Tell Me About Madison WI

Christopher_S · 06-25-2003, 08:30 AM

I just applied for a job in Madison, Wisconsin... a place I've been in a total of 1 time, and that was for a U2 show years ago. Anyone with an opinion or two... nice place to live? Cheap? Expensive? Stuff to do?

I'm originally from Illinois, so I already know about the snow and ice, thanks. But I can put up with that if the city's decent.

Dave Poehlman · 06-25-2003, 09:48 AM

It was voted the nations best place to live a few years ago by some magazine I can't remember the name of. It's a great small town... I'd live there if my job would let me.

There's a lot of nice nature/bike trails, the college campus is there so you have that "intellectual feeling" in the air. Plus, you're only about and hour from Milwaukee if you want to hit Summerfest, Brewers games, Bucks games, concerts... etc...

Or, you're also a few minutes from the Dells, home of some of the best damn water parks in the country.

And don't forget: Madisound is right there too!

No more shipping charges on those NHT's.

Jed M · 06-25-2003, 01:45 PM

My uncle taught at UW for 10 years before moving to Illinois to teach and I visited there a few times. I absolutely love that town. Its really a great place to live (and drink). Its not Florida, but its a fun, charming city, or at least my Uncle really misses it.

Mike Pollmann · 06-25-2003, 02:11 PM

I live in Milwaukee, but have been to Madison many many many times. It's a nice city, not too big. Lots to do, 2 major cities (Milwaukee, Chicago) within driving distance. My only complaint is that it lacks a central highway system, so you end up having to take major city roads a lot. And by major city roads, I mean 45 mph, 3 lanes per side, lots of stoplights. There's an area near downtown on State Street that is a pedestrian mall (they only allow buses through there). All sorts of neat little shops down there.

As far as weather goes, we here in Wisconsin get the enter package. Get used to a bit of snow. I don't think it's as bad as say, Buffalo NY, but we have our share of heavy snowstorms. The average temperature range each year is from about -20 to 100 F. Right now, it's 93 here in Milwaukee. It is nice that we do get all of the seasons here, with lots of colors in autumn, etc.

Let me know if you want any more specific information.

Scott Van Dyke · 06-25-2003, 02:29 PM

Wisconsin rules. FIB's love it here.

**HTF Ads**

dave_brogli · 06-25-2003, 05:15 PM

I like Madison. I hate the dirtyness (some parts are kinda run down dirty)

Its a beautiful town to though. One of the top 5 places in the Country (i think) for Grade School's. And one of the best places to live (like the above post)

Home of the great Mendota (mental facility) lol

Madisons though is also a little on the more expensive side, but then again your from FL which has a higher standard of living than where I live. (Northern WI)

My wife and I seriously contemplated moving there.

Christopher_S · 06-26-2003, 07:58 AM

Thanks for the posts. What you've said pretty much backs up what I'd already heard... that it's not a bad place to live. Now I guess I've just gotta concentrate on the small details, like GETTING the job.

MickeS · 06-26-2003, 10:41 AM

I was there for a couple of days last year and really liked the place. It actually reminded me of Tucson a bit, except it's greener and prettier.

Max Leung · 06-26-2003, 01:29 PM

To help Chris along...can any of you answer this:

What is the nightlife like?

Are the pubs and restaurants non-smoking?

How many parks are there? Are there dog-friendly parks too?

Does Madison have a good snowplow program? Or do they leave the snow to pile up for a few weeks and then clean it up, pissing off the residents?

Taxes?

Are there residential areas to avoid in Madison?

Water quality: Hard or soft?

Any good theaters? Bad theaters to avoid?

People friendly, or uppity?

Mark Zimmer · 06-26-2003, 04:34 PM

Some answers from a longtime Madison native:

What is the nightlife like?

Pretty good; the music scene isn't as great as it was say 15-20 years ago but there is a terrific Blues club and a couple of dance spots. Crystal Corner and Harmony Bar are both tiny but they have some great music too. The new Overture Center is supposed to open next year, I think, and be a downtown arts magnet. We'll see.

Are the pubs and restaurants non-smoking?
Madison ordinances prohibit smoking in restaurants. Smoking is still OK in pubs.

How many parks are there? Are there dog-friendly parks too?

There are over a dozen parks, plus four off-leash dog parks. In the county there are several more dog parks to boot. Several have water for dog swimming.

Does Madison have a good snowplow program? Or do they leave the snow to pile up for a few weeks and then clean it up, pissing off the residents?

It's pretty good, though if you live in a cul-de-sac you may have to wait a day or two after a heavy storm. A caution: the Madison cops are fanatical about ticketing people Nov.-April for alternate side of the street parking (you have to park on the side of the street odd or even that matches the odd or even status of the day as of 2 AM....even if there's no sign of snow and it's 70 degrees).

Taxes?

Property taxes are a shocker in Wisconsin for many immigrants. Mine are about $3600 and my house ain't any great shakes. On the positive side, they haven't gone up for me for a couple years.

Are there residential areas to avoid in Madison?

There are some less than desirable areas, but they're fairly ill-defined and often quite close to desirable areas. For instance, the old Broadway-Simpson neighborhood was pretty close to a slum but it was right by the slightly posh suburb of Monona. As a rule of thumb, east side is more working class, west side is more elite/university/government types, but there are big exceptions. Maple Bluff is a major power center (the Wis. governor lives there) and it's on the east side.

Water quality: Hard or soft?
Very hard. You will NEED a water softener and plenty of salt.

Any good theaters? Bad theaters to avoid?

On the fringes there are good ones: Eastgate and Point are giant multiplexes but they're very well maintained. The Westgate theater is the closest thing to an arthouse since the Majestic closed down. I hate the Hilldale theater (which also shows some arty stuff), because one of the screens for years had a big rip in it that they never fixed; I have no idea if it's still there because I refuse to go any more. There's a restaurant theater on the south side that I'm told is very nice but I've never been there.

People friendly, or uppity?

Generally pretty friendly, though again that varies by neighborhood to some extent. Generally east side is friendlier.