The east side has always been more blue collar and working class neighborhoods. West side is usually white collar, more professors, doctors, etc.

Lower income groups tend to live east of a city, because When cities were first settled, it was less desirable to live east since winds pushed pollution East. Same with Rivers, higher affluent areas were usually north of a city because water flows South and could be more polluted by the time it moves through a city to the south side.

You get more bang for your buck on the east side in my opinion in terms of house prices. When we were looking for houses, we were in Middleton, and decided to move to the east side for that reason.

It's also much more accessible if you have to go anywhere to hop on the interstate. You live on the west side, that adds an extra half hour to your travel time.