TOP 5 REASONS NOT TO MOVE TO MADISON WI

[ronnyvonallmen]

Up until 20 years ago Madison Lakes were quite clean…We grew up taking Swim lessons at our local Beaches…The change I have seen is the Multiplying Geese Populations…One Goose produces 6lbs of waste per day….Madison and surrounding Cities have 1000’s of geese…Parks are filled with droppings…

[johnfenske]

Have to agree --- taxes UNIQUE to Madison are very high for Wisconsin --- if you own a home, you directly see the cost of PROPERTY taxes. Much higher than the surrounding counties. Renters don't see that directly, but of course that contributes to the ridiculously high cost of apartment rentals. Another tax you did not mention are "wheel taxes". Wheel taxes are local supplements added on to state vehicle registration fees, ostensibly to pay for street repair and improvement. Also, local sales taxes are quite a bit higher than those paid elsewhere in Wisconsin. Many residents believe these extra funds are spent selectively on woke and progressive projects that do not benefit all citizens equally.

[jenksmaster]

Madison is one of the least buggiest cities in Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee.

[edgratz]

I live 45 minutes east of Madison. My county is one of the most conservative counties in the country. Madison (Dane County) is one of the most liberal counties in the country. They call University of Wisconsin - Madison, the Berkeley of the north. If you like liberals, you will love Madison.

[mariojohnson]

Being from Milwaukee, I love Madison, probably the thing that would prevent me from moving there is the high rent and housing costs, other than that, it appears Madison is a great place to live, I certainly like visiting the city.

[drewhunkins]

I've lived in Madison for 24 years, it's great, I love Madison! I love it, but to just dwell on the few bad things about it for a moment:
• the homeless beggars can be aggressive (the city is very safe overall though)
• Most mid-priced restaurants are of low quality
• Lots of marijuana, lots, it’s everywhere
• traffic is bad bc the lakes bottle things up
• Housing and rents are too expensive
• Good luck trying to find a dine-in coffee shop open after 8 p.m.
- The winters can be brutal

[Pickled]

Obviously, you’ve never been to Minnesota. You haven’t seen mosquitoes till you’ve lived in Minnesota. I live in Lake Michigan and if I see two mosquitoes all year it would be a record. I’m sure there are areas that are just covered but nothing compares to Minnesota.

[deejay]

Lived in Madison since ‘65. Everything west of Midvale Blvd was cornfield with West Towne Mall and the Big Sky drive in movie screen being about all you’d pass by heading that way. The Beltline highway was the current Broadway Ave going through the town of Monona. Crime was at a minimum and you knew most, if not all of your neighbors personally and people were cordial and friendly. Now, the city is almost unrecognizable.

[JAMESBROWN-ihft]

Weather and bugs are not really a concern in Madison. The people are the problem. The Berkeley of the Midwest has been invaded many right wing rural Republicans. A few years ago, students at UW started a second Conservative newspaper, because the other one was not extreme enough. Many residents know to avoid the downtown bar areas on weekends and certain nights because drunk Madison students may be fighting or climbing a light pole. Like many people in this DWI State, they don't handle alcohol well. Finally, if you are non-White or none brush man I would be wary of moving there. While many other cities and towns in Wisconsin are much worse than Madison for Minorities, if one has other choices you might want to consider them. Great lakes, sailing, tennis courts, restaurants, music scene, and basketball. I just would never live there again, and would never raise kids there.

[chacmool]

Construction. Yeah, most countries, cities worldwide world envy Madison's diligence in this regard.

[martinjc]

Hi. I want to ask you about go on a w&t program in madison. Would you recommend Madison, atlanta or Dallas (these are my options)?
Something to mark is that I'm gonna go to the US in winter.

[parkfor]

Ok, you screwed up on this one…a bit. Winter is winter, Madison is way warmer with longer fall and earlier in spring than most of WI and MN. Same with your bugs, holy smoke, I have never hit the buggy invasion again in Madison, like other parts of the Midwest (though I will give you support on the d*** ticks). Girl…8th? Taxes are going to be considered too high everywhere in the state just because they exist and no one wants to pay taxes! The lakes…yup, you nailed, don’t swim. But other water sports do well.

[bobrodenkirch]

At least there are lakes, how many places can say that.

[tymirra]

So a larger Burlington, Vermont. Nice. See ya soon!

[aquateal]

Don't swim in Madison lakes. The weeds tangle around your feet and pull you down. 😢

[lacha]

Do you have to worry about ticks in Madison if you walk on paths and avoid walking through grassy areas? Or is it a problem regardless? I'm thinking about spending next summer there, but I'm a walker and the ticks really worry me.

I also wish there were more vegan/vegetarian restaurants in Madison....

[TINInBILLY]

I love your accent! I’m from west TX..lived in Waukegan IL many moons ago..in The Navy..was stationed there for many months in 94’.
I recall the accent was very similar to yours..the way they say Raaackford..I still gotta say it that way if that place ever is mentioned on tv or wnatever
More importantly, I had a friend who lived n West tx for a while, from Eu Claire..currently Chippewa Falls; his accent currently..seems a little dif..I know…it’s near Minneapolis..but I hear no ‘Minnesota Nice’ nasal in his accent..it was most def like Chris Farley
Am I accurate though..is the accent in north west WI dif from Madison? Haha! I love trivial stuff like culture and accents..something most souls don’t put more than a glancing thought or word into haha

[tommyanderson-filmmaker]

Love this being a ex-Madison guy now living in LA.

[HighHolyOne]

Yes, public schools are taxpayer supported all across the country.

[jakobjohnson]

Just curious, is Madison generally a safe/accepting/welcoming place for queer and trans people?