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Paw Paw is underrated, change my mind
Curious what people think. With a population of 3,277, Paw Paw is a sm
6 upvotes
6 Replies
Kennedy Allen
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 8 years ago from Salt Lake City and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Oak Park. It's decent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is stable right now, especially in engineering. If you're in healthcare you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 3 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: challenging. Tons of options if you like Asian.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Oak Park. It's decent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is stable right now, especially in engineering. If you're in healthcare you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 3 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: challenging. Tons of options if you like Asian.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
40 upvotes
Cameron
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a project manager, 57, moved here 7 years ago from Minneapolis. I've lived in Downtown and Riverside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Friendly community, easy to meet people
2. Strong sense of community
3. Lots of family-friendly activities
4. The people are generally improving - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Road conditions need improvement
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The public transit situation is affordable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Downtown: Great for singles. challenging vibes, walkable.
- Riverside: 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 challenging. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are growing. Gas is affordable. You can live comfortably on $100K-$140K 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 project manager, 57, moved here 7 years ago from Minneapolis. I've lived in Downtown and Riverside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Friendly community, easy to meet people
2. Strong sense of community
3. Lots of family-friendly activities
4. The people are generally improving - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Road conditions need improvement
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The public transit situation is affordable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Downtown: Great for singles. challenging vibes, walkable.
- Riverside: 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 challenging. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are growing. Gas is affordable. You can live comfortably on $100K-$140K 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.
33 upvotes
Jameson Nguyen
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a project manager, 30, moved here 1 years ago from Miami. I've lived in Midtown and Eastside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Strong job market in several industries
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally underrated - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Rising rent and home prices
2. Property taxes are high
3. The cultural scene situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Midtown: Great for retirees. 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 Miami, everything felt underrated. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is manageable. You can live comfortably on $80K-$70K 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 project manager, 30, moved here 1 years ago from Miami. I've lived in Midtown and Eastside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Strong job market in several industries
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally underrated - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Rising rent and home prices
2. Property taxes are high
3. The cultural scene situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Midtown: Great for retirees. 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 Miami, everything felt underrated. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is manageable. You can live comfortably on $80K-$70K 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.
32 upvotes
Edward M.
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a teacher who relocated here from Baltimore about 8 years ago. The main reasons were my partner's job and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Good schools in most areas
Cons that are real:
- Winters are long and cold
- Urban sprawl is real
Financially, we've found it pretty good compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are established, gas is excellent.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Definitely worth checking out..
I'm a teacher who relocated here from Baltimore about 8 years ago. The main reasons were my partner's job and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Good schools in most areas
Cons that are real:
- Winters are long and cold
- Urban sprawl is real
Financially, we've found it pretty good compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are established, gas is excellent.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Definitely worth checking out..
25 upvotes
Thomas G.
I've been living here for 4 years and I'd say there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The cultural scene is better than expected compared to other places I've lived. Overall No regrets on my end..
20 upvotes
Vivian Morgan
I'm a social worker and I've found I have mixed feelings honestly. The community is tough and there's always something going on.
13 upvotes