An Insider’s Guide to Kenosha
If you are looking for an affordable home in a large town with a small town feel, you may want to check out Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kenosha is located on the shores of Lake Michigan, just north of the Illinois/Wisconsin state line. At one time Kenosha was a booming manufacturing town, with the majority of the residents employed at American Motors. American Motors was sold to Chrysler in the l987 and the subsequent closure of a large portion of the plant pushed Kenosha into a recession. By the late 1990’s Kenosha moved from a blue-collar town to a commuter’s paradise. The affordable housing, access to the highway and proximity to both Chicago and Milwaukee made Kenosha very attractive to young professionals and families.
Getting Around Town Kenosha was a very well planned city. Once you understand the street layout, it is nearly impossible to get lost in Kenosha. Roads that run east to west are “Streets” they are numbered with numbers growing larger as you go south. Avenues run north south and grow larger as you move west. It doesn’t take long for a “newbie” in town to understand that 9915 4th Ave is on the South East side of town. The exceptions are the occasional “Place” or “Lane” and a handful of named streets. Kenosha is laid out on a grid pattern with major thoroughfares connecting neighborhoods.
Kenosha offers a fairly comprehensive (for a suburb) public transportation system. Busses run at regular intervals from 5:55am to about 7:30pm Monday through Saturday, there is no bus service on Sunday. Commuter trains offer service to Chicago and Milwaukee 7 days a week. There is also a trolley train that runs through the downtown area. Although the trolley route is limited, the cost is only .25 and most drivers offer a guided tour as an added benefit. There are plans to expand the trolley route in the near future. Kenosha Attractions Many have commented that Kenosha is a very car friendly town. Perhaps this is the legacy of American Motors or the remnants of small-town life but Kenosha does offer several automobile centered attractions. A favorite of many residents and a major draw from surrounding towns is the Kenosha Outdoor Theater. The Keno is Wisconsin’s largest single screen drive-in theater with a capacity for 800 cars. The Keno has been in operation since 1949 and is the only drive-in in Wisconsin to remain in continuous operation. During the summer, guests are treated to a double feature for about $5.50 a person (2005 season rates).
Drive-in restaurants are also very popular in Kenosha. While the debate over which is better still rages, as it has for over 20 years- the Spot on the south side of Kenosha and the North side’s Big Star offer a taste of nostalgia as well as great food. There is also Andy’s Drive-in which hosts several classic car shows as well as offering the “gut buster” a one pound hamburger the size of a dinner plate.
Shopping in Kenosha includes the major discount department stores, an open-air outlet mall and numerous small specialty shops. What you can’t find in Kenosha, you will surely find in the neighboring towns of Racine, WI and Gurnee, IL. The downtown area offers numerous antique shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. Also downtown is a Natural History Museum complete with a children’s activity area. The museum is free and offers an inexpensive family outing. Plans for a civil war museum are in the works, construction should begin spring 2006.
Kenosha is also home to the dog track; Dairyland Greyhound Park. Open year round Dairyland offers dog racing when weather permits and off track betting year round. It is a family friendly place with both an indoor and outdoor seating area. Children especially enjoy the outdoor area, where they can get close to the dogs and still have room to run and play. An Indian Casino has been approved for Kenosha, however contracts and other issues have yet to be finalized.
Kenosha Schools At present Kenosha Unified School District has 5 high schools, including a technology academy, military academy and alternative high school. There are 7 Jr. High Schools and 26 elementary schools. There is a referendum up for vote on November 1, 2005, which if approved would add an additional elementary school to the district. The elementary schools are neighborhood schools, with the majority of students living within walking distance. Kenosha Unified School District services the towns of Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie south and Somers. Kindergarten Students in KUSD attend school all day, which is a benefit for the students but often painful for parents sending their children off to school for the first time.
Kenosha offers numerous charter schools including Bain School of Language and Art. Brompton Elementary School offers a private school environment complete with uniforms. Dimensions Of Learning emphasizes critical thinking skills the programs are modeled after the research of Robert Marzano of the McREL Institute. At the Jr. High Level students may choose to attend the Paideia Academy, where instruction is accomplished through three techniques: didactic, coaching, seminar. Paideia aims to use Socratic questioning and critical thinking to link problem-solving strategies to real life situations. At risk Jr. High students may attend Hillcrest Academy which offers programs for both High School and Jr. High students.
High School Students may attend one of the 2 traditional high schools, Bradford or Tremper. Reuther Central High School provides a comprehensive educational opportunity for students who voluntarily seek a more personal and individualized approach to earning a high school diploma. Indian Trail Academy is a public High School and offers three thematic houses or “schools within a school.” Each house provides a strong education in the core subjects but also emphasizes one of three themes: Biotechnology and Environmental Studies, Business and International Studies, and Communications. Indian Trail is also home to the Kenosha Military Academy, which is a separate entity within Indian Trail. LakeView Technical Academy is a cooperative effort between Gateway Technical College and the KUSD and targets Engineering, Manufacturing and Industrial I.T. skills.
There are several private schools offering faith-based and academy environments as well as a large and cooperative home school community. Kenosha not only offers a wide variety of educational opportunities for school-aged children, but also provides several preschool and infant programs. Including Head-Start, 4-K a kindergarten for 4-year-olds, and a peer program in which special needs students are partnered with mainstream students in a cooperative effort.
There are several universities that call Kenosha home. University of Wisconsin Parkside offers a traditional 4-year program. Gateway Technical College offers two and four year programs including nursing, horticulture, and automotive. Carthage College, is a private Catholic college and boasts several exceptional programs including a teaching program, many KUSD students enjoy Carthage College students as student teachers. Concordia University hosts an off campus program for adults in Kenosha. Kenosha is also within commuting distance to dozens of Illinois and Wisconsin schools. Living and Working in Kenosha Kenosha does not offer a competitive job market. While opportunities are growing in the area, the majority of Kenosha residents still commute to the surrounding towns. The pay scale in Kenosha is considerably lower than that of IL, just a few miles south. While Kenosha residents would enjoy employment closer to home, there are factors of life in Kenosha that make the commute worthwhile.
Utilities tend to run about 45% less in Wisconsin, a typical Wisconsin Energies bill, which covers both gas and electric service, averages less than that of an electric bill in Illinois. Owning and operating a vehicle is also less expensive in Wisconsin; Illinois residents pay almost double the cost of vehicle registration and license plates than their Wisconsin neighbors. There is also no sales tax on grocery items in Wisconsin, which can amount to considerable savings.
Housing costs are a primary draw to Kenosha. A 3-bedroom ranch home in a desirable area can be purchased for between $150 and $200 thousand. Homes in transitional and less desirable areas can be obtained for as little as $65 thousand. Even owners of luxury and executive homes get more for their dollar in Kenosha. The rental market in Kenosha is extremely affordable. It is not uncommon to see one-bedroom apartments starting at $400 a month and homes for rent for around $1000. Those new to Kenosha, should be aware that there are areas of Kenosha that are considered undesirable and should learn the area before purchasing or renting a home. What Your Realtor Cannot Tell You
Realtors are bound by law to show you any and all homes that fit your criteria, regardless of the neighborhood. Families new to Kenosha may be drawn to the rambling old 5-bedroom house at a ridiculously low price, only to find out that they are now living on a troubled street. Driving through some neighborhoods in Kenosha can be misleading, during the day the neighborhood may seem peaceful. Large homes and flower gardens make the area seem highly desirable. However, police reports and nighttime activity may tell a different story.
Realtors are bound by law to show you any and all homes that fit your criteria, regardless of the neighborhood. Families new to Kenosha may be drawn to the rambling old 5-bedroom house at a ridiculously low price, only to find out that they are now living on a troubled street. Driving through some neighborhoods in Kenosha can be misleading, during the day the neighborhood may seem peaceful. Large homes and flower gardens make the area seem highly desirable. However, police reports and nighttime activity may tell a different story.
As a whole, Kenosha residents are well meaning, law-abiding citizens. Kenosha is a safe place to live and a wonderful town to raise a family. It is a somewhat conservative town with almost every other block containing a church. However, there are pockets of the town that are troubled and should be avoided if possible. As much as your realtor would love to explain the neighborhoods of Kenosha to you, this is in direct violation of the Equal Housing Opportunity Laws.
American Motors occupied a large portion of central Kenosha. The areas between Sheridan Road and 39th Ave and 45th Street to 70th Street were home to not only American Motors, but several other industrial activities. The homes in the area lost property value as people desired to live away from the noise and congestion of the industrial area. Therefore the farther away from the old AMC plant you move, as a rule the more desirable the neighborhood. Neighborhoods are often identified by the elementary school; for example the neighborhood around Forest Park Elementary School is called “Forest Park”. With a little research into the schools, one can find the neighborhoods that suite your needs and lifestyle. You can them tell your realtor that you wish to purchase in a certain school district, by showing you homes according to school, they are not in violation of the EHO laws. For example, a buyer seeking a home in a upper to middle class neighborhood on the south side of Kenosha may want to stay in the neighborhoods of Southport, Forest Park, Stocker, Jeffery, and Whittier. Homes in the areas of Jane Vernon, Grewenow (often misspelled as Grevenow), Curtis Strange, and Roosevelt. Caution must be used as to the Jr. High School associated with these elementary schools. For example Forest Park students may either attend Lance Jr. High (desirable) or McKinley Jr. High (questionable). As a rule of thumb, any home in Lance Jr. High School or Mahone Jr. High School will have a higher property value as these schools see less gang activity and violence and maintain a higher average standardized test score. There is no way to determine neighborhood by High School since both schools have a racially and economically diverse student body.
By taking advantage of knowledge of the road numbering system and published information of the schools, a smart consumer can make a confident and educated decision when moving to Kenosha. By checking the Kenosha Unified School District’s web page at www.kusd.edu information can be gathered. Analyze information available about the number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch programs. Schools that offer programs such as Head Start and early intervention and prevention programs may require further scrutiny. However, this can not be your sole deciding factor, since Kenosha County has deep pockets when it come to social spending and income eligibility levels tend to be generous, some programs giving aid to families earning over 200% above the poverty level.
The Bottom Line Affordable housing, educational choices, and a small town feel attract many to the Kenosha area. While local jobs are still in short supply, there are many opportunities for those willing to commute a few miles. Kenosha is recovering well from the devastation of the AMC closure. Companies such as Ocean Spray, Jockey, Snap-On Tools, and many others still call Kenosha home. Professional commuters are raising the median income and education level of Kenosha, which will surely attract more businesses and raise the pay scale in the area. Investors and real estate rehabbers, along with city grants and volunteer efforts are helping to improve many of the forgotten areas of town. People seeking the perfect mix of country and city with large town diversity and amenities combined with small town values, should not overlook the possibility of calling Kenosha home.
