What's to hate about Brown Deer,WI (Milwaukee, Madison: middle-class, low crime)

[green_mariner]

I read posts about Brown Deer, WI and I check the statistics for this suburb. Low crime rates(markedly less dangerous than MKE). Good middle-class suburb. Any area can have bad parts, but Brown Deer isn't that dangerous. If I was moving to the MKE area, I would move to Brown Deer. Why do so many people hate Brown Deer?

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I read posts about Brown Deer, WI and I check the statistics for this suburb. Low crime rates(markedly less dangerous than MKE). Good middle-class suburb. Any area can have bad parts, but Brown Deer isn't that dangerous. If I was moving to the MKE area, I would move to Brown Deer. Why do so many people hate Brown Deer?

I don't quite know. Frankly, it is one of the suburbs of Milwaukee that still has nice, but actually reasonably-priced middle class housing. So many suburbs here are unafordable for middle-class families housing-wise.

Sure, there are some sketchier areas of BD near the Milwaukee city border (especially on the 76th street area), but they are fairly limited.

BD overall is relatively safe in most parts and has great access to the metro.

I think the Deer gets a bad rap here. It isn't the greatest suburb in terms of prestige in this metro, however, for the price of the housing and the relatively low crime rates away from the border areas, it is a pretty darn nice choice.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

I don't quite know. Frankly, it is one of the suburbs of Milwaukee that still has nice, but actually reasonably-priced middle class housing. So many suburbs here are unafordable for middle-class families housing-wise.

Sure, there are some sketchier areas of BD near the Milwaukee city border (especially on the 76th street area), but they are fairly limited.

BD overall is relatively safe in most parts and has great access to the metro.

I think the Deer gets a bad rap here. It isn't the greatest suburb in terms of prestige in this metro, however, for the price of the housing and the relatively low crime rates away from the border areas, it is a pretty darn nice choice.

It is also one of the few suburbs with a relatively diverse population. Rare in the MKE metro area.

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Why do so many people hate Brown Deer?

Class.

Brown Deer is a working class suburb sitting adjacent to the ritzy, wealthy suburbs of the north shore. Since many of its residents are decidedly working class, and the houses tend to be somewhat less expensive there, Brown Deer often gets affixed with the moniker "ghetto."

Anyone caught using racial slurs in today's day and age is roundly criticized. Yet the terms "white trash" and "trailer trash" are bandied about without a care in the world.

It's a form of prejudice. Some people, apparantly, like to inflate their own selves up by tearing other people down. By calling them "trash" and saying the area they live in is "ghetto," when in fact it's a perfectly reasonable place to live.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

It is also one of the few suburbs with a relatively diverse population. Rare in the MKE metro area.

This is true. A fairly even mix between black and white residents and a fairly middle class suburb.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee Ronnie

Class.

Brown Deer is a working class suburb sitting adjacent to the ritzy, wealthy suburbs of the north shore. Since many of its residents are decidedly working class, and the houses tend to be somewhat less expensive there, Brown Deer often gets affixed with the moniker "ghetto."

Anyone caught using racial slurs in today's day and age is roundly criticized. Yet the terms "white trash" and "trailer trash" are bandied about without a care in the world.

It's a form of prejudice. Some people, apparantly, like to inflate their own selves up by tearing other people down. By calling them "trash" and saying the area they live in is "ghetto," when in fact it's a perfectly reasonable place to live.

I never saw Brown Deer as working class. I looked at the income statistics and thinking that the avg income was higher than the state avg, I guess I might be mistaken.
Brown Deer is a decent place.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee Ronnie

Anyone caught using racial slurs in today's day and age is roundly criticized. Yet the terms "white trash" and "trailer trash" are bandied about without a care in the world.

Amen my friend, amen.

[EnjoyEP]

[quote=pirate_lafitte;2694711]I never saw Brown Deer as working class. I looked at the income statistics and thinking that the avg income was higher than the state avg, I guess I might be mistaken.

Well sure, the income stats are higher than the state average I am sure, but seriously, that is because such a large portion of the state is a rural / small town composite. Outside of Milwaukee metro and Madison metro, most of the state is more rural / small towns, where sure, there are still some affluent pockets, but for the most part jobs aren't extremely high paying.

A more accurate comparison would be to compare Brown Deers' average incomes against other Milwaukee area suburbs such as Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, Glendale, Fox Point, Bayside, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, Mequon, etc., etc., etc.

Then you'd see what Ronnie means by working class. It isn't a knock by any means. Hell, I am as middle class as you can get (barely probably hurdling over the lower class portion! ). But compared to WFB or Shorewood, etc., Brown Deer certainly is middle class / working class.

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Brown Deer is a decent place.

I think Ronnie and I both agree with you.

[south-to-west]

My mother lives in Brown Deer in an excellent neighborhood near Brown Deer High School and absolutely loves it there. It's in an excellent location with close proximity to the city and the lakeshore, and the people there are great. The homes there are a little more modest than their other North Shore counterparts, but they're still nice and the yards are very well-kept. Overall I'd say it's very close to a Norman Rockwell painting--no exaggeration!

Ronnie,

Well said. I always thought the WT term was vile and showed the worse side of some people's endemic elitism.

[Softtail_Honey]

No, Brown Deer isn't "dangerous" but in the last 6 months 2 teens stormed a house and shot a teenager and a man was going to his car early in the morning and was beat up for no apparent reason. Last summer they put "clubs" on the hoops at the middle school because there was fighting and there have also been gun shots fired. Last summer there was a shooting at Brown Deer Park(albeit that is a Milwaukee Park System Park) not to mention things out of control(fighting and stepped up police presence during sporting events).I've lived in Brown Deer for the last 8 years and it IS changing. Diverse, maybe. In our school system the "minority" is the "majority". 48 percent of the students are white and the other 53 are back, hispanic and asian. Next year we are going to pull our 8 year old out of Brown Deer schools and send him to either a parochial school or to Elmbrook School District on the School Choice Option. Not to mention the TAXES................almost 4 grand for a 1000 sq foot house with only 1 bathroom. And yes, the houses are well kept....I'll agree. Norman Rockwell? Not IMO. We live on the east side of the HS