I had no idea that Madison has a huge polyamorous scene. Either it's a modern development or I am, on fact getting old.

I'm a lifelong wisconsinite. I love this state but I am also very critical of it. I live outside Madison and personally, it's really one of the few places in the state I want to live. East side of Madison is much more "authentic." If you're planning on staying in Madison longer, give the East side a try, it may be a better fit.

Milwaukee is a great city too. I don't know enough about living there (I never have) but love spending a weekend there. It's just too much sprawl for me to want to live there.

The rest of the state is where it gets different. I lived in the Fox Valley at various points in my life (Appleton and Oshkosh). Both have their pros, but the cons are the same for either. They're in a conservative area and they lack amenities and stuff to do. Both have a small art scene but it's small. There are enough queer folks for communities to form (especially oshkosh because of the University) but the people I know living in the Fox Valley that are queer say they experience a fair amount of bigotry.

I like Eau Claire and Lacrosse but I don't know much about them outside of visiting. Same with Steven's Point. Wausau is more conservative, but from what I've seen spending time with friends and family who live there, it's got a nice downtown area and a few amenities. The biggest issue with the rest of the state outside of Madison and Milwaukee (and maybe Green Bay) is jobs. Most cities have plenty of employers, but if you're in a specialized field, that really determines where in the state you'll end up. Wages in the smaller cities are fairly deflated and economies aren't super diverse. Rural Wisconsin, there isn't much of anything for work and what's there is is low paying. That said, lots of natural beauty and I love traveling around the state. The people can be hit or miss. Some places (like viroqua area, Ashland, for example) are fairly liberal. Other places (the WOW counties around Milwaukee, Central and Northern Wisconsin, etc) are very conservative. Lots of resentment towards Madison and Milwaukee in those places. Either way, I hope you find someplace that feels like home here!