20-somethings find Janesville good for family
Janesville might not be at the top of the list for single, 20-something graduates, but those people often change their tunes when they enter the “young family” demographic, said Dan Cunningham with Forward Janesville.
“I think people are drawn back to home, family,” he said. “Maybe they go off, have their adventures in their 20s, but then they come back.”
That’s what happened to Greg Werner, 34. The 1991 Craig High School graduate spent four years in Madison after graduating from dental school in 2000.
He wanted to experience the cultural offerings of a big city and had a nice job in a large dental practice, he said.
But in 2004, Werner moved with his wife and three kids to Janesville to open his own practice.
“We thought it would be a nice place to live, a better environment for the kids to grow up, a better school district,” he said.
Janesville offers several attractions to young families, Cunningham said: low housing prices, light traffic and little crime. Plus it’s close to Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago for the times parents need a night on the town.
Cunningham, 33, moved to Janesville from Madison with his wife and 2-year-old son a few months ago.
“We just got tired of Madison because we were too old to enjoy what Madison had to offer,” he said.
So far, the family loves the new location, he said.
“For people with young kids, this is a good town.”
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Nov 29, 2007 at 3:50 p.m.
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Janesville is a perfect city for all ages. It offers SO much, and for those who want more, we live close to Madison, Rockford, and Milwaukee. All cities with excellent things going on all year round at a distance which is close enough to drive there and back and still have plenty of time to enjoy whatever we chose to go there for.
Nov 29, 2007 at 2:03 p.m.
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As a former Madison resident who moved back to Janesville, I have to agree with the being too old for Madison, and add too young for Madison too. If you are that "in-between" age where you are too old for the college bar scene, but too young for the empty-nester cultural arts scene, there isn't much for you in Madison. The age I am talking about is where you have middle school and younger children. Here in Janesville, there is actually quite a lot for us "middle-aged" people. (NOW I really feel old...middle aged. Is that a crisis I hear coming my way?) :)
Nov 29, 2007 at 1:30 p.m.
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I agree that Janesville & the surrounding area are a great place to raise children...but too old for Madison? We just moved to Madison after all six of our kids moved out and there is so much to do and an endless supply of FUN!
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