Whether it’s hot or cold -- and it will be both -- there’s always something to do in Milwaukee. The city is known for its world-class museums and theater, a resurgent (again) downtown, hip restaurants and hot spots, and its crowning jewel of three miles of beach lakefront. And it’s only a short drive from world capitals like Chicago, as well as vacation destinations like Door County, Lake Geneva, and the Wisconsin Dells.

The lakefront is amazing in the summer, but it can be hell in the winter. “Cooler by the lake” can mean that it is literally 10 degrees colder than the rest of the state. That cold means temperatures well below zero, not even including the blasted wind chill. Tornadoes, hail storms, and frigid temps are just some of the unpredictable weather that hits Milwaukee. The sun can be elusive for days, which can strongly affect people with seasonal disorders. Of course, all this means is that Milwaukeeans appreciate the good days all that much more.  



Location, location, location

LookyLOO Review of Milwaukee

Consistently named one of the most affordable metro areas in the country, life in Milwaukee won’t eat away at your budget like it will in other big cities. But that’s not to say that it’s an inferior option. Over the past 15 years, Milwaukee has undergone one of its famous reinventions of itself, this time evolving (or devolving, depending on your perspective) into a hip and funky mini-metropolis. 

The beer scene lives up to the hype, with highly rated breweries popping up all over town ‘Brew City,’ and foodies rejoice with highly rated restaurants and a wide variety of options aplenty… not to mention the cheese tastings that Wisconsin is famous for. Sports fandoms in Milwaukee are huge, with pro sports teams like the Brewers, Bucks and Packers repped all around town. The expansive Milwaukee Public Market and countless summer music festivals including the internationally known Summerfest give the more social crowd an opportunity to take advantage of the warmer summer weather.

If you want to get a flavor of what happens in Milwaukee check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.visitmilwaukee.org/events/).


Lifestyle 

Although there’s no such thing as a perfect job market, Milwaukee’s is solid as a thick sheet of winter ice, with unemployment rates as low as the temperatures and job options in some sectors accumulating like the snow on your lawn. An increasingly younger generation of transplants has been moving to Brew City, as an alternative to Chicago, to take advantage of the low cost of living and lively new development in recent years.

The manufacturing business is popular in Milwaukee, with Harley Davidson, Rockwell Automation, and Johnson Controls as some of the big names in that category. Milwaukee is also a major destination for healthcare workers. Froedtert and Advocate Aurora Health are two of the biggest employers in the Milwaukee area.


Worklife

[**Milwaukee Public Schools**](mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us) (also referred to as MPS) receive a [**"C" rating on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/milwaukee-public-schools-wi/). It takes dings from parents for a variety of issues including discipline and academic support. Like all major cities, some schools rise above and if you choose public schools for your kiddos here then keep an eye out for them. These high-performers include:

-[**Reagan College Prep**](ronaldreaganhs.org) is the #1 rated Magnet school in the entire state. It rates an [**"A+" on niche.com**](mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us) with high scores for Academics, Teachers and College Prep. 
-[**Rufus King International**](schools.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/rufusking) is the #3 rated Magnet school in the state, receives an [**"A" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/rufus-king-international-high-school-milwaukee-wi/?map) and gets high grades for Teachers, College Prep, and Clubs & Activities. 
-[**Golda Meir School**](schools.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/goldameir) is the #4 rated best Magnet school in the state and receives an [**"A-" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/golda-meir-school-milwaukee-wi/?map). Its greatest strength is considered the quality of the Teachers. 

Schools

Milwaukee has always been a place of reinvention. Its now-thriving downtown has had many highs and lows, and right now, though its enjoying a resurgence, the cost of living hasn’t quite caught up. So you can have the big city life, without all the big city costs. For the time being. 


 Milwaukee is always changing and adapting .

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**GreenWaveJake**
Living in Milwaukee
2y ago
✭✭✭

Been here about 3 months but visited a lot in the 4 years prior that I lived in Chicago… 

Pros:
relatively inexpensive to dine out and the food is generally underrated - plenty of good restaurants that are on par with Chicago but at a fraction of the price

access to the lake is much better than Chicago

people are genuinely nice!

summerfest

Cons:

Petty crime is high; we have had our car broken into twice and witnessed a shooting

it is still the Midwest - the weather sucks from Jan - April

a lot of people who live here also grew up here - it can be hard to break into socially

For more reviews of Milwaukee from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/milwaukee/reviews) 

People are genuinely nice!

Reviews of Milwaukee from Locals

**The Best Thing About Milwaukee?**  Location, location, location

Whether it’s hot or cold -- and it will be both -- there’s always something to do in Milwaukee. The city is known for its world-class museums and theater, a resurgent (again) downtown, hip restaurants and hot spots, and its crowning jewel of three miles of beach lakefront. And it’s only a short drive from world capitals like Chicago, as well as vacation destinations like Door County, Lake Geneva and the Wisconsin Dells. 

**The Worst Thing About Milwaukee?**  The weather

The lakefront is amazing in the summer, but it can be hell in the winter. “Cooler by the lake” can mean that it is literally 10 degrees colder than the rest of the state. That cold means temperatures well below zero, not even including the blasted wind chill. Tornadoes, hail storms and frigid temps are just some of the unpredictable weather that hits Milwaukee. The sun can be elusive for days, which can strongly affect people with seasonal disorders. Of course, all this means is that Milwaukeeans appreciate the good days all that much more. 

**How You Living?** Depends

How you live in Milwaukee has a lot to do with where you live. Over the past 15 years Milwaukee has undergone one of its famous reinventions of itself, this time as a hip and funky mini-metropolis. Tech workers and others will enjoy the Historic Third Ward, with its boutique hotels and restaurants, the expansive Milwaukee Public Market and countless summer music festivals including the internationally known Summerfest. But Milwaukee is also deeply segregated and its neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs are divided politically. And a lack of a good public transit system keeps these neighborhoods divided geographically, only traverseable by car. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?**  Milwaukee is always changing and adapting 

Milwaukee has always been a place of reinvention. Its now-thriving downtown has had many highs and lows, and right now, though its enjoying a resurgence, the cost of living hasn’t quite caught up. So you can have the big city life, without all the big city costs. For the time being. 


The city of Milwaukee sits on the shores of Lake Michigan, with the eastern side of the city on the water and the west side more inland. Speaking of water, the city is also at the confluence of three rivers: the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic, and the Milwaukee. The city is similar to Detroit in that the city center is on the water and there are highways leading out of the city like spokes of a wheel. The streets are on a grid system, with N/S cities being numbered and E/W streets being named. The closest major metropolitan area is Chicago, a quick hour and a half drive south. Madison is the same distance directly west and Green bay is equal distance north. 


The Area 

Milwaukee is home to several colleges including UW-Milwaukee, Marquette University, and several others. Although there is student housing surrounding each institution, the best area for a college vibe is hands-down East Side. IT’s trendy, it’s young, and it’s the most popular spot for nightlife along Brady Street. This is the place to move if you are a night owl looking for endless possibilities for a night out.
- East Side
- Avenues West
- Walker’s Point


College Students

East Side

If you’re planning to move to Milwaukee and you’re a recent grad or young professional, you’ll have your pick of great neighborhoods in the city. From the LGBTQ+ friendly Walker’s Point to the black-owned business district of Bronzeville, you really can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for that quintessential live-play-work vibe, you’ll want to check out Third Ward. It’s right downtown, which makes commuting a breeze if you work nearby. You’ll also have Lake Michigan in your backyard and as the backdrop to late nights and countless IG posts. Living here, you’ll have your pick of luxury apartments, condos, and converted warehouse lofts.
- Third Ward
- Walker’s Point
- Bronzeville


Young Professionals

Third Ward

If you want a tight knit community look no further than Riverwest. This neighborhood marches to the beat of its own drum and you can find a little bit of everything here. You want brewpubs? Done. Vegan options? They’ve got you covered. Quirky retail and art venues? But, of course! This area has adorable homes with porches, sidewalk-lined streets, and a ton of friendly neighbors!
- Riverwalk
- Bayview
- Clarke Square


DINKs/SINKs

Riverwalk

Milwaukee is underrated as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. From Pridefest Milwaukee and Summerfest to the organizations that fight for the needs of the community, it’s truly underappreciated by the rest of the country. If you want a fun, industrial, foodie-centric neighborhood look no further than Walker’s Point. Second Street has a ton of amazing restaurants and bars, but don’t count out the up and coming Fifth Street for your next night out. Because it’s Milwaukee’s oldest neighborhood you can find amazing homes as well as newer luxury apartments.
- Walker’s Point
- East Side
- Third Ward
Pridefest link https://www.gayrealestate.com/news/usa/wisconsin/milwaukee/lgbtq-milwaukee-a-city-with-a-warm-midwestern-welcome.html 


LGBTQ+

Walker's Point

If you’re settling down near Milwaukee, you’ll appreciate that it’s not too big of a city for a family (sorry, Chicago). We suggest finding a spot in Bay View, one of Milwaukee’s most popular neighborhoods for families and young professionals. It’s just south of downtown on the coast, it’s hip, eclectic, and home to a huge restaurant district, farmers markets, and weekly concerts. The walkability of this neighborhood to surrounding parks and playgrounds makes this a must-see neighborhood.
- Bay View
- Riverwest
- East Town


Families

Bay View

Milwaukee

**MKE1969**
Living in Milwaukee
3y ago
✭✭✭

Pro’s? So many awesome restaurants and bars, the summers are incredible. The lake is incredible. The theaters and sports are great- Brewers, Bucks, Admirals. There’s a great concerts almost every weekend.

Cons- the crime. I moved from Central Illinois- the reckless driving still makes my head spin 10 years later. Red lights mean nothing, lane markers mean nothing, speed limits mean nothing. If you don’t have indoor parking your car will probably get broken into. (Police response is non existent) The property taxes are INSANE.

But I still love it here and you will too!

**Goinstrong**
Lived in Milwaukee 
2y ago
✭✭✭✭

**Is Milwaukee, WI a good place to move to for someone newly divorced who is looking to start over? I’m looking for a good (affordable and filled with nice, friendly people) place to move from San Francisco**

Milwaukee proper is a fairly large city (600,000+), and very multi-cultural. It is a very old city, with buildings from yesteryear as well as new builds.

Professional sports, as well as the arts, abound. Plenty of ethnic dining of high quality.

There is much activity through spring, summer & fall. One very fun activity in the summer is kite flying.

Milwaukee is not without violent crime, with the year 2000 reporting between 8000 and 9000 such crimes. Coming from SF, it wouldn’t be a big change.

If you aspire to advancing your education, there are several outstanding institutions of higher learning in the city.

Milwaukie is approximately 80–90 miles from Chicago, IL. If you can’t find “it” in Milwaukee, you’ll find it in Chicago.

Flying in and out of Milwaukee is quite easy, as well.

**John Pandl**
Living in Milwaukee
3y Ago
✭✭✭✭

Living in Milwaukee is great if you take advantage of all it has to offer. This is probably true in most large cities. One unique aspect of Milwaukee is its location on the shores of Lake Michigan which is like a freshwater ocean. There are many beautiful parks along the lakefront and across the whole city. There are hundreds of excellent restaurants serving nearly every ethnic food and many fusion choices as well. Milwaukee is a city of festivals. Beginning with the Lakefront Festival of Arts in May, to Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, lasting 10 days, and finally to ethnic festivals celebrating the major groups that settled in Milwaukee, Germans, Polish, Irish, Italian and Mexicans, Milwaukeeans eat, drink and have fun at The Maier Festival park on the lakefront . Milwaukee Irish Fest is the largest Celtic music festival in North America.

The people of Milwaukee are friendly and down to earth. It is a large small town, so nearly everyone has some connection through their relatives, where they went to school, where they or their parents worked. This gives the residents a sense of identity but it can also make it challenging for newcomers to feel part of the scene. There are large African-American and Hispanic populations, who have contributed much to the city but have not shared in the benefits to the degree of others. The city is very segregated. There are a few culturally mixed neighborhoods, where the people who value diversity choose to live.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cooler By The Lake

Looklyloo Score: 84