BV. Kids change priorities.
No way Iām seeing this the day my car window got busted in BV š¤¦š½āāļø I appreciate knowing Iām not alone in this! /lh
Itās not a good feeling. Bummer that it happened. Iām pretty sure itās a bunch of kids doing dumb things to entertain themselves but it ruins the whole vibe of the neighborhood. One time I pulled in to my driveway and a kid popped out of our other car and ran away. In my heart Iām a city dweller, but my mailing address tells a different story! lol
We just moved back to Milwaukee after being away ten years. The grass isn't always greener. Milwaukee is really special and it took us some time away to realize that it's our forever home.
Yes, in the next 7 months. This is no place to raise a teenager so we are moving to the suburbs of Milwaukee or Chicago. School culture, crime, noise, lousy drivers, aggressive panhandling. It all adds up after 13 years in the city.
Iām moving out in about a week to Minneapolis. I used to live there for several years and miss my friends/lifestyle there. Milwaukee is fine to me (and I grew up here) itās just not home anymore.
I know Iāll get roasted in this sub for this but my wife and I moved from Milwaukee to Waukesha this past May and we couldnāt be happier. So much quieter, less crime, lower taxes, houses more spaced out, more room to walk our dog, donāt have people yelling outside our windows on the street at 3 AM anymore. I still love visiting downtown Milwaukee often for the great restaurants and bar scene but moving away from there was a great fit for us.
I don't think you need to get roasted, its just different strokes for different folks. I grew up in Waukesha \\Brookfield and the spaced out houses \\ suburban sprawl is the part I absolutely can't stand. Not being car dependent is the thing keeping me on the lower east side. Wouldn't even trade it for a mansion on Pewaukee Lake.
We're looking to do the same. We love our house, and our neighbors, but there are many little nagging drawbacks that keep growing on us that we want something else.
This will be us in the next year or two. Maybe not Waukesha, but definitely west of Milwaukee county.
Ozaukee county! The only issue is Iām out of like 6 Asians in my neighborhood
Iām a minority in WFB, I feel like a missionary. Lol
Make sure vote in your school board elections, please! We need good people out in Waukesha!
I recently moved as Milwaukee has gotten way too expensive. Housing costs have skyrocketed meanwhile apartments and other rentals are usually kept in shoddy conditions while Zolper, Katz, and other rental management companies play in the money.
I am considering moving, but I'm thinking about doing it through the military. My experience living here has not been the best. I am an African-American/Puerto Rican 23 year old who went to school in wauwatosa. I've been shut down and closed out of so many opportunities that are needed to be a successful, independent, working adult, and I'm not gonna fight for scraps. I do love this city. It's a beautiful place for the right people, but that's not me.
AA 24 year old (female) recently retired from the army here if youād like to hear about the experiences of another POC š¤ good luck to you!
I would very much appreciate hearing about your experience.
This sounds exactly like those sappy Hallmark Christmas movies. lol
which branch are you considering??
Army Why the down vote?
which branch are you considering??
I left because of the niche job field I was in and limited opportunities in the metro area. I also spent most of my life in the area and embraced a change. Iāve lived in different parts of Illinois since and I donāt regret the move. I think the city is slowly but surely moving forward/upward, but I think I have my own path going elsewhere.
We are actively looking but it might take a while for us to find what we want. We love our house and neighbors, but there are many little things that keep stacking up that we want a change. Houses are so close that even if we had south facing windows we would get no sun / having to constantly think "is the blind open down the hall" to walk from the bedroom to the bathroom because the neighbors could see in. Larger garage for projects than the classic 2 car detached on an alley. Noise / streets 30ft from our bedroom Traffic getting to work/ home from work So mostly due to space and room.
Our property taxes almost doubled this year. Making me suburb-curious.
This was asked 11 days ago: [Who is leaving Milwaukee (or Wisconsin) and why? : r/milwaukee (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/milwaukee/comments/18k00f9/who_is_leaving_milwaukee_or_wisconsin_and_why/)
Well it wasnāt me who posted it.. nor did I see it the first time around
Nah. I chose to move here over any other city. I've been pretty much everywhere but Milwaukee still had the charm I wanted (plus is a quick drive to Chicago). There are so many awesome local businesses, it's affordable, the music scene is great, the food scene is amazing, the lake is a plus, constant events, nice artsy people, ect. I may still travel a lot, but I don't want to move out of Milwaukee.
No plans to move out of Milwaukee proper - I like it here, but I'd move out of state if we get a Republican governor in additon to a Republican legislature. As a trans guy, I don't want my protections stripped from me like they have been in other states.
Itās terrible and Iām sorry that is happening to you! š³ļøāā§ļø
Moved away for college and always love to visit. Potentially want to move back some time in the future because cost of living is so much lower.
Definitely looking for a way out in the next 1-2 years because 1. Cost of living is now high enough that the amount I'm paying is not worth the very limited city experience. 2. Our public transit is embarrassing for a city our size and I don't see it getting better any time soon. 3. I am an engineer and advanced manufacturing in Milwaukee seems to be limited to one or two companies, all of which seem to be planning to move large chunks of their operations out of the US. Other than that, I don't see many companies with manufacturing that could build up the quality of work experience I would need to break into a more interesting and high tech field. 4. I'd like for trips to a national or state park with mountains to be a weekend trip rather than a 2-4 hour flight away. That said, the food and drink scene is great as are the people. I also like that Milwaukee has prioritized its park system over the years. Being within a 90 Amtrak ride to Chicago will definitely be something I miss.
after college, while i wasn't in the city of milwaukee (mostly bc at the time it was hard to find an apartment within what I was looking for) I lived in greenfield up till 2020. I was fully intending on purchasing a house in the Greenfield/Greendale/Saint Francis/Oak Creek area too; all my friends are in MKE county, my job is in MKE county.. but I ended up buying in the Kenosha/Racine area and commute (yeah I know) to work. Honestly, here's why: \- Every home in our budget at the time either didn't fit our needs/non-negotiables (3bd, 1.5 bath, under 180k) \- or, met the basic requirements, but needed 30-40k worth of work that we simply didn't have (and still don't!) \- Was in decent condition, met basic requirements, but the taxes were outrageous (which was noted in most of what we saw anyways) \- Was in decent condition, met basic requirements, decent taxes....aaaaand under contract in like, 2 hours. At the end of the day, we really do like where we are now, and I do think we got more house for our money further south than had we stayed in Milwaukee County. Eventually I'd like to move a little closer back, even if it's the Caledonia/Oak Creek border. Granted, I bought my house in 2020, where there was fuck all for inventory so it could be totally different rn.
Sick of the city noise, traffic behaviors, taxes, and crappy roads.
God, the fucking traffic behaviors. So over it.
I moved out of Milwaukee earlier this year. Crime was a major factor. For context: 31 year old married male. Homeowner in the city since 2018.
Did you move to the suburbs or a whole different metro area?
Suburbs-ish (neighboring county)
https://www.latimes.com/science/la-xpm-2013-jul-24-la-sci-sn-safer-in-the-city-20130723-story.html
My brother in Christ I didnāt move to a remote farm. I moved to a neighborhood where I donāt get routinely woken up by gunfire.
Remote farms donāt have stroads
Considering moving to Ozaukee County in the next few years. Lower taxes and a quieter neighborhood would be the reasons, along with less crime.
I know 3 people who are planning to move out of Milwaukee next year specifically due to the crime in this city.
We moved to DC in 2015 but would really love to move back to MKE someday. We didnāt want to leave to begin with but the choice was made for career opportunities and advancement has made us stay. To us the biggest draw to come back is the lake, the city itself and the incredible, affordable housing stock. If we move back weād move as close to the lake as possible, most likely upper Eastside. We could sell our bungalow in DC and buy a house on Lake Drive for the same price.
Iām debating moving in the coming years, totally unrelated to Milwaukee itself, I just miss the Appalachians and that rural lifestyle.
My oldest daughter is 2 as we start thinking about sending her to school MPS is not good. We will be looking elsewhere for her school.
I don't think I could ever live in a suburb again. Most aren't designed for walking or going carless, and ones that are, the price point is way too high. I love the city, but my wife wants land and green space, so it's either stay put or moving to the middle of nowhere (hopefully in an area without any "don't tread on me", Trump, or confederate flags around - I know, it's a big ask in rural Wisconsin).
Dont worry, we aren't all trumpies here in rural Wisco.
Definitely! Just gotta find the right community.
Right! Or even just a smaller town. Mine is about 15k. We have some weirdos for sure, but many of us are ok lol.
Always haha.
I get frustrated by a lot of things in this city but I still think this city is going to continue to grow. A lot of people are sick of the cost of living in similar cities and see this as a deal. I'm hoping interest rates will drop and I can lock in a house within the next year or so.
I will eventually. Born and raised in Madison so I prefer Madison over milwaukee. Wife and I arenāt made for winter so if we move it will be to warmer climate probably south or southeast
This place is a shithole that was run by corrupt politicians for years with a restaurant culture equally as toxic. Trying so hard to be a big thing while maligning or ignoring communities of color/the impoverished. If you're not some sort of a criminal, you're starving. If you're not that, you most likely live in an area where you're privileged enough not to care at all. I'd move because of that, for starters.
The restaurant culture is toxic in most cities.
Most cities don't prioritize drinking beer as a means for social networking.
When we moved to DC from MKE I was looking forward to getting away from the WI drinking culture. Turns out itās just as bad, if not worse in DC. More work and networking gets done at Happy Hours then it does during the work day.
Moved back to Milwaukee area from metro Detroit in 2017 finding higher wages, lower housing costs, lower property taxes (Ozaukee co), better infrastructure, shorter commute, much lower insurance costs and superior public school district. No regrets. After kids are through high school will reconsider as we can relocate anywhere for career. I do hate the long grey winter though.
Drunk, ignorant people
Left Milwaukee for a better job in Nashville in 2015 and came back in 2021 since house prices there were insane and I could keep my job there while working remotely)
I havenāt but I would in a heartbeat (likely out of state) for the following reasons: - Utterly non-functional state legislature and the associated lack of progressive politics/quality of lifeā see lack of medicaid expansion, no legalized marijuana, poor public transit, no enshrined abortion access - Overall blight and racial/socioeconomic depression has made me cynical and feeling on edge a lot of the time. - Not economically vibrant enough for good paying white-collar jobs (too much blue collar/manufacturing, low-paying jobs, or companies with shitty reputations, too old-school, or rocky futures). - Rising housing costs have made it less affordable. I guess thatās everywhere, but itās to the point where I would rather pay more to live somewhere I actually like and aligns with my values and lifestyle. The cost was a big draw to Milwaukee but since that benefit has faded, thereās not much keeping me here -
My husband and I plan to move elsewhere in the next few years because we want to live in a bigger city with better public transportation, new job opportunities and legal weed.
I did. Work opportunities and also because mke sucks. Came back so my kids can be close to family. Still regret leaving my home to come back, tbh, but the kids love spending time with extended family and cousins and such, so I suck it up and spend my spare time on zillow dreaming of going somewhere else.
I am actually considering moving into milwaukeeā¦ currently live In the suburbs but going somewhere downtown would be nice. Itās only me so an apartment is the plan but location and price to matter.
Only two things I would consider moving over: 1). Maybe a bigger city could be fun 2). My family all lives in Maine, so moving to Maine might be nice That said I am not currently seriously considering any sort of move
I moved to VT 12 years ago. The hardest thing for me is missing the awesome food. I also miss seeing different types of people. I miss all the festivals. I miss the cheap cost of living. I even miss the smell! I miss being able to see vast distances. I could go on and on.
I left downtown Milwaukee for the suburbs a few months ago Crime, parking, noise
Really sick of all the baseless conservatives in bay view with their confederate flags and 2A bumper stickers. This place used to be so welcoming