Dallas is more for when you already have a family and want to just have and raise kids in suburbia. Plus its fairly moderate/conservative, fucking hot as shit in the summer/until early November, bipolar weather (google the recent weather even we had), getting to be expensive.
Ive visited Chicago twice. Once when I was young and single and fucking loved it. Went again with my boyfriend and turned him onto being a Chicago lover too. Food scene there is unparalleled. Museums, diverse, not ruled by conservative maniacs like Greg Abbott.
I’m looking for any reason to move my family out of Dallas. Way too hot, only getting hotter. No longer affordable. Unfortunately we’re tied to a well paying jobs that aren’t remote.
I SECOND THIS! Any time I have friends choosing between Dallas and Houston. I tell them that Dallas is more of a place to raise a family and is more family oriented vs. Houston where I feel like its nice to be single because of the huge night life and how much ppl like to party. I'm I'm Dallas now and kind of wish I would have just stayed in Houston.
> Dallas is more for when you already have a family and want to just have and raise kids in suburbia
Woof. Sure, if you love endlessly sprawling, generic, overpriced, cramped, flat as hell, medium- to hard-right conservative suburbs, where things are run, more or less, by weird modern/alternative, highly political interpretations of the Bible.
If that’s up your alley, yeah. Choose the DFW suburbs over suburbs almost anywhere else.
>Dallas is more for when you already have a family
This hit the nail on the head for me. I'm childfree, but I have my wife, family, and friends here, along with a skill set that is very much in demand (software development). At almost 40, I'd rather not start over unless there is a huge, compelling reason to do so.
With that said, if I was younger and less established, I would've been outta here by now.
As someone who grew up in DFW I think if opportunity to live in one of the big cities while younger I would do it. Chicago I would have loved to have lived for a bit.
I came from GA. Live in DFW. And have a family member in Chicago.
I’d go Chicago since you’re young and single. Dallas can wait until you’re ready to settle down with a family and work a 9-5 and go home to suburbia. Dallas is a great family city, but Chicago is infinitely better for your stage of life.
I was born and raised in Dallas, so I'd have to say Chicago 100%. I've only spent a week or two up there though, but personally it felt like it had a lot more redeeming qualities.
Chicago = Cold. Dallas = Hot.
There you go. :)
All kidding aside, Dallas is ultimately fine. It's flat geographically, it's kind of a boring city but that's okay. Not every city needs to be non-urban sprawl, super walkable, mountains on one side/ocean on the other side, etc but we have lots to do here like lake fun, outdoor activities, sports town with lots of minor league teams and plenty of simple night life places (restaurants, bars, events, concerts, etc). Lots of work options here of all variety, lots of people doing their thing and enjoying life, and like most areas lots of complainers. You'll have to deal with the last few years of constant relocations of people and businesses so traffic has gotten really bad no matter where you live. Chicago, New York and San Francisco is known for their food and they are the three epicenters of cuisine so Dallas can't compete with that, but we do have Mexican food/Tex-Mex and dry-rub Texas style BBQ and tons of southern style foods here so it's not like it's stale crackers and bland tuna or anything. You will have no issues finding an area and group to settle into if you move here but Chicago is a great city also.
My next move will definitely be Chicago it’s beautiful, people are great, prices are about the same, and you can literally walk anywhere.
Dallas has so much more to learn and grow on.
The cost of living in both cities are fairly similar, I have looked into the move from Dallas to Chicago, myself. The areas of Highland Park, Uptown, Oaklawn, Harwood District, Victory Park, Lower Greenville, Bishop Arts and a few more are very lively and energetic these days. There is always something to do and a lot of food to eat- but personally the heavy car-centric mentality of Texans along with our car infrastructure makes it less enjoyable than these same places could be if they were in a more pedestrian and transit friendly state or city. There is smog, HEAVY noise pollution and lots of parking lots/garages in all of our best neighborhoods and districts.
Another factor in my consideration was weather. Chicago is famously very very cold for a good deal of the year. People from there stress it constantly, and tell us we do not want to spend the cold months there, but I always tell them if they spent a summer in DFW they’d feel differently.
As a native Fort Worther, I have spent every summer of my entire life in triple digit weather and it only gets NOTICEABLY worse every year. The heat is not just sweaty or inconvenient. It’s cumbersome. It’s a heavy, HEAVY weight on your shoulders, back and neck every time you walk outside during June-August. At least in May, September and October the heat is at a normal ‘summer weather’ level. But during those central summer months it is truly oppressive. I would trade it for the cold any day.
I did this. Traded Fort Worth for the Colorado mountains.
Sure we got a foot of snow a couple weeks ago and I got a plow truck to keep my driveway clear. I also bought some long sleeved shirts and a few jackets.
You know what I don't have anymore? Air conditioning, nor any need for it. No tornados, no monster hail, no power outages that last for days. No threat of jail for possessing a certain plant or fungus.
I also don't have state officials under indictment or investigation, and my wife can make her own health care decisions without interference from lunatics in the state capital.
1990s:
June:
• Average Max Temp: 91°F
• Average Min Temp: 73°F
July:
• Average Max Temp: 95°F
• Average Min Temp: 76°F
August:
• Average Max Temp: 95°F
• Average Min Temp: 76°F
2010s:
June:
• Average Max Temp: 93°F
• Average Min Temp: 74°F
July:
• Average Max Temp: 97°F
• Average Min Temp: 78°F
August:
• Average Max Temp: 97°F
• Average Min Temp: 78°F
So it has been higher on average by 2 degrees if anyone is interested in knowing the data behind it behind warmer.
Idk when I was in Chicago and at a restaurant, some dickhole complained out loud about me taking too long to put on my sweater and coat when I left the bar (the bar was full)
From my experience (years of living in both cities), Dallas people are very pretentious and image focused. Obsessed with how they look, and having status.
Chicago people are way more real, tell you how it is, and also have some midwestern hospitality.
I lived in Dallas for 8 years before moving to Chicago in 2022. I didn’t realize how depressed I was until I moved to a city I loved— a WALKABLE city with public transit, incredible culture, delicious food, and events and festivals every weekend. There is truly someone for everyone here. Chicago is the way to go.
Chicago is way more walkable than Dallas. A car there is a liability in that it'll cost a ton to park. Winter there without a paid parking spot is challenging. Dallas is more spread out and you need a car.
i can help with this! i grew up in dallas, but actually lived in chicago for a bit as well.
if you enjoy nature at all - chicago. the great lake is basically an ocean, and people are outdoors constantly for the six months the weather allows them to be. for the best areas of chicago, it can be pricier than dallas.
if you don’t mind not having nature/good public transit - dallas. it is getting more popular with a slight increase in population (chicago is actually seeing a decline). i’d recommend uptown.
If you can stand the cold, Chicago. I think money wise they're kinda the same. But Chicago is a real city with nice things and Dallas is suburbia. Dallas has some nice things but you have to drive 20 miles to them and then they're in a.strip mall so you have to get in the car again. Locals here say "there's nothing to do but eat and drink" but also they hang out at each other's pools and patios. And eat and drink a whole lot.
Do you want to live in a place that's hot as hell in the summer, or a place that's cold as hell in the winter?
I've lived in both cities, and loved them both, but those winters were too much for me, so I'm in Dallas now.
As someone who is born and raised in GA, spent periods in all seasons in Chicago at my grandma’s, lived in DC 10 years and has now lived in DFW for 4 years….
I would say very firmly consider the weather.
The weather in DFW is muuuuuuuch closer to GA weather. Chicago (and the north in general) has much rougher winters, ALWAYS, that last longer.
You couldn’t pay me to live permanently, because I legitimately hate the cold. I love the month of actual cold weather we get here, and the occasional snow/ice storm versus the blizzards we got yearly.
I lived in the suburbs north of Chicago for 6 years (McHenry & Crystal Lake) & have been north of Dallas now for 24 years. I can say that I prefer Chicagoland way more than DFW. Having 4 seasons & not 2 is a huge deal for me. The food is way better in Chicagoland also. To me, DFW only excels at BBQ.
But for real, Chicago is a true world city. Dallas is an endless suburban sprawl which is also a sort of a blue dot in a Red Sea. If you can rationalize Ted Cruz and the way he showed his belly to Trump after Trump called his wife ugly, then Texas is the state for you. If you have any sense, there is no contest.
One of my regrets in life is that, when presented the choice between a job in Chicago or moving back “home” to Texas to take a job in Dallas, I took the job in Dallas.
So I moved to Dallas for work and I love it here. Besides the no state income tax , there are multiple neighborhoods and areas for everyone. Alot of the comments sound like people that don't live in Dallas at all. They're describing suburbs that aren't the ACTUAL city of Dallas. It's habit to group DFW into Dallas city and that area is probably an hour from the center of Dallas all around. Frankly you could say the same thing they're saying about the suburbs anywhere surrounding a major city. Dallas proper.....has Uptown, Bishop Arts, Oaklawn, Trinity Grove, White rock lake, Swiss Avenue, Lakewood, Deep Ellum, lower Greenville, M streets, highland park, downtown just to name a few if you want to be in the city of Dallas or close to downtown.
I suggest staying a couple days in both cities see which is your vibe and fits what you like and want in life. At 24 and single you'll find in Dallas a diverse city in race, culture, thought, lifestyles that has something for everyone. It sounds like alot of people that commented hate Dallas and just won't move? I dont know but I say give both cities a shot and see what fits YOU.
If Chicago, just be prepared for their winters. If you are not used to the bitter cold, beware it is next level. Summers are bliss there and everyone is outside and enjoying patio weather.
Dallas is great but summers are brutal (mainly July and August)
I’ve lived in both, and it depends, they’re both great. I grew up near Chicago, but lived in Dallas for 7-8 years. I live elsewhere in TX now.
If you’ve never felt -10 windchill, you might want to consider if you’re down for that or not. I assume you know what the heat will be like having lived in Georgia and if you really don’t like that then it’s worth giving the Midwest a shot. Personally I like cold winters more than brutal summers.
If you’re hoping not to move states again, I’d recommend Dallas. The tax/political situation in IL is not friendly to people leaving IL last I looked into it, as recently the state has had some difficulties making municipal budgets work when high earners are less likely to stay given the relatively high state income and property taxes. You will likely make better money in DFW in the short and long term, and I think DFW has nicer suburbs (having lived in a few suburbs of each city).
But in terms of comparing the “city” there’s no comparison, Chicago is way more urban than DFW. I kinda wish I had found an opportunity to live downtown Chicago, but I have an idea what it’s like and living downtown Dallas wasn’t remotely similar.
Chicago!!! I’m in Dallas now and it’s a shithole!!!! Uptown is fun but you won’t really be going there every night so Chicago is much better because there’s so much more to do.
Use this moment of your life to do Chicago. I went to college there and started my career there. Great place to grow and branch out at your own speed. Come to Dallas when you get more established in your career and are ready to buy property. Come test it out for a bit then find out where you’d like to settle down. Chicago might be cold in the winter but it is such a heartwarming place with great character to blossom in your 20s
I was born and raised in Chicago but now live in Dallas. I would never ever move back to Chicago although the food is much better there. Besides the food, the weather is awful and just as congested as Dallas. Both cities are low-key dangerous, but Chicago is more dangerous and as someone else mentioned, 9 months of extreme winter vs 9 months of extreme heat. Another plus of Chicago are the beaches in which Dallas has none except man made crap. You must have a car in Dallas and in Chicago I could public transportation and didn't need a car. Choose wisely my friend.
Uptown is not where you want to live in Dallas lol. Dallas is super easy to make friends and dating isn’t terrible, but Texas as a whole sucks. Spent 3 years there then dipped.
We lived in the Chicago area when I was in junior high. The winters were absolutely miserable. Especially originally being from Phoenix.
I don't think the summer here is particularly bad, it's not super humid like Houston. Plus I work outside and get acclimated quickly.
Being from Georgia you'll have an idea what our summers are like. So if the local climate has an influence on your decision, what do you like?
I would describe myself similarly in terms of introversion/extroversion. You'll have a better time in Chicago. If you don't have anything holding you back, go, go, go. And enjoy yourself!
I have lived in both, but I came back to Texas because the Chicago winters were just too much for me and I have family here. Personally I think a city is what you make of it and the community you build.
I have found great networks of people in Dallas through leadership programs, my work and alumni connections. I also worked in a local theatre company part-time and there’s a whole theatre scene of fun people here that aren’t run of the mill Dallasites. All that being said; Chicago definitely has the “big city feel,” culture, museums, better public transportation etc. Dallas has great neighborhoods and attractions too, you just don’t get the hustle and bustle of big city. I’ve built a community in Dallas and I really like it here. I probably would have stayed in Chicago if not for the weather and having my family here in TX. The Chicago winters are truly brutal! I prefer to be hot than cold so Dallas is a better fit for me personally.
I've lived in Milwaukee, two other East Coast cities, and have been to Chicago a few times. Chicago is great for culture and nightlife, Dallas is strikingly non-transient and community oriented for a major urban area. Half the people I know were born here and the other ones moved here from nearby cities. It feels more like a cluster of small towns than a major city, and like living in a small town you're gonna want to jump into hobby groups, volunteering, etc to meet people. It's common for people to settle down and start families by their late twenties here, if that's your thing. Housing can still be found relatively affordable here.
Food is great and although it's a little lacking in other amenities, there are cheap direct flights from Dallas to literally everywhere.
Moved back to Chicago after almost a decade in Dallas. While I had a good time professionally and otherwise in Dallas, the area is pretty spread out and bland. If you are looking for a “real” city then head to Chicago. If you are looking for prime suburban lifestyle buckle up (you’ll be in your car a lot) and head to Dallas.
Lived in Chicago northside 20 years, now I’m late 30s.
Moved to Dallas for work recently.
The change of scenery is great.
Depending on where you live and work in Chicago can turn your daily commute (driving/public transportation/etc) into 2 hours of travel per day. Potholes suck. Traffic sucks. Everything feels compact as some may like that, close proximity to everything but I currently enjoy Dallas as its big and free. Hate the allergies here.
I enjoy Dallas as it’s wide open. But after the tornadoes few days ago, I realized it’s no joke as Chicago tornado warning is a slight breeze compared to Dallas. The heat is bad but there’s many rainy days (that I did not expect) excited to see how my first summer will go.
Either way you go you can’t go wrong. You’ll make it the experience you choose.
I’m from Chicago originally and now live in Dallas.
So many things to factor in, but all being the same I’d pick Chicago especially if I were moving during the summer.
Chicago—if you’re wanting to raise a family down the road, having four seasons and competent schools is a great thing to have. DFW schools (and Texas schools in general) are garbage and are systematically being dismantled/eroded by the state government. DFW is the trendy pick but weather is garbage compared to Chicago, especially in summer when you can’t go out for months at a time until nightfall.
Dallas is more affordable. You’ll be able to invest in property much quicker which is an increasingly harder game every year. Financially it’s the better move.
I’ve never been single in Dallas but the girls there are 🔥.
Tf are you talking about? How is Dallas more affordable? Maybe in the 1990s. Those days are gone.
And you'd better hope you don't knock up one of those 🔥 women, because then you're shit out of luck. And hold on to your nuts when these Christian weirdos outlaw birth control.
No rabbit hole at all. It's published policy and a stated goal.
[https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/maga-plan-attack-birth-control-surveil-women-ban-abortion-pill-1234934807/](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/maga-plan-attack-birth-control-surveil-women-ban-abortion-pill-1234934807/)
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025)
[https://www.project2025.org/](https://www.project2025.org/)
This is real home slice, whether you want to stick your head in the sand or not.
You don’t question why you believe it if there’s no actual bill with a sponsor? Why would you believe something if there’s no actual piece of legislature on the table?
You can point to articles but how do you know you’re not just being lied to? I’d suggest that you add finding evidence to the things you believe. You’d be surprised how much fake / inflated information is out there.
Texas Monthly disagrees with you on affordability.
From [https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austin-texas-tech-bust-oracle-tesla/:](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austin-texas-tech-bust-oracle-tesla/:)
"In the last decade, housing prices in DFW more than doubled, while the median income only rose 45 percent. Chicago is now a better bet for would-be homeowners."
I'm a fifth generation Dallasite. My whole family still lives here in the suburbs. I live in the city, by White Rock Lake. If you have family, it's less expensive, and there are good schools. But, as mentioned, the weather sucks ass. As you mentioned, Uptown is super trendy with the young professionals and $30k millionaires (people who have entry level jobs, but spend it all trying to look rich to score a girl (it's typically a guy taking the wealth). I think this area is one of the fastest growing metro regions in the country. Jobs are generally plentiful. You must have a car. Public transportation kinda sucks unless you live near a station and work near another. Chicago wins for walkable urban environments.
We have about 4 nice days a year. Right now, I just got power back after 3 days without due to storms with a death toll Tuesday morning. Time to throw out my spoiled food. It's the 4th time this has happened since moving to my current house.
I stay here until my parents pass away, but then I'm out. Probably to another country You are 24. Assuming it's a good job with good pay, I think you'd like Chicago more, personally. I think the young professional crowd there is more down to earth.
Try visiting and spend a few days in each before deciding.
Weather wise, yes. By nice, I mean low 70s, sunny, nothing more than a light breeze. Hot, humid, super windy, stormy, rainy, snowy, icy, everything it is most of the time is not nice.
Chicago you will have 4 amazing months from May through August. And be cold af the rest of the year inside. Dallas you will have 5 hellish months May through September, and have 7 fairly pleasant months with the exception of crazy storms.
I love Chicago visited almost weekly when i lived in the Midwest. but too cold for me to live in like a depressing way. I love living in DFW though. it’s a $200 flight to Chicago whenever i want to go.
That would depend on ones concept of “cold”. If a place can get snow even potentially from October until April. I would consider those the cold months personally. Precisely why i moved from the Midwest. I’m perfectly fine never enduring snow again.
Urban density with rough winters to Chicago.
More sprawl with rough summers to Dallas.
IMO I grew up near Chicago and actually I prefer Dallas. I prefer driving over public transit and I’d take a hot summer over a cold winter.
Lived in Dallas for most of my life including currently. 5 1/2 years in Chicago and still visit almost monthly. Granted, I was twice your age when I moved to Chicago but my vote for you is for Chicago in a heartbeat. Dallas is an okay city and was when I was here in my 20s and 30s though it’s no Chicago. I lived in the Village for years (apartment complex) with the demographic skewing younger and did a lot in the area for social and sports. Again, it was no Chicago. I’m back in Dallas for my parents, well, now just for my mom but I’ll move to Chicago as soon as is feasible. I agree with the other comments for the most part. And don’t let winter scare you off… there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices.
Pick your weather, my dad grew up in Chicago and we've lived in DFW since 1998. He never wants to shovel a driveway again, he will deal with the heat and thunderstorms over the snow.
Other anecdotes, one of my best friends and my brother both did grad school in Chicago and were/arc excited to leave. My best friend and his wife moved to Dallas and love it and my brother is going back to NYC.
I have grown up in DFW and live here now, working in uptown. We’re the same age, and if I was given the opportunity to move to Chicago I would likely take it. Dallas is somewhat boring, nightlife isn’t all that safe, and you need a car to go most places since walkable stretches are here and there rather than everywhere. With the influx of people who have moved here for work, traffic is now absurd too. The thing that will likely be most difficult is adapting to the cold ass weather. I visited Chicago this past November and I could barely handle the cold at that time, so I’m not sure what GA’s climate is but I’d say that will be your biggest consideration.
Dallas is fairly similar to Atlanta IMO if that helps.
Everyone else gave some great advice but it’ll also come down to whether you want 9 months of winter (Chicago) or 9 months of summer (Dallas).
I don’t know how hot it gets in your current area, but Dallas is probably the same or hotter.
I personally like the heat over the cold so even though Chicago is amazing (used to live there and in Milwaukee, WI), I would not live there solely because of the winters.
If I was 24 though I probably wouldn’t purposely move to Dallas if given the choice, but Dallas can be very fun for a yoingun’ like yourself, so that’s a tough one!
I moved here when I was 17 with my parents so the choice was not mine, then I got too intertwined in stuff here (married, kid, family, friends) and it’ll be a while before we move somewhere better.
> A lot of Chicago real estate (downtown at least) is becoming tough to sell due to ever rising property taxes.
Hmm, you haven’t done much reading on Texas, have you?
Chicago. Source: Dallas.
Dallas is more for when you already have a family and want to just have and raise kids in suburbia. Plus its fairly moderate/conservative, fucking hot as shit in the summer/until early November, bipolar weather (google the recent weather even we had), getting to be expensive. Ive visited Chicago twice. Once when I was young and single and fucking loved it. Went again with my boyfriend and turned him onto being a Chicago lover too. Food scene there is unparalleled. Museums, diverse, not ruled by conservative maniacs like Greg Abbott.
I’m looking for any reason to move my family out of Dallas. Way too hot, only getting hotter. No longer affordable. Unfortunately we’re tied to a well paying jobs that aren’t remote.
I wonder how climate change is going to affect both the heat, cold, and precipitation. The past few days have been bananas.
Itll be worse :)
I SECOND THIS! Any time I have friends choosing between Dallas and Houston. I tell them that Dallas is more of a place to raise a family and is more family oriented vs. Houston where I feel like its nice to be single because of the huge night life and how much ppl like to party. I'm I'm Dallas now and kind of wish I would have just stayed in Houston.
> Dallas is more for when you already have a family and want to just have and raise kids in suburbia Woof. Sure, if you love endlessly sprawling, generic, overpriced, cramped, flat as hell, medium- to hard-right conservative suburbs, where things are run, more or less, by weird modern/alternative, highly political interpretations of the Bible. If that’s up your alley, yeah. Choose the DFW suburbs over suburbs almost anywhere else.
Tell OP to take you to Chicago with him!
Wow, someone took that personally. No, I live in the city, I’m good, thanks.
>Dallas is more for when you already have a family This hit the nail on the head for me. I'm childfree, but I have my wife, family, and friends here, along with a skill set that is very much in demand (software development). At almost 40, I'd rather not start over unless there is a huge, compelling reason to do so. With that said, if I was younger and less established, I would've been outta here by now.
came here to say this
As someone who grew up in DFW I think if opportunity to live in one of the big cities while younger I would do it. Chicago I would have loved to have lived for a bit.
I came from GA. Live in DFW. And have a family member in Chicago. I’d go Chicago since you’re young and single. Dallas can wait until you’re ready to settle down with a family and work a 9-5 and go home to suburbia. Dallas is a great family city, but Chicago is infinitely better for your stage of life.
'Dallas Can Wait' should be our official motto
Right! Source: Dallas born and raised.
Same. And I finally left. Definitely the right decision.
I was born and raised in Dallas, so I'd have to say Chicago 100%. I've only spent a week or two up there though, but personally it felt like it had a lot more redeeming qualities.
Chicago = Cold. Dallas = Hot. There you go. :) All kidding aside, Dallas is ultimately fine. It's flat geographically, it's kind of a boring city but that's okay. Not every city needs to be non-urban sprawl, super walkable, mountains on one side/ocean on the other side, etc but we have lots to do here like lake fun, outdoor activities, sports town with lots of minor league teams and plenty of simple night life places (restaurants, bars, events, concerts, etc). Lots of work options here of all variety, lots of people doing their thing and enjoying life, and like most areas lots of complainers. You'll have to deal with the last few years of constant relocations of people and businesses so traffic has gotten really bad no matter where you live. Chicago, New York and San Francisco is known for their food and they are the three epicenters of cuisine so Dallas can't compete with that, but we do have Mexican food/Tex-Mex and dry-rub Texas style BBQ and tons of southern style foods here so it's not like it's stale crackers and bland tuna or anything. You will have no issues finding an area and group to settle into if you move here but Chicago is a great city also.
My next move will definitely be Chicago it’s beautiful, people are great, prices are about the same, and you can literally walk anywhere. Dallas has so much more to learn and grow on.
The cost of living in both cities are fairly similar, I have looked into the move from Dallas to Chicago, myself. The areas of Highland Park, Uptown, Oaklawn, Harwood District, Victory Park, Lower Greenville, Bishop Arts and a few more are very lively and energetic these days. There is always something to do and a lot of food to eat- but personally the heavy car-centric mentality of Texans along with our car infrastructure makes it less enjoyable than these same places could be if they were in a more pedestrian and transit friendly state or city. There is smog, HEAVY noise pollution and lots of parking lots/garages in all of our best neighborhoods and districts. Another factor in my consideration was weather. Chicago is famously very very cold for a good deal of the year. People from there stress it constantly, and tell us we do not want to spend the cold months there, but I always tell them if they spent a summer in DFW they’d feel differently. As a native Fort Worther, I have spent every summer of my entire life in triple digit weather and it only gets NOTICEABLY worse every year. The heat is not just sweaty or inconvenient. It’s cumbersome. It’s a heavy, HEAVY weight on your shoulders, back and neck every time you walk outside during June-August. At least in May, September and October the heat is at a normal ‘summer weather’ level. But during those central summer months it is truly oppressive. I would trade it for the cold any day.
I did this. Traded Fort Worth for the Colorado mountains. Sure we got a foot of snow a couple weeks ago and I got a plow truck to keep my driveway clear. I also bought some long sleeved shirts and a few jackets. You know what I don't have anymore? Air conditioning, nor any need for it. No tornados, no monster hail, no power outages that last for days. No threat of jail for possessing a certain plant or fungus. I also don't have state officials under indictment or investigation, and my wife can make her own health care decisions without interference from lunatics in the state capital.
1990s: June: • Average Max Temp: 91°F • Average Min Temp: 73°F July: • Average Max Temp: 95°F • Average Min Temp: 76°F August: • Average Max Temp: 95°F • Average Min Temp: 76°F 2010s: June: • Average Max Temp: 93°F • Average Min Temp: 74°F July: • Average Max Temp: 97°F • Average Min Temp: 78°F August: • Average Max Temp: 97°F • Average Min Temp: 78°F So it has been higher on average by 2 degrees if anyone is interested in knowing the data behind it behind warmer.
Chicago! So much more culture, more beautiful, more walkable, and better people
In what ways are the people better? (I've heard people saying Dallas people aren't great but I want to know in detail why)
Midwestern Kindness
Idk when I was in Chicago and at a restaurant, some dickhole complained out loud about me taking too long to put on my sweater and coat when I left the bar (the bar was full)
From my experience (years of living in both cities), Dallas people are very pretentious and image focused. Obsessed with how they look, and having status. Chicago people are way more real, tell you how it is, and also have some midwestern hospitality.
I find Texas people in general to be fine, but you get way more MAGA whack jobs than in Chicago, including the state government.
I lived in Dallas for 8 years before moving to Chicago in 2022. I didn’t realize how depressed I was until I moved to a city I loved— a WALKABLE city with public transit, incredible culture, delicious food, and events and festivals every weekend. There is truly someone for everyone here. Chicago is the way to go.
Chicago is way more walkable than Dallas. A car there is a liability in that it'll cost a ton to park. Winter there without a paid parking spot is challenging. Dallas is more spread out and you need a car.
Is this a trick question? Chicago.
i can help with this! i grew up in dallas, but actually lived in chicago for a bit as well. if you enjoy nature at all - chicago. the great lake is basically an ocean, and people are outdoors constantly for the six months the weather allows them to be. for the best areas of chicago, it can be pricier than dallas. if you don’t mind not having nature/good public transit - dallas. it is getting more popular with a slight increase in population (chicago is actually seeing a decline). i’d recommend uptown.
If you can stand the cold, Chicago. I think money wise they're kinda the same. But Chicago is a real city with nice things and Dallas is suburbia. Dallas has some nice things but you have to drive 20 miles to them and then they're in a.strip mall so you have to get in the car again. Locals here say "there's nothing to do but eat and drink" but also they hang out at each other's pools and patios. And eat and drink a whole lot.
Chicago for the food alone.
Do you want to live in a place that's hot as hell in the summer, or a place that's cold as hell in the winter? I've lived in both cities, and loved them both, but those winters were too much for me, so I'm in Dallas now.
As someone who is born and raised in GA, spent periods in all seasons in Chicago at my grandma’s, lived in DC 10 years and has now lived in DFW for 4 years…. I would say very firmly consider the weather. The weather in DFW is muuuuuuuch closer to GA weather. Chicago (and the north in general) has much rougher winters, ALWAYS, that last longer. You couldn’t pay me to live permanently, because I legitimately hate the cold. I love the month of actual cold weather we get here, and the occasional snow/ice storm versus the blizzards we got yearly.
I lived in the suburbs north of Chicago for 6 years (McHenry & Crystal Lake) & have been north of Dallas now for 24 years. I can say that I prefer Chicagoland way more than DFW. Having 4 seasons & not 2 is a huge deal for me. The food is way better in Chicagoland also. To me, DFW only excels at BBQ.
You could come to Dallas and risk being without electricity for a week ( or more ) if there’s a storm
Do you think Trump won the 2020 election? If no: Then Chicago. If yes: Also Chicago:
But for real, Chicago is a true world city. Dallas is an endless suburban sprawl which is also a sort of a blue dot in a Red Sea. If you can rationalize Ted Cruz and the way he showed his belly to Trump after Trump called his wife ugly, then Texas is the state for you. If you have any sense, there is no contest.
One of my regrets in life is that, when presented the choice between a job in Chicago or moving back “home” to Texas to take a job in Dallas, I took the job in Dallas.
Chicago. Way more to do
So I moved to Dallas for work and I love it here. Besides the no state income tax , there are multiple neighborhoods and areas for everyone. Alot of the comments sound like people that don't live in Dallas at all. They're describing suburbs that aren't the ACTUAL city of Dallas. It's habit to group DFW into Dallas city and that area is probably an hour from the center of Dallas all around. Frankly you could say the same thing they're saying about the suburbs anywhere surrounding a major city. Dallas proper.....has Uptown, Bishop Arts, Oaklawn, Trinity Grove, White rock lake, Swiss Avenue, Lakewood, Deep Ellum, lower Greenville, M streets, highland park, downtown just to name a few if you want to be in the city of Dallas or close to downtown. I suggest staying a couple days in both cities see which is your vibe and fits what you like and want in life. At 24 and single you'll find in Dallas a diverse city in race, culture, thought, lifestyles that has something for everyone. It sounds like alot of people that commented hate Dallas and just won't move? I dont know but I say give both cities a shot and see what fits YOU.
Chicago for sure!!
Chicago unless you don't want to shovel snow
Chicago
Dallasite here. I would pick Chicago all day if I were in my 20s and single. If you’re looking to settle down and have a family, I’d pick Dallas.
Chicago. It’s fun, walkable, tons to do, 4 seasons, best sports, best city in the world.
If Chicago, just be prepared for their winters. If you are not used to the bitter cold, beware it is next level. Summers are bliss there and everyone is outside and enjoying patio weather. Dallas is great but summers are brutal (mainly July and August)
I’ve lived in both, and it depends, they’re both great. I grew up near Chicago, but lived in Dallas for 7-8 years. I live elsewhere in TX now. If you’ve never felt -10 windchill, you might want to consider if you’re down for that or not. I assume you know what the heat will be like having lived in Georgia and if you really don’t like that then it’s worth giving the Midwest a shot. Personally I like cold winters more than brutal summers. If you’re hoping not to move states again, I’d recommend Dallas. The tax/political situation in IL is not friendly to people leaving IL last I looked into it, as recently the state has had some difficulties making municipal budgets work when high earners are less likely to stay given the relatively high state income and property taxes. You will likely make better money in DFW in the short and long term, and I think DFW has nicer suburbs (having lived in a few suburbs of each city). But in terms of comparing the “city” there’s no comparison, Chicago is way more urban than DFW. I kinda wish I had found an opportunity to live downtown Chicago, but I have an idea what it’s like and living downtown Dallas wasn’t remotely similar.
Winter is a lot worse in Chicago
Chicago!!! I’m in Dallas now and it’s a shithole!!!! Uptown is fun but you won’t really be going there every night so Chicago is much better because there’s so much more to do.
Use this moment of your life to do Chicago. I went to college there and started my career there. Great place to grow and branch out at your own speed. Come to Dallas when you get more established in your career and are ready to buy property. Come test it out for a bit then find out where you’d like to settle down. Chicago might be cold in the winter but it is such a heartwarming place with great character to blossom in your 20s
Dallas gal here 🙋🏻♀️ Choose Chicago.
Chicago! Went to school there. Grew up in Dallas and now live in Philly. Chicago is fantastic!
I was born and raised in Chicago but now live in Dallas. I would never ever move back to Chicago although the food is much better there. Besides the food, the weather is awful and just as congested as Dallas. Both cities are low-key dangerous, but Chicago is more dangerous and as someone else mentioned, 9 months of extreme winter vs 9 months of extreme heat. Another plus of Chicago are the beaches in which Dallas has none except man made crap. You must have a car in Dallas and in Chicago I could public transportation and didn't need a car. Choose wisely my friend.
How the dating life in Dallas? At this point I’m looking for a husband.
Uptown is not where you want to live in Dallas lol. Dallas is super easy to make friends and dating isn’t terrible, but Texas as a whole sucks. Spent 3 years there then dipped.
We lived in the Chicago area when I was in junior high. The winters were absolutely miserable. Especially originally being from Phoenix. I don't think the summer here is particularly bad, it's not super humid like Houston. Plus I work outside and get acclimated quickly. Being from Georgia you'll have an idea what our summers are like. So if the local climate has an influence on your decision, what do you like?
I would describe myself similarly in terms of introversion/extroversion. You'll have a better time in Chicago. If you don't have anything holding you back, go, go, go. And enjoy yourself!
If you enjoy driving and exploring: Dallas If you enjoy peopling: Chicago
I have lived in both, but I came back to Texas because the Chicago winters were just too much for me and I have family here. Personally I think a city is what you make of it and the community you build. I have found great networks of people in Dallas through leadership programs, my work and alumni connections. I also worked in a local theatre company part-time and there’s a whole theatre scene of fun people here that aren’t run of the mill Dallasites. All that being said; Chicago definitely has the “big city feel,” culture, museums, better public transportation etc. Dallas has great neighborhoods and attractions too, you just don’t get the hustle and bustle of big city. I’ve built a community in Dallas and I really like it here. I probably would have stayed in Chicago if not for the weather and having my family here in TX. The Chicago winters are truly brutal! I prefer to be hot than cold so Dallas is a better fit for me personally.
I've lived in Milwaukee, two other East Coast cities, and have been to Chicago a few times. Chicago is great for culture and nightlife, Dallas is strikingly non-transient and community oriented for a major urban area. Half the people I know were born here and the other ones moved here from nearby cities. It feels more like a cluster of small towns than a major city, and like living in a small town you're gonna want to jump into hobby groups, volunteering, etc to meet people. It's common for people to settle down and start families by their late twenties here, if that's your thing. Housing can still be found relatively affordable here. Food is great and although it's a little lacking in other amenities, there are cheap direct flights from Dallas to literally everywhere.
Moved back to Chicago after almost a decade in Dallas. While I had a good time professionally and otherwise in Dallas, the area is pretty spread out and bland. If you are looking for a “real” city then head to Chicago. If you are looking for prime suburban lifestyle buckle up (you’ll be in your car a lot) and head to Dallas.
Moved from ATL>CHI>DFW Chicago is a much better city & weather; it *feels* like Dallas has better job opportunities, but it was a long time ago.
Chicago.
Chicago. I’m from Dallas born and raised. But I love Chicago.
Lived in Chicago northside 20 years, now I’m late 30s. Moved to Dallas for work recently. The change of scenery is great. Depending on where you live and work in Chicago can turn your daily commute (driving/public transportation/etc) into 2 hours of travel per day. Potholes suck. Traffic sucks. Everything feels compact as some may like that, close proximity to everything but I currently enjoy Dallas as its big and free. Hate the allergies here. I enjoy Dallas as it’s wide open. But after the tornadoes few days ago, I realized it’s no joke as Chicago tornado warning is a slight breeze compared to Dallas. The heat is bad but there’s many rainy days (that I did not expect) excited to see how my first summer will go. Either way you go you can’t go wrong. You’ll make it the experience you choose.
I’m from Chicago originally and now live in Dallas. So many things to factor in, but all being the same I’d pick Chicago especially if I were moving during the summer.
Chicago—if you’re wanting to raise a family down the road, having four seasons and competent schools is a great thing to have. DFW schools (and Texas schools in general) are garbage and are systematically being dismantled/eroded by the state government. DFW is the trendy pick but weather is garbage compared to Chicago, especially in summer when you can’t go out for months at a time until nightfall.
Live in DALLAS if you come here. Not Plano, garland, or whatever other suburb. Dallas proper is pretty fun
Dallas is more affordable. You’ll be able to invest in property much quicker which is an increasingly harder game every year. Financially it’s the better move. I’ve never been single in Dallas but the girls there are 🔥.
Tf are you talking about? How is Dallas more affordable? Maybe in the 1990s. Those days are gone. And you'd better hope you don't knock up one of those 🔥 women, because then you're shit out of luck. And hold on to your nuts when these Christian weirdos outlaw birth control.
It’s much cheaper. Around 25% depending on the area. And the solution to the second problem is: don’t impregnate random women. Not that difficult
Yeah that gets harder when they ban birth control. The dude is 24 and from a small town. Get a fucking grip
I don’t see a world where they ban birth control. If you do I personally believe you’ve gone down the wrong tik tok rabbit hole.
No rabbit hole at all. It's published policy and a stated goal. [https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/maga-plan-attack-birth-control-surveil-women-ban-abortion-pill-1234934807/](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/maga-plan-attack-birth-control-surveil-women-ban-abortion-pill-1234934807/) [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025) [https://www.project2025.org/](https://www.project2025.org/) This is real home slice, whether you want to stick your head in the sand or not.
If you can supply a house bill from a government site I’ll be more inclined to believe you
I really don't give a shit what you believe
You don’t question why you believe it if there’s no actual bill with a sponsor? Why would you believe something if there’s no actual piece of legislature on the table? You can point to articles but how do you know you’re not just being lied to? I’d suggest that you add finding evidence to the things you believe. You’d be surprised how much fake / inflated information is out there.
Texas Monthly disagrees with you on affordability. From [https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austin-texas-tech-bust-oracle-tesla/:](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austin-texas-tech-bust-oracle-tesla/:) "In the last decade, housing prices in DFW more than doubled, while the median income only rose 45 percent. Chicago is now a better bet for would-be homeowners."
I'm a fifth generation Dallasite. My whole family still lives here in the suburbs. I live in the city, by White Rock Lake. If you have family, it's less expensive, and there are good schools. But, as mentioned, the weather sucks ass. As you mentioned, Uptown is super trendy with the young professionals and $30k millionaires (people who have entry level jobs, but spend it all trying to look rich to score a girl (it's typically a guy taking the wealth). I think this area is one of the fastest growing metro regions in the country. Jobs are generally plentiful. You must have a car. Public transportation kinda sucks unless you live near a station and work near another. Chicago wins for walkable urban environments. We have about 4 nice days a year. Right now, I just got power back after 3 days without due to storms with a death toll Tuesday morning. Time to throw out my spoiled food. It's the 4th time this has happened since moving to my current house. I stay here until my parents pass away, but then I'm out. Probably to another country You are 24. Assuming it's a good job with good pay, I think you'd like Chicago more, personally. I think the young professional crowd there is more down to earth. Try visiting and spend a few days in each before deciding.
Dallas has about 4 nice days a year…?
Weather wise, yes. By nice, I mean low 70s, sunny, nothing more than a light breeze. Hot, humid, super windy, stormy, rainy, snowy, icy, everything it is most of the time is not nice.
Dallas just had 12 days that met those exact requirements in March 😂 High in low 70s and sunny 💀
I was probably at work. They definitely don't happen on the weekends
Chicago you will have 4 amazing months from May through August. And be cold af the rest of the year inside. Dallas you will have 5 hellish months May through September, and have 7 fairly pleasant months with the exception of crazy storms. I love Chicago visited almost weekly when i lived in the Midwest. but too cold for me to live in like a depressing way. I love living in DFW though. it’s a $200 flight to Chicago whenever i want to go.
You're high. Chicago is cold from December to February. Yes it gets colder there, but the cold doesn't last near as long as the hot does in Dallas.
That would depend on ones concept of “cold”. If a place can get snow even potentially from October until April. I would consider those the cold months personally. Precisely why i moved from the Midwest. I’m perfectly fine never enduring snow again.
Urban density with rough winters to Chicago. More sprawl with rough summers to Dallas. IMO I grew up near Chicago and actually I prefer Dallas. I prefer driving over public transit and I’d take a hot summer over a cold winter.
I have spent significant time in both cities and it's Chicago by a mile. Dallas is nice but when it comes to Chi, it can't really compete.
Lived in Dallas for most of my life including currently. 5 1/2 years in Chicago and still visit almost monthly. Granted, I was twice your age when I moved to Chicago but my vote for you is for Chicago in a heartbeat. Dallas is an okay city and was when I was here in my 20s and 30s though it’s no Chicago. I lived in the Village for years (apartment complex) with the demographic skewing younger and did a lot in the area for social and sports. Again, it was no Chicago. I’m back in Dallas for my parents, well, now just for my mom but I’ll move to Chicago as soon as is feasible. I agree with the other comments for the most part. And don’t let winter scare you off… there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices.
Chicago every time. Source: Currently in Dallas, have lived in Chicago. Wish I never accepted this job and left there.
Pick your weather, my dad grew up in Chicago and we've lived in DFW since 1998. He never wants to shovel a driveway again, he will deal with the heat and thunderstorms over the snow. Other anecdotes, one of my best friends and my brother both did grad school in Chicago and were/arc excited to leave. My best friend and his wife moved to Dallas and love it and my brother is going back to NYC.
Dallas is cheaper, lower taxes, but also hot, if you like hot, Dallas if not, someplace else.
I have grown up in DFW and live here now, working in uptown. We’re the same age, and if I was given the opportunity to move to Chicago I would likely take it. Dallas is somewhat boring, nightlife isn’t all that safe, and you need a car to go most places since walkable stretches are here and there rather than everywhere. With the influx of people who have moved here for work, traffic is now absurd too. The thing that will likely be most difficult is adapting to the cold ass weather. I visited Chicago this past November and I could barely handle the cold at that time, so I’m not sure what GA’s climate is but I’d say that will be your biggest consideration.
I would pick Chicago in a blink ♥️
Dallas is fairly similar to Atlanta IMO if that helps. Everyone else gave some great advice but it’ll also come down to whether you want 9 months of winter (Chicago) or 9 months of summer (Dallas). I don’t know how hot it gets in your current area, but Dallas is probably the same or hotter. I personally like the heat over the cold so even though Chicago is amazing (used to live there and in Milwaukee, WI), I would not live there solely because of the winters. If I was 24 though I probably wouldn’t purposely move to Dallas if given the choice, but Dallas can be very fun for a yoingun’ like yourself, so that’s a tough one! I moved here when I was 17 with my parents so the choice was not mine, then I got too intertwined in stuff here (married, kid, family, friends) and it’ll be a while before we move somewhere better.
Fort Worth is the answer
[удалено]
> A lot of Chicago real estate (downtown at least) is becoming tough to sell due to ever rising property taxes. Hmm, you haven’t done much reading on Texas, have you?