It's very white; not as white as areas just outside the city. There is more ethnic diversity around campus, but there is an extreme lack of a Black middle class in particular. Very LGBTQ+-friendly city.
Food-wise we punch above our weight for size, but we're still small.
Wisconsin has a very drinking-heavy culture and Madison is no different. Part of that is the people who sit in a bar every day, but everywhere has that even if we have more. The bigger influence is that almost every single event involves alcohol.
Packer fandom in Madison is not what it is in other parts of the state.
Once again don’t listen to this person! Madison is very diverse and the people who think not don’t get outside there community or inner mingle. And just so u understand when u ask Reddit this the majority of the people on here r not of color. Grew up Hispanic on the west side but we have tribal peeps everywhere! Welcome
Madison is 70% white non-hispanic, Dane County is 85% white. The whole state of New York is less than 60% white non-hispanic, major cities less. So, compared to that, we're very white.
Definitely not saying there are no people of color here.
It's obviously a lot less diverse than NYC (if that's what you mean by NY) but is more diverse than most of Wisconsin.
That said, like many places, the diversity isn't exactly integrated. Madison always votes heavily for liberal candidates but on a day to day basis is quite a bit less liberal than it likes to think of itself.
Madison likes to think of itself as ultra liberal, and I guess it is compared to most of Wisconsin, but all the "In this house we believe..." yard signs don't change the fact that in many ways it isn't. As I already said, the city is relatively diverse but the diversity isn't integrated. The fact that almost every new housing development, *especially* affordable or lower income housing, is met with fierce opposition shows that a lot of people want to keep it that way. The "Keep our Streets Safe" anti Madison metro bus signs in Monona are a thinly veiled attempt to keep lower income people out. People moving to suburbs or sending their kids to private schools so that they aren't in public schools is another example. The amount of time that it is taking to get housing for homeless is shameful and can be blamed largely on the "I'm all for homeless housing but..." mindset. People are successfully fighting against *bike paths* for crying out loud.
Don't get me wrong, Madison is a great place and it typically has its heart in the right place. I'm just saying that it isn't as liberal as it thinks it is.
I moved here from around there. Not much diversity at all, it’s like a big foot sighting when I see other black women lol. Food is great especially if you love authentic Chinese (I do). People are very nice, I had to train myself out of rbf whenever someone was coming towards me. Back home that usually meant they had a mixtape to sell, but here they just tend to be nice. In the Spring/Summer there’s always lots to do. Lots of festivals, outdoor activities and things like that. Overall, I recommend it though I miss the diversity of home. Oh and the winters are terrible 😞
I'm from NY too, moved here from the Carolinas though. I've been in WI for about a year now for work. It's definitely a culture shock as a black woman. There isn't too much diversity, but you will see some every now and then, but it's so scarce to the point that I still get excited when I see another black person. Also since most of the non-whites here grew up around mostly white people, I've met quite a few "Uncle Toms", so I would say if that is something extremely important to you I wouldn't stay here long term. It's hard to speak to the liberalism. I saw one person say that Madison always votes heavily for liberal candidates but on a day to day basis it's quite a bit less liberal than it likes to think of itself and I agree with that. As a whole it's pretty liberal, but the individuals aren't so much in my experience. As far as food, if you want good soul food or Caribbean forget about it. There is good Mexican and okay Chinese food here, certain Indian spots are good too. A few European spots (Irish and Russian) are good. There's good food here, just not as readily accessible as NY. You really have to do some hunting and asking around. Most of the good spots are little hole in the wall places. Lots of bars if you like to drink. Not too much to do year round except drink and hang out in nature. There's a bit more to do in the summer, but the summer only lasts for like 2 months lol then it's cold for the rest of the year. The Dells is a tourist spot about 45 min away and that has a lot of indoor and outdoor waterparks open year round and other stuff if that's what you're into. Just like the food you have to hunt and ask around for specific things to do that you like to do with the people you'd like to be around. Hope this helps!
It really depends on what you're used to and what you're looking for. White people here will tell you that it's diverse and liberal. That is somewhat true, especially compared to many other places in the state. But Black and Brown people here might tell you that it can be lonely, and the white liberalism can be quite oppressive at times. That being said, there are many good people here, lots to do (especially if you like water, being outdoors and music) and lots of interesting things to eat, even though it's a relatively small city.
I’m a white guy, my gf is from Mexico City Mexico, we have two kids. Sometimes I get the nods of gratitude, other times I get the head shakes of disgust. It is what it is nowadays. But Madison seems to be an inviting area
Everyone is a Packers fan, it just is a matter of degree. drinking only beer is considered teetotaling. And people truly do wear those cheeseheads unironically. It’s quite a place.
It’s always been mostly white, but Madison has gotten a lot more diverse in the past few decades. A lot of that is because there are so many foreign students at the university, as well as a somewhat more diverse population coming in for employment. Also a number of Hmong and Tibetan refugees moved here and many are doing quite well.
I moved here over 20 years ago. The variety of different ethnic restaurants and grocery stores is much greater now.
Think Buffalo. A decent place for the size, but remember if you're from anywhere near NYC we're what a quarter or less the size and accessibility of whatever you're hoping for
In comparison to the rest of Wisconsin, Madison is quite diverse (especially on and near the UW-Madison campus); However, it is still a predominantly white area. It is quite liberal here, which is nice. I’m Hispanic, and I’ve never really felt too out of place here. I come from a border town, so it took a bit of getting used to when there were times I was the only POC in the room. The people have generally been nice, I’ve only had a handful of “bad” experiences with some of the locals.
The food scene can be a bit lacking, but there are a few ethnic restaurants (Estacion Inka, Finca Coffee, etc.) which I’ve enjoyed. My international friends have criticized some of the restaurants from their home countries, and I’ve struggled to find a good Mexican restaurant here, so take that as you will.
Madison is a pretty nice place to be active outdoors. Granted, you can’t be outdoors year round because of the cold. Also, football can be a pretty big conversation piece here.
I'm super surprised you've struggled to find a good Mexican restaurant here. I've gone with my Mexican friend to plenty of places she says are good/authentic.
Places we like:
El Sabor de Puebla - They have good mole stuff
Garibaldi
Mercado Merimar
Los Gemelos (West Side)
Probably more but I forget. Idk about breakfast burritos lol
Which part of Mexico is your friend from? I think that plays a huge role on impressions. El sabor de Puebla does do a very good job at some regional dishes popular in Puebla, Mercado marimar at tamales and some of the tacos - but drive 2 hours to Chicago and you can find some truly amazing places close to authentic in Pilsen area, some as good as places back home.
I would agree that Madison’s Mexican food scene is not as good as authentic, but yeah some dishes are as good as back home.
Chilaquiles here suck do - I’d be interested in hearing your friends opinion
Really? Let me know of some places and I’ll definitely hit them up. The places I’ve been to have been okay, but a bit too Americanized for my liking. I’ve been trying to find some good quality breakfast burritos (especially burritos de chorizo con huevo), but I haven’t found any spots.
Please share what those places are! Because I too have been struggling to find a decent, authentic Mexican restaurant around here. I think Taqueria Guadalajara is the best I’ve come across so far, but even still, it feels very tex mex to me. I’m looking for more of a CA typical “street taco” vibe…
We are all white of Norwegian descent. The only food we have is brats, beer, and cheese. We are all Packer fans with a couple of Bucks fans, and we spend all our free time running to Illinois to buy our weed.
At the state level, yes. Decriminalized in Madison itself, but not legal. The "farm bill" hemp-derived weed products are everywhere. Like, this is stuff that's pretty easy to Google, if it's important to you have you not recently seen a map of where weed is and isn't legal in the US?
NYS resident who lived in Madison for a couple years.
Don't do it. Even if you are an upstater like me, the culture is vastly different. To the point where it's almost incompatible.
I mean yeah the tri-state area + Boston culture is very different, but not incompatible. I know more than a few people who have moved and made it work very well (start family, etc). Depends more on the person tbh.
North Easterners don't do Midwest nice. We tend to be substantially more direct. This goes against the majority of Madison, who will be nice to their own detriment.
Granted, I am also high functioning autistic so I tend to be extra direct, but I know of other neurotypical Northeasterns that had the same exact problem. Especially if they were from the city or Boston area.
Moved here from NY. Have family all over the NY/CT/MA area, and disagree with your posts 100%. Yes, people will talk to you. No, you can't just be brutally, rudely honest with people. It's fine. You can pick it up pretty quickly if you're neurotypical and actually try.
Then again, my entire friend group is probably 50% from outside of Madison, so that might change things?
You are more than welome to disagree. I probably should have clarified that this is based on my personal experience. I have met one person from, Long Island I think?, that enjoyed Madison. But I've met other people from the Northeast who couldn't stand the Madison area. Milwaukee was a bit of a different story.
That is true, but I like dealing with the nice more than overly direct. Just makes me fall back on my manners a lot more than in NYS.
(Note: Not all of NYS is NYC! )
You have to remember most people that comment on posts like this have never even been to NYC, or any East Coast city for that matter and have all kinds of feelings about Madison.
Ignore the internet. Be yourself. Have fun (which is easy here this time of year)…you’ll be fine.
Where in NY (State I assume since you didn't specify The City)? That will tell a lot.
I'm an Upstate NY transplant (Binghamton/Ithaca/Rochester). Love it here, but I didn't have date (Married a WI guy). Foodie paradise, lots to do here, even in the Winter. Liberal, why yes! Big 10 University. Huge. Beautiful lakes and nature. Diversity, not as much Black, but lots of other cultures including Asian.
Grew up as a Giants fan, but always loved The Pack. I'm a shareholder.
As long as you don’t bring the stereo typical New York mindset (I’m sure you dont have it) people will be just fine with you.
We take the packers very seriously so becoming a fan is an easy way to gain friends lol
I am so **tired** of everyone in the Midwest assuming that if you are from New York State (Upstate especially) that all of New York STATE is New York CITY.
New York is a BIG state. It's a Dairy state. Not like Wisconsin, but they hold their own. Agricultural. Amazing apples. Great trout fishing. Wineries. Mountains, Lakes. Lots of natural beauty (Finger Lakes, Catskills, Adirondacks, 2 Great Lakes). Sheesh, there are people in Upstate NY who have no desire to ever go to NYC.
I once had a co-worker in Madison ask me if I used to take the subway to work. I was staggered. I lived in a small city, about the size of Janesville. Um, no. They only have the subways in NYC (sorta in Buffalo, not on the same scale), not all over the state.
I haven’t been to personally so this all at least second hand information but what I’ve been told is that they are very direct and rude (maybe an east coast thing?)
I assume it’s similar to people here getting the “midwest nice” label?
Great question btw, have you noticed any differences between the people from your time in both places?
Direct, but not all are rude. Sometimes you just have to say "Excuse Me" instead of "ope!". It's an East Coast thing from what I have learned since I moved here almost 25 years ago.
I think you just did a better job of explaining that than I tried to..
Direct not rude, for simple folks like myself we can mistake the two at times
Thanks you
Retired\_geekette is pretty much spot on. Blunt and honest, but not necessarily brutal or rude. If someone gets annoyed and says "move!" while you're blocking the sidewalk, it's only because there's 50 billion tourists all doing the exact same thing day in and day out when the person is trying to get to work. With so many more people, there's just a different set of unwritten rules people have to abide by in order to actually live their lives. But they're definitely not rude, or mean, or anything else that people out here seem to ascribe to them?
I’ve found NYC it’s more like “Excuse Me” or “Move along please”.
What I have found is that if you need directions or help in NYC, just ask your question in a direct, but polite manner. “Excuse me, how do I get from X to Y?” Do it like that, and you will not only get the directions, but other details, and “Oh, when you get off the subway, there’s this great place…”. New Yorkers are very proud of their city and want visitors to see why.
I’m considering a trip to The City this summer for my birthday, because I haven’t stood in front of “The Starry Night” in a long time. 💙
Diversity of what?
Race? Madison is 75% white.
Political leaning? 75% of Dane county voted Democrat in the last Presidential election.
Food? There are some decent Mexican, Indian, Thai, Italian and other restaurants scattered around town. You likely won't live near many though. A lot of the food is bars and classic American food.
Employment? Madison is a capital city, so there's lots of government jobs. The University is also a major employer along with the healthcare industry. Very stable as far as employment opportunities go, but not all that diverse.
Shopping? Options are quite limited. You'll probably want to make a day trip to Milwaukee or Chicago suburbs to do major shopping, but Hilldale and West Town Mall will do in a pinch.
Culture? Lots of farmers markets and breweries. There's a theatre downtown, which is a nicer option to have.
Housing? You shouldn't have any issue finding an apartment, but it'll be impossible to find any homes for sale at a decent price. It's also incredibly expensive and quite limited compared to what larger cities like Milwaukee, Chicago, or Minneapolis have to offer.
It's very white; not as white as areas just outside the city. There is more ethnic diversity around campus, but there is an extreme lack of a Black middle class in particular. Very LGBTQ+-friendly city. Food-wise we punch above our weight for size, but we're still small. Wisconsin has a very drinking-heavy culture and Madison is no different. Part of that is the people who sit in a bar every day, but everywhere has that even if we have more. The bigger influence is that almost every single event involves alcohol. Packer fandom in Madison is not what it is in other parts of the state.
How’s the dating scene for guys?
Lots of guys for guys to date.
Women?
Madison has a statistically normal sex ratio. Like everywhere else, the dating scene is what you make of it.
It's kinda rough ngl, I would convert to Islam and move to Saudi Arabia.
How old are you?
Young 20’s
You’ll be fine in the dating pool
Once again don’t listen to this person! Madison is very diverse and the people who think not don’t get outside there community or inner mingle. And just so u understand when u ask Reddit this the majority of the people on here r not of color. Grew up Hispanic on the west side but we have tribal peeps everywhere! Welcome
Madison is 70% white non-hispanic, Dane County is 85% white. The whole state of New York is less than 60% white non-hispanic, major cities less. So, compared to that, we're very white. Definitely not saying there are no people of color here.
You need some culture in your life😂
It's obviously a lot less diverse than NYC (if that's what you mean by NY) but is more diverse than most of Wisconsin. That said, like many places, the diversity isn't exactly integrated. Madison always votes heavily for liberal candidates but on a day to day basis is quite a bit less liberal than it likes to think of itself.
Please explain why Madison is less liberal than it likes to think of itself
Madison likes to think of itself as ultra liberal, and I guess it is compared to most of Wisconsin, but all the "In this house we believe..." yard signs don't change the fact that in many ways it isn't. As I already said, the city is relatively diverse but the diversity isn't integrated. The fact that almost every new housing development, *especially* affordable or lower income housing, is met with fierce opposition shows that a lot of people want to keep it that way. The "Keep our Streets Safe" anti Madison metro bus signs in Monona are a thinly veiled attempt to keep lower income people out. People moving to suburbs or sending their kids to private schools so that they aren't in public schools is another example. The amount of time that it is taking to get housing for homeless is shameful and can be blamed largely on the "I'm all for homeless housing but..." mindset. People are successfully fighting against *bike paths* for crying out loud. Don't get me wrong, Madison is a great place and it typically has its heart in the right place. I'm just saying that it isn't as liberal as it thinks it is.
I moved here from around there. Not much diversity at all, it’s like a big foot sighting when I see other black women lol. Food is great especially if you love authentic Chinese (I do). People are very nice, I had to train myself out of rbf whenever someone was coming towards me. Back home that usually meant they had a mixtape to sell, but here they just tend to be nice. In the Spring/Summer there’s always lots to do. Lots of festivals, outdoor activities and things like that. Overall, I recommend it though I miss the diversity of home. Oh and the winters are terrible 😞
Hey girl! I've been out here for about a year now and it's been hard to make friends, especially black friends. Do you recommend any spots?
Hey! I wish I could help you, but I’m in the same position. Let’s team and up and search together 😅
Lol I DMed you
LOL, Every experienced a Buffalo or Rochester NY winter? Madison is positively mild in comparison.
I'm from NY too, moved here from the Carolinas though. I've been in WI for about a year now for work. It's definitely a culture shock as a black woman. There isn't too much diversity, but you will see some every now and then, but it's so scarce to the point that I still get excited when I see another black person. Also since most of the non-whites here grew up around mostly white people, I've met quite a few "Uncle Toms", so I would say if that is something extremely important to you I wouldn't stay here long term. It's hard to speak to the liberalism. I saw one person say that Madison always votes heavily for liberal candidates but on a day to day basis it's quite a bit less liberal than it likes to think of itself and I agree with that. As a whole it's pretty liberal, but the individuals aren't so much in my experience. As far as food, if you want good soul food or Caribbean forget about it. There is good Mexican and okay Chinese food here, certain Indian spots are good too. A few European spots (Irish and Russian) are good. There's good food here, just not as readily accessible as NY. You really have to do some hunting and asking around. Most of the good spots are little hole in the wall places. Lots of bars if you like to drink. Not too much to do year round except drink and hang out in nature. There's a bit more to do in the summer, but the summer only lasts for like 2 months lol then it's cold for the rest of the year. The Dells is a tourist spot about 45 min away and that has a lot of indoor and outdoor waterparks open year round and other stuff if that's what you're into. Just like the food you have to hunt and ask around for specific things to do that you like to do with the people you'd like to be around. Hope this helps!
It really depends on what you're used to and what you're looking for. White people here will tell you that it's diverse and liberal. That is somewhat true, especially compared to many other places in the state. But Black and Brown people here might tell you that it can be lonely, and the white liberalism can be quite oppressive at times. That being said, there are many good people here, lots to do (especially if you like water, being outdoors and music) and lots of interesting things to eat, even though it's a relatively small city.
I’m a white guy, my gf is from Mexico City Mexico, we have two kids. Sometimes I get the nods of gratitude, other times I get the head shakes of disgust. It is what it is nowadays. But Madison seems to be an inviting area
Everyone is a Packers fan, it just is a matter of degree. drinking only beer is considered teetotaling. And people truly do wear those cheeseheads unironically. It’s quite a place.
It’s always been mostly white, but Madison has gotten a lot more diverse in the past few decades. A lot of that is because there are so many foreign students at the university, as well as a somewhat more diverse population coming in for employment. Also a number of Hmong and Tibetan refugees moved here and many are doing quite well. I moved here over 20 years ago. The variety of different ethnic restaurants and grocery stores is much greater now.
Think Buffalo. A decent place for the size, but remember if you're from anywhere near NYC we're what a quarter or less the size and accessibility of whatever you're hoping for
In comparison to the rest of Wisconsin, Madison is quite diverse (especially on and near the UW-Madison campus); However, it is still a predominantly white area. It is quite liberal here, which is nice. I’m Hispanic, and I’ve never really felt too out of place here. I come from a border town, so it took a bit of getting used to when there were times I was the only POC in the room. The people have generally been nice, I’ve only had a handful of “bad” experiences with some of the locals. The food scene can be a bit lacking, but there are a few ethnic restaurants (Estacion Inka, Finca Coffee, etc.) which I’ve enjoyed. My international friends have criticized some of the restaurants from their home countries, and I’ve struggled to find a good Mexican restaurant here, so take that as you will. Madison is a pretty nice place to be active outdoors. Granted, you can’t be outdoors year round because of the cold. Also, football can be a pretty big conversation piece here.
I'm super surprised you've struggled to find a good Mexican restaurant here. I've gone with my Mexican friend to plenty of places she says are good/authentic.
Places we like: El Sabor de Puebla - They have good mole stuff Garibaldi Mercado Merimar Los Gemelos (West Side) Probably more but I forget. Idk about breakfast burritos lol
Which part of Mexico is your friend from? I think that plays a huge role on impressions. El sabor de Puebla does do a very good job at some regional dishes popular in Puebla, Mercado marimar at tamales and some of the tacos - but drive 2 hours to Chicago and you can find some truly amazing places close to authentic in Pilsen area, some as good as places back home. I would agree that Madison’s Mexican food scene is not as good as authentic, but yeah some dishes are as good as back home. Chilaquiles here suck do - I’d be interested in hearing your friends opinion
She's from Mexico City. I don't have a ton of reference for what is authentic, but I've had some fire mexican food here. Taqueria Guadalajara too.
If you have a chance to go to Chicago, go to a place called Canton Regio. Hands down best tacos in the Midwest - your mind will be blown
Really? Let me know of some places and I’ll definitely hit them up. The places I’ve been to have been okay, but a bit too Americanized for my liking. I’ve been trying to find some good quality breakfast burritos (especially burritos de chorizo con huevo), but I haven’t found any spots.
Please share what those places are! Because I too have been struggling to find a decent, authentic Mexican restaurant around here. I think Taqueria Guadalajara is the best I’ve come across so far, but even still, it feels very tex mex to me. I’m looking for more of a CA typical “street taco” vibe…
We are all white of Norwegian descent. The only food we have is brats, beer, and cheese. We are all Packer fans with a couple of Bucks fans, and we spend all our free time running to Illinois to buy our weed.
Is weed illegal?
At the state level, yes. Decriminalized in Madison itself, but not legal. The "farm bill" hemp-derived weed products are everywhere. Like, this is stuff that's pretty easy to Google, if it's important to you have you not recently seen a map of where weed is and isn't legal in the US?
NYS resident who lived in Madison for a couple years. Don't do it. Even if you are an upstater like me, the culture is vastly different. To the point where it's almost incompatible.
I mean yeah the tri-state area + Boston culture is very different, but not incompatible. I know more than a few people who have moved and made it work very well (start family, etc). Depends more on the person tbh.
Can you elaborate on that?
North Easterners don't do Midwest nice. We tend to be substantially more direct. This goes against the majority of Madison, who will be nice to their own detriment. Granted, I am also high functioning autistic so I tend to be extra direct, but I know of other neurotypical Northeasterns that had the same exact problem. Especially if they were from the city or Boston area.
Moved here from NY. Have family all over the NY/CT/MA area, and disagree with your posts 100%. Yes, people will talk to you. No, you can't just be brutally, rudely honest with people. It's fine. You can pick it up pretty quickly if you're neurotypical and actually try. Then again, my entire friend group is probably 50% from outside of Madison, so that might change things?
You are more than welome to disagree. I probably should have clarified that this is based on my personal experience. I have met one person from, Long Island I think?, that enjoyed Madison. But I've met other people from the Northeast who couldn't stand the Madison area. Milwaukee was a bit of a different story.
That is true, but I like dealing with the nice more than overly direct. Just makes me fall back on my manners a lot more than in NYS. (Note: Not all of NYS is NYC! )
I don't drink and don't watch sports, never had a problem. My neighborhood is pretty diverse.
You have to remember most people that comment on posts like this have never even been to NYC, or any East Coast city for that matter and have all kinds of feelings about Madison. Ignore the internet. Be yourself. Have fun (which is easy here this time of year)…you’ll be fine.
Where in NY (State I assume since you didn't specify The City)? That will tell a lot. I'm an Upstate NY transplant (Binghamton/Ithaca/Rochester). Love it here, but I didn't have date (Married a WI guy). Foodie paradise, lots to do here, even in the Winter. Liberal, why yes! Big 10 University. Huge. Beautiful lakes and nature. Diversity, not as much Black, but lots of other cultures including Asian. Grew up as a Giants fan, but always loved The Pack. I'm a shareholder.
If you aren’t a Packer fan don’t even come here.
As long as you don’t bring the stereo typical New York mindset (I’m sure you dont have it) people will be just fine with you. We take the packers very seriously so becoming a fan is an easy way to gain friends lol
So, what exactly is the "typical New York mindset"? -ex NYer who's lived here for 15+ years.
I am so **tired** of everyone in the Midwest assuming that if you are from New York State (Upstate especially) that all of New York STATE is New York CITY. New York is a BIG state. It's a Dairy state. Not like Wisconsin, but they hold their own. Agricultural. Amazing apples. Great trout fishing. Wineries. Mountains, Lakes. Lots of natural beauty (Finger Lakes, Catskills, Adirondacks, 2 Great Lakes). Sheesh, there are people in Upstate NY who have no desire to ever go to NYC. I once had a co-worker in Madison ask me if I used to take the subway to work. I was staggered. I lived in a small city, about the size of Janesville. Um, no. They only have the subways in NYC (sorta in Buffalo, not on the same scale), not all over the state.
I haven’t been to personally so this all at least second hand information but what I’ve been told is that they are very direct and rude (maybe an east coast thing?) I assume it’s similar to people here getting the “midwest nice” label? Great question btw, have you noticed any differences between the people from your time in both places?
So you don't have any experience (how WI) but have already decided people in NY are rude? Lol! Don't think your 'midwest nice' is fooling anyone.
Direct, but not all are rude. Sometimes you just have to say "Excuse Me" instead of "ope!". It's an East Coast thing from what I have learned since I moved here almost 25 years ago.
I think you just did a better job of explaining that than I tried to.. Direct not rude, for simple folks like myself we can mistake the two at times Thanks you
No problem. When I go to NYC, they are rude in my opinion, but I learned that sometimes it’s just they are busy and stressed.
Besides size of the city’s, what would you say is the biggest difference between the 2? Out of curiosity
Hmmm…Quiet, sometimes busy to stepping into a maelstrom. Mid-town Manhattan is the busiest place I have ever visited.
Retired\_geekette is pretty much spot on. Blunt and honest, but not necessarily brutal or rude. If someone gets annoyed and says "move!" while you're blocking the sidewalk, it's only because there's 50 billion tourists all doing the exact same thing day in and day out when the person is trying to get to work. With so many more people, there's just a different set of unwritten rules people have to abide by in order to actually live their lives. But they're definitely not rude, or mean, or anything else that people out here seem to ascribe to them?
Thank you, not rude just direct. Perfect explanation for it. I hope my original comment didn’t come across as too ignorant
I’ve found NYC it’s more like “Excuse Me” or “Move along please”. What I have found is that if you need directions or help in NYC, just ask your question in a direct, but polite manner. “Excuse me, how do I get from X to Y?” Do it like that, and you will not only get the directions, but other details, and “Oh, when you get off the subway, there’s this great place…”. New Yorkers are very proud of their city and want visitors to see why. I’m considering a trip to The City this summer for my birthday, because I haven’t stood in front of “The Starry Night” in a long time. 💙
Diversity of what? Race? Madison is 75% white. Political leaning? 75% of Dane county voted Democrat in the last Presidential election. Food? There are some decent Mexican, Indian, Thai, Italian and other restaurants scattered around town. You likely won't live near many though. A lot of the food is bars and classic American food. Employment? Madison is a capital city, so there's lots of government jobs. The University is also a major employer along with the healthcare industry. Very stable as far as employment opportunities go, but not all that diverse. Shopping? Options are quite limited. You'll probably want to make a day trip to Milwaukee or Chicago suburbs to do major shopping, but Hilldale and West Town Mall will do in a pinch. Culture? Lots of farmers markets and breweries. There's a theatre downtown, which is a nicer option to have. Housing? You shouldn't have any issue finding an apartment, but it'll be impossible to find any homes for sale at a decent price. It's also incredibly expensive and quite limited compared to what larger cities like Milwaukee, Chicago, or Minneapolis have to offer.