Look elsewhere...
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9/29/2008
Take a look at the statistics. High crime, high unemployment, high taxes, racial tension, poor schools, and so on...pretty dismal.
Despite what may look like "diversity" (by way of our ethnic festivals), Milwaukee was recently rated as second most segregated city in the US. All that's been said about racial disparities and quality of life for non-whites here isn't exaggeration.
Outrageous property taxes. Long, bitter-cold winters. Public schools that are sub-par and dangerous. The beaches are sometimes shut down due to sewage overflow problems.
Some of these reviews say "It's close to Chicago / Madison." If you like either of those cities, go live there. Milwaukee is not like either of them and not really close enough that it matters. Proximity means nothing...Gary, IN is close to Chicago, but you don't hear anyone raving about Gary, IN just because it's close to CHI. Similar idea here.
People here are aloof, reserved, and into their "cliques." If you like going to meet people in bars, there are no shortages of opportunities or venues to do that here; unfortunately, there are few alternatives. Milwaukee is a big city with a small town feel...and that sounds like it'd be cool, but it really isn't.
As far as colleges go, Marquette is a decent school but very expensive, and the campus itself has lots of crime problems. UWM is composed of 50% kids who couldn't get into Madison and spend their free time drinking cheap beer in slum housing, and 50% non-traditional students who just show up to go to class, then leave. Campus is dead; there's no community there.
Milwaukee has some OK things...some good restaurants...some museums...decent music acts now and then...but nothing really world-class. I've talked with a lot of locals who say that they'd rather get a root canal than go to Summerfest. Even those things that people have mentioned as "plusses" are pretty mediocre.
I've lived here for 7 years, and all I can think about is moving. The city feels dull, lifeless, flat, and uninspiring. And it feels 100 times worse once the weather sets in.
Heretic | Milwaukee, WI