Should I live in Verona or Madison? (Middleton, Monona: apartment complex, rental)
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Hi everyone. I am a recent college graduate that will be starting work at Epic this summer. I am currently in the process of searching for an apartment but can't seem to make up my mind about whether I would rather live in the suburbs or in Madison. I would really like to meet a lot of other similar aged young professionals (note: not college students) but also be able to live close enough to work so that I could bike when the weather is nice.
From the people I've talked to so far, most of them have recommended I live in Madison because "there is nothing to do in Verona" and "it will be a lot easier to meet people," but just how hard is it to meet young professionals my age in the suburbs? Also, I am not that big on clubbing anymore (although I enjoy going out to restaurants and occasionally hanging out at bars), so what else would I be missing if I didn't live in Madison?
I think it depends on how social and outgoing you are. When people say there isn't anything going on in Verona for a Young single person, they aren't necessarily referring to a lack of clubs or bars. Suburbs by nature are intended to be quiet and removed from the hustle and bustle-where interaction takes place. Verona even lacks a solid commercial área, you have to go to Madison for most of those needs. So unless you are the type to knock on neighbors' doors to strike u a conversation, or stop someone on a bike path or at the park....there aren't too many situations where you can have social interaction in the suburbs.
There are Epic employees in pretty much any nice/new apartment complex between Epic and downtown. I would say to pick one that has good access to biking amenities and for your social needs to meet people at work and just drive to other places for better social interaction in your free time. The distances aren't thaaat far either.
I think you'd fair better in Madison, but honestly, where you live does not determine how many people you meet with like interests. It is what groups you get involved with. I lived on Madison's west side when I was in my 20's and 30's in an apartment building with a lot of people my age and I only became friends with one of them and she lived right across the hall. The friends I made were made during the course of my volunteer work and hobbies I pursued. I would recommend meetup.com to find groups who share your interests, or who do things you think you might be interested in.
Verona isn't even really a suburb so much as a bedroom community. Monona, Middleton, those are suburbs. Verona is populated primarily other Epic employees, although my impression is that most live in Madison, and families with kids because they have a great school district. There are a couple of nice coffee houses, but that doesn't sound like what you are looking for.
I would suggest looking at the far west side of Madison rather than either Downtown Madison or Verona. The Downtown area is crawling with college students, and while a lot of Epic employees opt for that area, a large part of it is a desire to continue a college lifestyle and to be in the action. It doesn't sound like that's really the thing you're interested in and I wouldn't suggest giving up more space or easy parking or higher rent for amenities you don't care about.
I agree with Megan, Verona is more of a family suburb so it also doesn't sound like what you're looking for either.
The far west side of Madison itself is a more upscale professional area and has a ton of newer apartment complexes for young people. It's generally a quiet area and not scene in any way, but it's located about half way between Epic and Downtown Madison, so you can easily get to either, and it's full of people in the same boat as you. I lived near the intersection of Watts and High Point for a year and it was a nice area (I moved to reduce my commute time into campus--I'm a grad student). I think that section of Madison fits what you describe that you're looking for. It's also a reasonable biking distance (~6 mi) from Epic.
I also agree with Megan that as a young professional making friends tends to have more to do with getting involved than where you live. New Epic employees spend a few months in training, so that's also a good opportunity to make friends with similar interests.
I am going to give you a different viewpoint on this. I lived both on the West side of Madison and in Verona. I think what you will find on the West side of Madison are noisy apartment complexes, for the most part. There arent many very well built ones. Verona, on the other hand, has well built apts and would be close enough for you to get to work on a bike for nearly 3 seasons. Verona IS more family oriented, but your friends will depend on what clubs and organizations you belong to. You can go into Madison for those within 10-15 minutes by car.
Wow, thank you all for the helpful answers and advice!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmittyXCWRU
I would suggest looking at the far west side of Madison rather than either Downtown Madison or Verona. The Downtown area is crawling with college students, and while a lot of Epic employees opt for that area, a large part of it is a desire to continue a college lifestyle and to be in the action. It doesn't sound like that's really the thing you're interested in and I wouldn't suggest giving up more space or easy parking or higher rent for amenities you don't care about.
I agree with Megan, Verona is more of a family suburb so it also doesn't sound like what you're looking for either.
The far west side of Madison itself is a more upscale professional area and has a ton of newer apartment complexes for young people. It's generally a quiet area and not scene in any way, but it's located about half way between Epic and Downtown Madison, so you can easily get to either, and it's full of people in the same boat as you. I lived near the intersection of Watts and High Point for a year and it was a nice area (I moved to reduce my commute time into campus--I'm a grad student). I think that section of Madison fits what you describe that you're looking for. It's also a reasonable biking distance (~6 mi) from Epic.
I also agree with Megan that as a young professional making friends tends to have more to do with getting involved than where you live. New Epic employees spend a few months in training, so that's also a good opportunity to make friends with similar interests.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jzeig104
I am going to give you a different viewpoint on this. I lived both on the West side of Madison and in Verona. I think what you will find on the West side of Madison are noisy apartment complexes, for the most part. There arent many very well built ones. Verona, on the other hand, has well built apts and would be close enough for you to get to work on a bike for nearly 3 seasons. Verona IS more family oriented, but your friends will depend on what clubs and organizations you belong to. You can go into Madison for those within 10-15 minutes by car.
@SmittyXCWRU: How noisy did you find your apartment complexes in the far west side of Madison? From everyone's posts and especially yours, I'm starting to lean towards getting an apartment there but am slightly concerned about @jzeig104's point that they weren't as soundproof.
I don't really think you can go wrong on the West Side of Madison vs. Verona. Pick a place that has reasonable amenities and rental rate within decent proximity to Epic. Once you're here for a year, you can always move to a different place. Commuting on Hwy. M can be a bit of a hassle at peak times, but from what I understand many folks at Epic tend to go in a bit later and work a bit later than the average 8-5'er, so it may be a non-issue for you.
I agree with the other posters that your social connections will largely depend on the organizations that interest you. However, Epic is a very unique employer in that there are a HUGE number of young people working there. You'll likely develop many friendships and social activity options just from networking at work.
The "newer" apartments on Madison's farther west side that people are writing about here might be right for you, but make sure to spend a bit of time around them before signing on the dotted line, and turn your soul meter on while hanging out (as in, is this place as soulless as it seems?). I'm sure they're not all that way, but watch out for the places where cars seem to outnumber inhabitants, or asphalt takes up more space than the building, especially since you describe yourself as a likely bicycle commuter. I doubt you want to be in a place where 100 people climb into their Jettas every morning and disperse till nightfall.
One of my close family members worked at Epic for some years between college and graduate school. He chose to live in a small older apartment building west of campus, not entirely out of student territory but mixed. A place with soul (and in his case a roommate), accessible by foot or bike to downtown and campus attractions. He drove or biked out to Epic, depending on the weather. There's bus service too. I bicycle into town every morning from the west side on the Southwest Commuter Bike Path (an old RR line) and I see lots of young Epic types going the other way -- from town to Verona (yes, they're by and large identifiable, especially while commuting outward when everybody else is going in). You might look for a place not so far from a serviceable bike path somewhere between the Isthmus and the mid-west side, downtown itself perhaps if you're serious about the bike and can take the distance. I predict you'll be happier in Madison than in Verona, the closer to downtown the happier. But I hate encouraging people to commute by car in a small city where there are other sane options.
For some reason this question has been nagging me. Here are two additional thoughts, opposing ones:
1. Verona is not exciting but Madison isn't exactly midtown Manhattan either, so live in Verona, help build a community of congenial younger citizens -- and the businesses they attract -- in the vicinity of a major employer of persons such as yourself, reduce your carbon footprint by cycling, running, or walking to work year-round, and make your way into Madison once or twice a week for entertainment as needed.
2. Verona is mostly families in suburbia and that's not you, so find a nice place to live in downtown Madison, one of the swanky lake-view high-rises or something older and classic. In town there's action and something like urbanism and charm and a diverse community of educated single and coupled young people, and you'll feel good about yourself. Bicycle to work if you can manage that distance, or bus or car-pool or drive (when you're not traveling for Epic), and write the commuting hassle off as the price of taking a job with a good company that elected (for good reasons, I'm sure) to build on the city's edge.
One or the other, I think. Splitting the difference by living in a place that's far from work AND from the city center (for example an apartment complex on the west side) would be signing up for the bad aspects of both the options I described , don't you think?
Wow, thank you all for the helpful answers and advice!
@SmittyXCWRU: How noisy did you find your apartment complexes in the far west side of Madison? From everyone's posts and especially yours, I'm starting to lean towards getting an apartment there but am slightly concerned about @jzeig104's point that they weren't as soundproof.
Honestly I thought the area was pretty quiet. My neighbors would occasionally sit on their porch and play music during the day on weekends but that was about it as far as noise. I suppose it could be louder if you have more rambunctious neighbors but that was not my experience at all.
On the other hand, Skippery Boo does raise a good point that splitting the difference does mean you aren't going to be super-close to either work or bars/restaurants/activities. Still I remember a decent fraction of the people who live out on the far west side are Epic employees themselves, so you would be close to a lot of your peers.
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