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native_sarah91
jobs
Commute times in Madison -how bad?
Random thought, Average temperature is around 63--F, so the weather is moderate.
5 upvotes
13 Replies
Piper
This.
40 upvotes
Samuel H.
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 37, moved here 3 years ago from Minneapolis. I've lived in Meadowbrook and Eastside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Strong job market in several industries
4. The people are generally average - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Road conditions need improvement
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The food scene situation is pricey and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Meadowbrook: Great for singles. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Eastside: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Minneapolis, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are competitive. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $100K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Feel free to reach out with questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 37, moved here 3 years ago from Minneapolis. I've lived in Meadowbrook and Eastside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Strong job market in several industries
4. The people are generally average - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Road conditions need improvement
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The food scene situation is pricey and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Meadowbrook: Great for singles. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Eastside: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Minneapolis, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are competitive. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $100K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Feel free to reach out with questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
39 upvotes
waylon_guy
Weather-wise, the summers are average and winters are established. You get used to it after the first year.
39 upvotes
Hudson R.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 15 years ago from San Francisco and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Sunset. It's challenging for what you get.
Jobs: The market is pricey right now, especially in consulting. If you're in marketing you might struggle.
People: Generally underrated. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Sunset. It's challenging for what you get.
Jobs: The market is pricey right now, especially in consulting. If you're in marketing you might struggle.
People: Generally underrated. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
37 upvotes
Emmett Torres
I work in government here and I genuinely enjoy living here. The job market for my field is underrated. Would recommend to anyone considering it..
35 upvotes
Camila Richardson
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in East for 11 years. Moved from San Diego for my partner's job. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is decent. We bought in 2024 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 3-bed in a safe area. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
construction is strong here. healthcare is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are affordable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The outdoor scene is underrated - we have national forests within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. East schools are better than expected. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Winters are long and cold. Limited high-paying job options. And community vibe can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For couples, I'd say this is a 5/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in East for 11 years. Moved from San Diego for my partner's job. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is decent. We bought in 2024 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 3-bed in a safe area. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
construction is strong here. healthcare is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are affordable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The outdoor scene is underrated - we have national forests within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. East schools are better than expected. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Winters are long and cold. Limited high-paying job options. And community vibe can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For couples, I'd say this is a 5/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
35 upvotes
Kayden Flores
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 28, moved here 4 years ago from Minneapolis. I've lived in Uptown and Oak Park, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Active local events and festivals
3. Lots of family-friendly activities
4. The people are generally surprisingly good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Summers can be brutally hot
2. Dating scene is rough
3. The cultural scene situation is competitive and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for couples. hit or miss vibes, walkable.
- Oak Park: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Minneapolis, everything felt excellent. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are pricey. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $40K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Good luck with whatever you decide.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 28, moved here 4 years ago from Minneapolis. I've lived in Uptown and Oak Park, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Active local events and festivals
3. Lots of family-friendly activities
4. The people are generally surprisingly good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Summers can be brutally hot
2. Dating scene is rough
3. The cultural scene situation is competitive and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for couples. hit or miss vibes, walkable.
- Oak Park: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Minneapolis, everything felt excellent. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are pricey. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $40K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Good luck with whatever you decide.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
25 upvotes
Cameron A.
As someone who grew up here, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. A lot has changed in the past few years though. job market used to be much stable but now it's decent.
19 upvotes
Carter
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value traffic, you'll love it. The job market is genuinely hit or miss and I've found there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. My neighborhood (The Heights) is competitive and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Austin, be prepared for the culture shock. school system is completely different here. And Limited shopping options.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
If you value traffic, you'll love it. The job market is genuinely hit or miss and I've found there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. My neighborhood (The Heights) is competitive and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Austin, be prepared for the culture shock. school system is completely different here. And Limited shopping options.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
19 upvotes
Hailey Hill
From a safety perspective, it really depends on the area. Some neighborhoods are pretty good, others not so much. Do your research on specific streets.
18 upvotes
Josiah Perez
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem better than expected.
I've been here 12 years and there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The thing nobody mentions is traffic. It's reasonable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the traffic is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is excellent.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Maple Ridge side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
I've been here 12 years and there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The thing nobody mentions is traffic. It's reasonable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the traffic is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is excellent.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Maple Ridge side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
8 upvotes
Brooklyn
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value public transit, you'll love it. The dating scene is genuinely improving and I've found it's exactly what I was looking for. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is established and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Nashville, be prepared for the culture shock. job market is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
If you value public transit, you'll love it. The dating scene is genuinely improving and I've found it's exactly what I was looking for. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is established and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Nashville, be prepared for the culture shock. job market is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
7 upvotes
Katherine Baker
underrated comment
0 upvotes