Over the years, Milwaukee has gotten mixed signals in the media and from visitors. Our little city is often misunderstood, but if you take the time to look around, you'll see MKE for what it truly is: amazing. The locals already know it, and it's becoming more well known to the public, but these are just seven reasons Milwaukee is the most underrated city in the country.

1. Milwaukee is an incredibly accessible city.

With everything being so close together and tight-knit-feeling, it's not hard to get from one side of the city to the other. Our bus system is spectacular, and we're even getting a street car next year. In the true form of accessibility, the city is really striving to make MKE easier to navigate for people of all abilities too. We're not perfect, but we're getting there, and change is happening all around.

2. Cost of living is pretty awesome.

The cost of living in Milwaukee is below the national average. Our city is extremely affordable, especially compared to the rest of the up-and-coming cities in the country.

3. There's always something to do.

Any night of the week—and especially in summer—there's an event or something to do. Being on Lake Michigan, there's always a boat to be ridden or a kayak to take around the riverbend. Milwaukee is an active city, and there's always some sort of celebration.

4. We're the city of festivals.

Speaking of things to do, Milwaukee is the city of festivals. We're home to several of the world's largest ethnic festivals, and any night of the week during the summer months there is some kind of fest going on. The best part is almost all of them have a fireworks show too!

5. Whether it be music, beer, food, or coffee—there's a scene for it.

It's not hard to find your people here, and it's not hard to want to be around such incredible scenes. Our music is top-notch and fills the city streets, our food scene is being talked about all over the US, and our coffee scene competes with those of Denver or Seattle. We take our crafts seriously, and we're doing it right—not to mention our craft breweries as well.

6. There's culture everywhere you look.

From our countless art museums to the art that literally paints our streets, Milwaukee is exploding with color. Milwaukeeans aren't afraid to express their culture, and it brings us all closer.

7. Despite the headlines, our community sticks together.

Whenever difficulties arise in our city, we band together. It's not hard to find a helping hand, and we're always giving back and trying to build this city into something even better. You'll never find a more community-minded city than Milwaukee.

It's pretty clear that Brew City has some great things going for us, but these were just a few reasons our city is incredibly underrated. What would you add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.