WI, CA, or VA? (Milwaukee, Madison: house, schools, property taxes)

[rekuci]

I moved to Wisconsin from the DC area (although I lived on MD side) 2 years ago...you're right that Arlington would be fast paced. Arlington itself is ultra-expensive, one of the most desirable close-in locations to DC itself. Can you afford $600k for a starter home? $2000/month rent for 1-2 bedroom? Prices have dropped in DC area in general but Arlington is an exception for obvious reasons. So my initial guess is that you'd likely find yourself not actually living in Arlington itself, your husband would just be working there (join the crowd) and possibly commuting. Traffic is absolutely horrendous in the entire region. You'll find that the traffic makes things that would otherwise be close proximity (eg. Shenandoah, beaches) in actuality be far less accessible than they otherwise would be. Traffic is awful even on weekends trying to get to these destinations. It got to the point where I'd get a pit in my stomach even thinking of going anywhere popular on 3-day weekends in summer. You may be familiar with this sorta crap in NYC too though. But yes it is nice to be theoretically close to the mountains and beaches! Just depends what you're willing to put up with.

And re: annkathryn "southern hospitality"...are you kidding me??

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by jasminescent

Wow great responses! We've lived near NYC our whole lives so we can deal with the cold and snow. I imagine Wisconsin to be even colder though. Even though we love all the things that NYC has to offer, we really want to settle down and find a less stressful and less expensive lifestyle. NOVA/DC is probably almost as stressful, fast paced, and expensive as NYC but I really like the proximity to great parks and wineries. San Diego has great weather but our family is all on the east coast so visiting them would be a pain. What would be perfect is a city that offers what NOVA offers but with San Diego weather and Wisconsin COL and traffic. Milwaukee is very close to Chicago so perhaps it offers more than what I think. I think we can probably afford all 3 places but of course there'll be more limitation in NOVA and San Diego and the amount we can save. Maybe it's better to save some money first and then move to somewhere more expensive later when we have more money to spare? Right now NOVA and mke are our top two, and we can't really make up our minds right now. San Diego is probably out becuase of distance from family.

I think Houston, Texas might actually be a place you should consider. Houston has had one of strongest economies, if not the strongest economy, for over a decade. Houston has a beautiful, sub-tropical climate and is very close to beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. Last but not least, Houston has one of the lowest cost-of-livings, despite being one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US. The only thing Houston won't offer is relief from traffic congestion, but you have to admit that 3 out of 4 isn't bad.

[nanannie]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

I think Houston, Texas might actually be a place you should consider. Houston has had one of strongest economies, if not the strongest economy, for over a decade. Houston has a beautiful, sub-tropical climate and is very close to beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. Last but not least, Houston has one of the lowest cost-of-livings, despite being one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US. The only thing Houston won't offer is relief from traffic congestion, but you have to admit that 3 out of 4 isn't bad.

I had to live in Houston for five years. "beautiful sub tropical climate"???!!! I would say many months the weather was more on comparison to hell. Hot to the max and humidity one can not believe. I know many would prefer that to winters. It does have a good business climate, but it is not for everyone. It will never be on any "most attractive" city list and I sure didnt find those beaches attractive,but to each his own. Good restaurants, nice people, but I have NO desire to even return for a visit. Different strokes. Glad you found 'home' for you.

[Central Illinois 1]

My choice would be San Diego (climate, beaches, laid-back atmosphere, loads of things to see and do in SoCal). The big downfall, of course, is the cost of housing.

Arlington would definitely be my last choice because it has both the bad weather and high living costs. At least Milwaukee just has the bad weather.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by jasminescent

What would be perfect is a city that offers what NOVA offers but with San Diego weather and Wisconsin COL and traffic.

What would it be?









Damn crowded.

[catfeathers]

Our neighbors just moved to Arlington from Wisconsin (45 min west of Milwaukee). The cost of living/traffic is very different (higher/busier) than here.
Weather wise, they said Arlington had a slightly milder winter than we did. I don't think Milwaukee winters are any worse than New York's...as a matter of fact, with the lake, it stays slightly 'warmer' than the 'burbs'. But we do have cool/cold weather from October to early May. San Diego would be my vote based on weather only...but that is subjective! Wisconsin is beautiful, and "Milwaukee" encompasses a large area, so there is bound to be attractions/events/shopping/neighborhoods that would suit you. And there are lots of really great restaurants (ethnic included) throughout the area.
Tough choice!

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by jasminescent

my DH and I are trying to decide where to go. We like good restaurants and outdoor activities and we want to be near a big city. Here are our finalists.

He has job offers with similar salaries in:
Arlington, Va
San Diego, Ca
Milwaukee, WI

I still need to find a job depending on where we go. I can see pros and cons for each place. Milwaukee, WI has the long winters but cost of living will be less than the others while salaries are about the same. Milwaukee won't have all the great ethnic restaurants and diversity as the other two places but traffic will be a lot less. Which place would you choose and why?

I lived in Milwaukee and Washington/VA, and travel to San Diego often. Here is how I would rank them.

1) San Diego
2) Milwaukee
3) Washington DC/Virginia/MD

Why?

San Diego has perfect weather, traffic isn't horrendous like DC, and it's got a better job market than Milwaukee. There are so many things to do, it's hard to list them all. The best part of San Diego is that it's decidedly NOT Los Angeles. I can't stand LA, but I love San Diego. There is a little overflow from the bizarre (and IMO, often deliberate) affectations of some LA people, but it's not too bad. The airport is easy to get in and out of.

Milwaukee has a good cost of living, tons of great restaurants, many great places to live, ample outdoor opportunities, and weather that is nice for a few months a year. However, it is very livable and easy to get around by car. People are somewhat friendly. The airport is a breeze to get to and from, and rarely is very busy or experiences long delays.

Washington, DC has the best job market, the highest pay, the worst traffic, and is punctuated by some seriously dumpy and creepy neighborhoods. Ditto for Baltimore and Philadelphia. Flying in and out of the East Coast is a crapshoot at best. The airports are overcrowded, the airspace is too tightly packed, delays are common, and just getting to the airport can be a nightmare. Everything is old--buildings, streets, towns, sidewalks--which adds character but also makes it look dumpy at times. It borders Appalachia and the South, which can make it both interesting and challenging. Weather is better than Milwaukee, but it's not that great. Endless eating and entertainment, plus all the history, make it a good place to spend time. People will commute for hours a day. IMO, the only way to live in or around DC, is to live close to work and not have to drive much. I miss a lot about the DC area, but it's more complicated and frustrating to live there than other places. Mostly because of traffic.

[Tracey276]

Originally Posted by jasminescent

my DH and I are trying to decide where to go. We like good restaurants and outdoor activities and we want to be near a big city. Here are our finalists.

He has job offers with similar salaries in:
Arlington, Va
San Diego, Ca
Milwaukee, WI

I still need to find a job depending on where we go. I can see pros and cons for each place. Milwaukee, WI has the long winters but cost of living will be less than the others while salaries are about the same. Milwaukee won't have all the great ethnic restaurants and diversity as the other two places but traffic will be a lot less. Which place would you choose and why?

I have experience with almost all of these places. I have lived in VA, but Virginia Beach, VA, my hubby lived in San Diego for 14 years in the Navy and we now live in Milwaukee(salem, but close enough), WI. My hubby would pick San Diego hands down if we could afford to go back. He loved the weather, beautiful area, lots of jobs. But very expensive. I liked VA but it was too hot for me and not a lot of professional jobs but I don't know about Arlington. I love the Milwaukee area. I find it is more expensive here to live than VA by far. VA has a lot of programs that lowers the costs for their residents. Gas is A LOT cheaper for one. We are paying over a buck and a half more here in WI than VA. So, that's my take. I love the Midwest and would never leave again. However, it all depends on what is most important to you, weather, jobs, are, cost, etc. Good luck to you.

[notmuch69]

Gas is A LOT cheaper for one. We are paying over a buck and a half more here in WI than VA.

You're saying that on the same date, gas in VA is $1.50 cheaper per gallon than WI?
Gas Prices - MSN Autos

Gas Prices - MSN Autos

I find that hard to believe.

[yo vanilla]

I love warm weather and I hate cold weather. But there's one thing you have to ask yourself: if you take the job in San Diego, will it pay in IOU's?

I'm not sure anyone in their right mind would be moving to CA right now. Take it from a guy who's been talking about moving there for a long time.