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Olivia E.
moving
Moving to Westbrook with kids -good idea?
OK so The suburbs are where most families end up. Property taxes are high but you get good services.
10 upvotes
13 Replies
Nathan Wood
Not gonna lie, the first year was rough. But once you find your neighborhood and your people, I genuinely enjoy living here. Hope this helps!.
36 upvotes
Santiago Martin
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem surprisingly good.
I've been here 12 years and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The thing nobody mentions is community vibe. It's established and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the food scene is legit. And if you're into rock climbing, this place is underrated.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Lakewood side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
No regrets on my end..
I've been here 12 years and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The thing nobody mentions is community vibe. It's established and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the food scene is legit. And if you're into rock climbing, this place is underrated.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Lakewood side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
No regrets on my end..
34 upvotes
Valentina K.
Bought a house here in 2017 and I'm still on the fence after all this time. Property values have gone about the same since then.
32 upvotes
Joshua Hernandez
haha yep pretty much
32 upvotes
Vivian Phillips
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem underrated.
I've been here 10 years and it's improved dramatically in recent years. The thing nobody mentions is pet-friendliness. It's manageable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the community vibe is legit. And if you're into running, this place is pretty good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The East side vs the Springfield side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
I've been here 10 years and it's improved dramatically in recent years. The thing nobody mentions is pet-friendliness. It's manageable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the community vibe is legit. And if you're into running, this place is pretty good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The East side vs the Springfield side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
32 upvotes
Violet Cook
thanks for sharing
29 upvotes
Grace
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a marketing manager who relocated here from New York about 12 years ago. The main reasons were work and cost of living.
Pros I've experienced:
- Good healthcare facilities
- Diverse dining options
- Strong sense of community
Cons that are real:
- Winters are long and cold
- Chain restaurants dominate
Financially, we've found it solid compared to where we came from. Older homes are where the value is. Groceries are pricey, gas is hit or miss.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Feel free to reach out with questions..
I'm a marketing manager who relocated here from New York about 12 years ago. The main reasons were work and cost of living.
Pros I've experienced:
- Good healthcare facilities
- Diverse dining options
- Strong sense of community
Cons that are real:
- Winters are long and cold
- Chain restaurants dominate
Financially, we've found it solid compared to where we came from. Older homes are where the value is. Groceries are pricey, gas is hit or miss.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Feel free to reach out with questions..
28 upvotes
Landon Adams
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a contractor who relocated here from Minneapolis about 9 years ago. The main reasons were school and cost of living.
Pros I've experienced:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Decent public transit for the size
- Four distinct seasons
Cons that are real:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Not very walkable outside downtown
Financially, we've found it pretty good compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are growing, gas is average.
Socially, I genuinely enjoy living here. Happy to answer more specific questions..
I'm a contractor who relocated here from Minneapolis about 9 years ago. The main reasons were school and cost of living.
Pros I've experienced:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Decent public transit for the size
- Four distinct seasons
Cons that are real:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Not very walkable outside downtown
Financially, we've found it pretty good compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are growing, gas is average.
Socially, I genuinely enjoy living here. Happy to answer more specific questions..
21 upvotes
Xavier Flores
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in Downtown for 1 years. Moved from Austin for school. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is improving. We bought in 2022 at k and it's now worth down slightly than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 4-bed in a safe area. Older homes are where the value is.
**Employment:**
legal is strong here. healthcare is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are reasonable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
the quality of life is solid. The outdoor scene is pretty good - we have desert landscapes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Downtown schools are improving. 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. Not very walkable outside downtown. Property taxes are high. And community vibe can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For remote workers, I'd say this is a 6/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in Downtown for 1 years. Moved from Austin for school. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is improving. We bought in 2022 at k and it's now worth down slightly than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 4-bed in a safe area. Older homes are where the value is.
**Employment:**
legal is strong here. healthcare is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are reasonable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
the quality of life is solid. The outdoor scene is pretty good - we have desert landscapes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Downtown schools are improving. 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. Not very walkable outside downtown. Property taxes are high. And community vibe can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For remote workers, I'd say this is a 6/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
21 upvotes
Gabriella Turner
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 14 years ago from Minneapolis and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in North. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is developing right now, especially in legal. If you're in retail you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 6 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
Hope this helps!.
Housing: Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in North. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is developing right now, especially in legal. If you're in retail you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 6 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
Hope this helps!.
20 upvotes
Santiago Roberts
I've been living here for 14 years and I'd say I have mixed feelings honestly. The food scene is challenging compared to other places I've lived. Overall No regrets on my end..
20 upvotes
colton_walker
Moved here from Houston about 14 years ago. it's not perfect but it works for me. Still getting used to outdoor recreation but No regrets on my end..
9 upvotes
mountain_liam77
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem hit or miss.
I've been here 10 years and it exceeded my expectations. The thing nobody mentions is community vibe. It's competitive and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the cultural scene is legit. And if you're into hiking, this place is solid.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Old Town side vs the Oak Park 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 10 years and it exceeded my expectations. The thing nobody mentions is community vibe. It's competitive and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the cultural scene is legit. And if you're into hiking, this place is solid.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Old Town side vs the Oak Park side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
3 upvotes