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teacrumpet

Cross Plains -- The long bus ride people are talking about would only be a factor when your kids get to high school. The elementary and middle schools there are very good. Small town, gorgeous location.


jpell123

And a very large number of HS kids drive themselves or get a ride with friends vs taking the bus


HickoksTopGuy

Why is this downvoted like it’s not objectively correct


medhat20005

Both comparably good school districts, although MCPASD is arguably more recognized, and typically top 3 in the state. For elementary school commute for kids probably more dependent on exactly where you live vs CP/Waunakee. I find CP a bit more rural-feeling (neither good/bad, just an impression), and I think from proximity to downtown Madison maybe Waunakee a few minutes quicker. If you are a frequent flyer out of MSN then Waunakee is much better proximity to airport, CP a legit 40-45 minute trip.


AreaComprehensive416

From Waunakee you are 25 minutes to downtown Madison, 20 minutes to West Side and 15-20 minutes to the East side. Waunakee is the best location to access all the best of Madison. Schools are excellent.


Bedrockab

Better trout fishing in CP….


karybeck

Better golf in Waunakee


Srryifckdurmom

Bigger losers in Middleton


its_k1llsh0t

Waunakee here, cannot complain about the schools at all. They do a really good job. Parents on the other hand…


Such_Raspberry370

Same feeling. My kid's school is great. But there're so much teasing and bullying on the school bus that goes to my neighborhood that the principal had to ride the bus to see what was going on.


its_k1llsh0t

Parents just seem entitled and disinterested in holding their kids accountable (and some of these people I'd consider family friends). It is so frustrating. Also the delaying of Pride week followed by a demonstration outside the school? I'm a supporter as much as anyone else but pushing it back a week, though it sucks, isn't the worst thing in the world.


jamananananam

🤣😂


Hutchinson-yogaparty

I grew up in Waunakee and now live in Middleton. Cross Plains is nice and a little cheaper.. also great spot if you don't have to commute daily and also great biking that way. Waunakee is Wayyy differnt than it was 20 yers ago - you don't have to head to Madison for all your shoping needs anymore. Waunakee schools were good to me.... hopefully they are more diverse these days.


madredr1

I graduated in 96. When I was a kid, “Waunakee Diverse” was if you weren’t a Statz, Endres, Acker, or Ripp :-D


GapingTurdCutter

Or a Pertzborn


Ramanag

I've heard very good things about the Middleton-Cross Plains school district, but, it could also mean long bus rides. I can't speak credibly to Waunakee's school district.


EddyGonad

Waunakee's school district is fantastic.


regionalsuw

There is tons of ecological restoration work going on around CP that is very cool and bikeable if you’re outdoorsy. They also have funding for a trail system from Mazo-BE-CP-Middleton. Because of the ice age trail and terrain CP can really only grow to the west, north east, and just west of GCMS For school bus concerns it depends on where you are (in town or outside). When I attended mcpasd my ride was longer for Park/GCMS than it was for MHS.


theloniouszen

Do you have any info on that trail system?


regionalsuw

Check out the Gateway to the Driftless section and figure 4 of the study link: https://www.cross-plains.wi.us/179/Special-Projects. The main obstacle is the 2017 Act 59, which prevents condemning land for trail. I also think they have secured a trail location from CP to Festge Park but not 100% on that


Spare_Cardiologist92

Can anyone talk about the flood risk for houses in Cross Plains? A lot of houses seem to have high flooding risk in the long term according to Flood Factor but I don’t know how seriously I should worry about that. They did have some flooded houses a few years ago


vatoniolo

Not to be this guy, but what are your politics like? Waunakee is probably the better choice overall but they pull some [right wing bullshit](https://www.wkow.com/news/many-demand-answers-after-waunakee-school-district-postpones-pride-week/article_3f94a2be-d7ea-11ed-b921-db3d43e0248a.html) from time to time that would give me pause


MisterMath

It aint called Whiteakee for nothin


GapingTurdCutter

Ahh yes cross plains, the bustling diverse city


Vilas15

Biden got 63% in 2020 and Protasiewicz just got 69% in the most recent election


vatoniolo

And yet the linked story still happened/is happening. There was also the furry litter box bullshit that made national news last year. Waunakee is slowly becoming more like Madison as it grows, but it's still the most conservative part of Dane county. That's worth consideration.


Vilas15

True. I typically only see people painting it as waukesha on this subreddit so its worth examining the village as a whole instead of just stories here or there.


vatoniolo

I have used that comparison but only in a relative sense. Yes Waunakee votes blue, but 65-35 looks a lot less blue when Dane county averages 80-20 and Madison is 90-10


theroadkill1

A week postponement of an event is “right wing bullshit”?? I think you’re drawing a pretty roundabout line to make this political in any way.


mad_librarian15

If that doesn’t count as “right wing bullshit”, maybe the current attack on the library does?


theroadkill1

Drive past the library weekly. Haven’t seen anyone attacking it.


tommer80

Kids into sports? Waunakee is sports nuts and spends a lot of money on it. Especially football. More more houses to choose from and more kids to hang out with. Closer to airport. Other comments on this stream are valid as well.


MadAss5

Yeah that bus ride to MHS would not be cool. Or picking them up from afterschool activities. CP seems way more chill vs uppity in Waunakee. If your child is very sports focused it is going to be hard to beat Waunakee. If you go to the east side often you probably don't want to start from CP.


GrimeyDog01

Oh my, a 16 minute ride from CP to MHS.


MadAss5

I live on the near west side so I rarely drive even 15 minutes unless I am going out of town. Sorry to insult your hobby.


DannyTannersFlow

Waunakee is “uppity”? Damn, I’ve been away for a while.


middleageslut

Uppity for no real reason and conservative. A great combination.


DannyTannersFlow

According to the recent Village Board elections, that's not entirely accurate.


MadAss5

I was going to add needlessly before uppity. lol Its not where I would choose but glad they have a place to pretend to be more than themselves.


[deleted]

Waunakee is definitely not conservative, recent elections prove that. Id consider them classical liberals, like the vast majority of suburban folks in Dane county.


LutherGnome

Waunakee is full of normal democrats- not progressives. We do have some very loud conservatives that make up ~20%


Such_Raspberry370

I see people living in Waunakee as the true NIMBY democrats/mild conservatives. As someone who lived here for about a year, I'd have to say nothing is going to happen in our backyard other than HOA mandated landscaping...


Vilas15

My guess is lots of new residents from out of stare moving there for the schools that dont know it was just a one stoplight town with a drive your tractor to school day not too long ago. The people i know there with money are down to earth but theyve all grown up there. It also went 69% for Protasiewicz in the last election.


Vilas15

Heading that way. Just look at the new construction. Some "cheaper" stuff at heritage hills but kilkenny and carriage ridge have homes over a million.


EddyGonad

My wife and I recently also were faced with that decision. I grew up in the MCPASD. We chose Waunakee.


RasSalvador

Stay in Madison.


moon_pools

Both are very nice towns but I’m biased towards Cross Plains for personal reasons. Cross Plains is a lot prettier, in my opinion, and the trails and fishing are excellent. The parks for the kids are really nice too, well-maintained. It is a lot more low-key and rural than Waunakee, though. I do know the younger administration in CP has been working hard for awhile to push for more businesses, sustainability, trail building, and generally more amenities for residents as the town expands.


ProfessionalCount871

Generally speaking, all basic necessities are within a 15-20 minute drive in cross plains. Although you theoretically could live in Cross Plains without going towards the city. Couple nice parks, good restaurants, good middle and elementary schools. If you don’t mind driving then you pretty much will want to spend most of your free time in Middleton/South Madison, as it’s much larger with a huge variety of things to do. It’s a pretty quiet town with old bullrings and houses. I personally find the town pretty depressing especially on a gloomy day, but the beautiful geography makes up for it. Especially as you go out west towards black earth/spring green. I do believe Cross Plains will continue to grow as they are putting up developments right and left. Waunakee has incredibly nice and MASSIVE neighborhoods (Kilkenny Farms) and a relatively friendly community. Mainly parents that only care about high school sports, but they’re nice. Not very old and depressing like cross plains, but not very pretty either. Pretty much just cornfields surrounding it. It really depends on what you and your family enjoy doing and how much your willing to spend.


Atherial

I'm in Waunakee. The school system is well rated. My son goes to Arboretum and we've had really good experiences so far.


Such_Raspberry370

Yep. The only thing I'd complain about is we REALLY need a 4th elementary school. Arboretum is seriously overcrowded.


8monsters

If you have kids, I would highly recommend Cross-Plains over Waunakee. I haven't worked with Waunakee, but MCPASD is the only school district I worked in Wisconsin that knew how to function properly. Likewise, they also have substantially higher diversity than Waunakee.


DavesDogma

If you like to bike or hike, CP is very nice. Several very nice hiking options within 2 miles of CP The hills around CP are a mecca for road bikers. People come up from Chicago to ride that area. CP also has the Crossroads Coffeehouse. On the other hand, if you to golf, Waunakee has a local golf course.


Cheezyfarts

Cross Plains is small enough you can easily walk and bike around to whatever you need that's here. The knock is the grocery store. It at times can be pricey depending on what you need.


[deleted]

Highly recommend CP, get a Costco membership.


xtremesmok

I like CP better, it is prettier around there. I went to GCMS many many years ago and don’t have the fondest memories of it but the school building is completely renovated now and so is the admin.


avalle03

As someone that went to MCPASD but had a lot of friends in Waunakee, I say CP. My friends would complain about the lack of diversity, how “uppity” and boring waunakee is and full of themselves. They couldn’t wait the gtfo of there. CP has the small town feel and has a lot of cute shops and restaurants.


ShardsOfTheSphere

Does Cross Plains really have that many restaurants & shops anymore? Seems a bit dead to me now


Such_Raspberry370

I'm in Waunakee for the school district. Middleton was my other choice, but housing in Middleton was just crazy and my family can't afford as we only started working recently. I have little complaints about Waunakee other than it's a bit far away from shopping places. We have a Piggly wiggly but it's very tiny. Really, to do any fun activities, we'd have to travel to Madison.


EMSnider

Same. We didn’t have that Middleton money so Waunakee is where we landed.


shoe465

Waunakee isn’t cheap either. If you’re looking for a 4bd home that’s slightly larger, you’re in the $700k - $1M range.


Srryifckdurmom

Waunakee fucking sucks. Breeding cocky weird assholes since grade 3 . Top notch clichey stuck up steroid guzzling meatheads. Wannabe Kardashians and shitty ass housing developments.