Denver....or Milwaukee??

So after spending 15 years or so in the Republic of TX, the missus and I are thinking that it is time to look for a change of pace/season/location. A few spare minutes (ha! hours...) googling around and for now I've come up with two extremes -- somewhere in/around Denver or Milwaukee.

Looking for a place with reasonable housing, things to do outdoors (biking/hiking/parks/outdoor festivals/dog friendly restaurants). Denver seems decent from what I've read on teh intarwebs and from what folks have said here on GRM.....yes, I know, have to go see it for myself. I've been in Milwaukee a couple times -- I always considered it "Chicago lite" -- lower cost of living, similar amenities, and if I want to get into the Second City for a weekend, it's not that far away.

I'd like to be around mountains ( Denver +1) but housing prices in and around Milwaukee are better. Seems like state income taxes are cheaper in CO than WI -- still looking for info on property taxes in the two areas.

I know they are doing oil and gas exploration in Colorado -- dunno how close that is getting to the Denver metro area.

Enough of my rambles -- any thoughts and info from y'all?? What is the car scene like in both areas??

thx in advance!

I've been in Milwaukee for 17 years. Milwaukee property taxes are high, but overall cost of living is reasonable. For houses in the area www.shorewest.com is the easiest web site to use.

Good outdoor scene here. Lots of road cyclists. Fantastic mountain biking, hiking, and cross country skiing is about 45 minutes away in state parks.

Our summer festivals can't be beat. Summerfest started yesterday--11 days of music in the country's largest music festival. Some type of festival can be found almost every weekend all summer long.

Lots of good restaurants have been opening over the last five years. Really no shortage of great places to go at any price point.

Great autocross site at Miller Park. SCCA and a few other clubs run events there. Road America and Blackhawk Farms are less than an hour away.

Colorado is pretty awesome too.

Thanks Sir!

Back when I used to live in Chicago a few years ago, the main auto-x clubs were Chi Region SCCA, TSSC, and WAI -- they still in business? Any locations in the general area that sponsor track days??

I've also heard on teh intarwebs that looking outside Milwaukee County and the property taxes drop off dramatically -- true?

Thanks again for the info!!

FYI, the oil and gas exploration isn't close to Denver. I can't really say a whole lot else about it.

Do you need a big city? Because there's a lot of Colorado that's cooler than Denver

Keith!

I'm trying to stay in my current position/role -- I need access to an airport that goes to other major metro areas without a ton of plane changing. Denver fits because of nonstops to ORD, DFW, LAX, SEA, etc........

Agreed that there are a lot of other places that would open up as possibles if I didn't have that silly requirement. That is where the list stops now.

But I'm curious -- what are the other cooler places in CO?

orphancars wrote: I've also heard on teh intarwebs that looking outside Milwaukee County and the property taxes drop off dramatically -- true?

I moved from the city of Milwaukee to Brookfield, one of the first cities to the west of Milwaukee County. My house is 50% larger and lot is roughly three times the size of my old house/lot in MKE. At the time we bought our house in B-field (2004), our property tax was less than $100 more than what it was in MKE. It took 6½ months to sell our house in MKE, so by the time it sold, new prop tax assessments came out. The new assessment went up nearly 15%.

Denver would be a good place in that regard, I think it's the United hub.

Other cooler places? Well, spots that are actually IN the mountains instead of in view. Denver has the usual big city problems, and the roads in and out of the mountains become parking lots on Friday and Sunday night.

Durango's a neat town. I think Grand Junction has some real potential, and there are lots of smaller towns like Crested Butte and Glenwood Springs that are great if you love the outdoors.

Milwaukee is my vote.

I plan to move out of Chicago and go North of Milwaukee. Live in the Kettle Moraine area.

Plus you got the Brat Stop in Kenosha and Union Grove Dragstrip. Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous, Door County, and the Green Bay Meat Packers.

Ya Hey Der!

Never been to Denver, so I cannot offer an opinion.

My Sister lived in Port Washington (north of Milwaukee) for a few years. I was transferred to Milwaukee for a few months and had the chance to visit her and to look around (it was February-April though). Great people, beautiful country.

Plus...Road America....

Thanks for all the input folks -- keep it coming!

I can't say whether Milwaukee is better than Denver but since I work in Milwaukee and surrounding areas pretty much every day I can give some insight.

Milwaukee has some pretty extremes in the weather. Winter can be as cold as -10 on some days with the average winter day being in high teens to mid 20's. Some years there is little snowfall and others there can be weekly 10-inch snow storms. Summer can get pretty hot (mid 90's) but it's the humidity that can be a bear. Spring and fall days are simply awesome. Great time to be in Wisconsin.

Property taxes vary greatly by community. Personally I would stick to one of the suburbs - Waukesha (birthplace of Les Paul), New Berlin, Pewaukee, Delafield are all great places to settle down. If you are a little more flush with cash there are some real nice places north of the city - Glendale, Whitefish Bay. While there is some traffic during rush hour it's nothing like a large city. If it takes 20 min (normally 9-10 min) from the western suburbs to downtown that's considered a horrible delay.

The schools in the city can be a grab-bag. Make sure you check out the school where you buy your house if it's in the city. That could be a deal breaker. Suburb schools are pretty top notch.

Politics tend to be left leaning in the major cities in the state with rural areas being more right. Our state has been under democratic control for some time now and has voted democratic for president since Reagan I believe.

Shopping is good with 3+ major malls. There are many great local shops on Farwell street which is near UW-Milwaukee.

Good bar scene on Water street and Old World Third street.

Art Museum is one of the city's greatest assets.

Miller Park is a awesome ballpark (this from a Cubs fan - though that is our second home, hence the nick-name Wrigley North).

Decent variety in radio stations. There is one of the nations top country stations - 106.1. There is rock, alternative, R&B, pop - the usual.

Door county, Wisconsin Dells can both be great weekend getaways with the family/missus. Plus there is a lot of winery's around if you like that sort of thing.

Whistling Straits is in Kohler. The PGA Championship is being held there this year so you can go see Tiger sink his putter.

Lots to do in Madison as well - only a 70 mile drive away.

Chicago is only a 1.5 - 2 hour drive, but you knew that already. I won't go into the awesomeness that holds. Plus if you don't want to drive you can catch the train down there. There is talk of turning that line into a high speed rail line but that may be years off if at all.

I'm sure there is more but I've rambled on enough already.

Damn - I also forgot the most important thing that Milwaukee has - Road America is only a hour north.

Beat that Denver!

Umm - Pikes Peak? That's all I got :D

when I was in the Navy I was stationed at Great Lakes (n of Chicago, s of Milwaukee) ,, went to Chicago 3 or 4 weekends... there was no love there... the city was way to big to give a rats behind about us sailors... started going to Milwaukee and it was a whole 'nother world... it seemed like a small town the way the folk treated us... 'course this was in 1969, attitudes could've changed some by now..

If you're interested in having a track nearby, the High Plains Raceway is about an hours ride East of Denver too. Haven't been to see it myself, it's pretty new.

I live in the little town of Castle Rock, which is just south of the Denver Metro area, and I must say I like it. It's about 20 minutes up the I25 to the tech center, about a 45 minute trip to Denver International, plenty of stuff nearby yet still has that small town feel. At least it does to me... I grew up in LA county in California. It's a HELL of a lot cheaper than CA was too, but then again that's not saying much.

They both have great beer you cant lose! Sorry, I have nothing real to add I have only been to Milwaukee so far.

High plains raceway is the Bomb. Lots of elevation changes and off camber fun.

Denver is getting expensive and depending on what you do finding a job in the smaller towns can be a pita.

Turbonutter wrote: If you're interested in having a track nearby, the High Plains Raceway is about an hours ride East of Denver too. Haven't been to see it myself, it's pretty new. I live in the little town of Castle Rock, which is just south of the Denver Metro area, and I must say I like it. It's about 20 minutes up the I25 to the tech center, about a 45 minute trip to Denver International, plenty of stuff nearby yet still has that small town feel. At least it does to me... I grew up in LA county in California. It's a HELL of a lot cheaper than CA was too, but then again that's not saying much.

Thanks for that Turbonutter!! I was looking at real estate in and around Castle Rock -- saw some stuff that would work -- and the time to the tech center would be doable too!

CaptainSpaulding wrote: High plains raceway is the Bomb. Lots of elevation changes and off camber fun. Denver is getting expensive and depending on what you do finding a job in the smaller towns can be a pita.

I keep finding properties I'd like that are west of Denver in the mountains (think Black Hawk, Nederland, Drake).......and it looks like it should be 20 miles or so to the western edge of the Denver/Boulder metro area.......and Google says it should take 30 -- 45 mins to get to places like Arvada. Just doing that kind of armchair navigating because I guess if I lived in those remote areas, I'd have to come to the city to go shopping, etc..........

Sound about right to anyone in the area??

Thanks again for all of the inputs for both areas -- it is helping

Oh yeah -- off to research high plains raceway now, too!

Dont trust google drive times. Double the drive time for traffic. I live in southwest littleton in the foothills and it takes me 45 mins to drive 15 miles and 90 mins when it snows.

The drive from Castlerock isnt all that bad. I have a friend and fellow racer that lives in Founders village.

denver, no questions asked. i've lived near milwaukee and i can't say i enjoy the city/suburbs life. I like the mountains personally

Marty hit the MKE highlights for sure. If you can get by the taxes and the weather (...my idea of an ideal winter is snow from the day before Thanksgiving to maybe New Years Day..and then it can be spring...), Milwaukee is a fabulous place.

You have the Milwaukee Region at BHF and the Chicago Region at RA; Grattan, Gingerman and Autobahn are short tows/drives. The SOLO program here is one of the best in the US--top 5 for sure. Two clubs (SCCA and WAI) run a combined 16 events from April thru October. The MCSCC have a presence as well--both in road racing and autocross (track and parking lot).

MKE's airport is nice--very fast in and out. If you cant get a direct flight there, ORD is an hour drive south--you and get anywhere from there.

I'm sure Denver is nice--I have always liked visiting there. Good luck on your choice!

orphancars wrote: Thanks Sir! Back when I used to live in Chicago a few years ago, the main auto-x clubs were Chi Region SCCA, TSSC, and WAI -- they still in business? Any locations in the general area that sponsor track days?? I've also heard on teh intarwebs that looking outside Milwaukee County and the property taxes drop off dramatically -- true? Thanks again for the info!!

Chicago has a good SCCA autocross scene, WAI is still going strong ( http://www.waiautox.org/index.html ), I never did any racing with TSSC.

Yep, taxes outside of Milwaukee county are lower. Waukesha County is a good place to start, it is west of the metro area.

Thanks for all of the inputs -- almost sounds like a split decision and could be happy in either location.......

@CaptainSpaulding -- It might be in your backyard, maybe not -- know anything about Divide, CO? Just asking because I found a few places on realtor.com that looked promising......of course I have learned not to totally trust teh intarwebz when looking at housing -- but it looks like it might be a good start......

thanks again fellow addicts