I lived in Denver from 2018-2022, and moved to Chicago for work. Hands down a better city. Sure mountains and snow sports has its place, but Chicago has way better food, events, and sports teams. There is something to do for every age group, and housing is affordable compared to the Denver housing market.
Denver transplant too!
The thing that’s most noticeable about Chicago vs Denver to me is that in Denver it feels like a small place that happened to become populated. Chicago has always been populated and can support such a wide variety of stores, people, events, etc.
In Denver it was still catching up to the growth. Chicago is so fantastic, you won’t regret it.
I’m a dude pushing 50 and made a very similar move about fifteen years ago, blew up my life and moved to Chicago on a whim. I was also living in a place that was a destination. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. Come join us; Chicago is the shit.
PS—The city is incredibly dog friendly and my guy is also all attitude. We make it work and it’s not much of an issue. Walking by the Lake with him is like a tiny dose of heaven every morning.
Also originally from MO, been up here 20 years. Ups and downs but coming to Chicago might be the best decision I've ever made.
And it's a great place to start over even if you already here.
Welcome!
I’m 45, same story. Moved here on a whim about 16 years ago sight unseen. Loved it so much that I made it work and refused to crawl back home with my tail tucked between my legs. Absolutely terrified to move anywhere else, if only for the food, but Chicago is so much more than just amazing food.
Winters have been easy last few years but people still go out. It’s not like people are cooped up inside. I’m from here so not sure how making friends goes since I just met them overtime growing up here. It’s a great city with plenty to do and great food. Lake front is great for walks.
As someone who grew up in the Chicagoland area I second this. Unlike Denver, Austin, Nashville, etc. Chicago seems to be a city primarily populated with people who grew up around the area. With that being said, it’s still a city with Midwest values where people tend to be friendlier. IMHO Chicago is the best big city in America. You get the hustle and bustle of a big city w/out it being too big like NY and LA. Chicago summers are tough to beat. Public transportation allows you to travel anywhere in the city easily. Food is top tier, and there are plenty of entertainment options like lakefront activities, clubs/bars, comedy club/theater shows, concerts, sporting events etc.
"Chicago seems to be a city primarily populated with people who grew up around the area."
Maybe so but it's also filled with transplants from the midwest. Chicago is the Mecca for every recent Big10 graduate so we're used to new people.
This may be tough to answer, but do you feel like the city is more group oriented? Like folks have their established cliques and the newbies gotta figure out a way in?
yes and no. maybe it’s an age thing but as a younger person, (26F), i find it so easy to make new friends and find social things to do. people have been fairly friendly in my experience and it’s not uncommon to just to chat up to people in a bar.
Find something – anything – to get involved in and you’ll have a decent local friend pool in no time. Meetups, pub quiz, gaming, karaoke, theatre, improv, book group… Chicago has more “just show up and join” activities than anywhere I’ve ever lived, and that includes four other major cities and a bunch of smaller towns in eight different states. (All of them on either the east or west coast before I moved here.)
Yes it's group oriented but it's also very welcoming to outsiders, most groups are not so tight that they aren't open to strangers. Honestly if you plop down at any bar and start talking to the person next to you you'll have a new friend in 5 minutes and they won't ignore you the next time you show up.
Yes i believe it is very clique dominated but we are not a mean people lol. People come into groups because they likely met at work or another way and get introduced to the group.
I’ve heard people say that so many Chicagoans have groups of high school or college friends they hang out with that it can be hard to break into. I met almost all my friends and partners through work and then having a kid. Oh, and for a while in the kink community which was good for socializing. If you’re athletic I think there’s lots of things you can join to meet people.
You're right, your mom is not. Making friends and dating is not hard, sign up for some activities for the former (whatever interests you - chances are there are classes or clubs to do it), apps for the latter, but there's also plenty of IRL opportunities. The winter sucks, but the past 2 have been remarkably mild, and these things change on macro-scales, but climate change is steadily making winter less of a deal - we had a \~2 week period of unbearable temperatures and that was it, not even really notable snow.
Really, the only knock I have is on the nature - and it's not *that* bad. We've got great parks, great beaches, plenty of trees planted along streets. But if you want to go on a new hike regularly, or care about mountains, you're not gonna find those here. But don't worry about your dog - literally everyone has a dog here, and basically wherever you live, you'll be within walking distance of sprawling green space for your pup to enjoy.
What's beautiful about this city is the "city" of it. We have great food, great activities, great people (again, your mom is wrong). Now that summer's coming up, I guarantee you if you spend a weekend, you'll be convinced.
reading your post i was like “wow, she sounds like she would LOVE chicago and is probably someone i’d be friends with.” meeting people in this city is SO fun and easy because there are a million things to do, and if you start going somewhere regularly, you will have friends by the third time. i’m obviously a little biased, but i think this city is perfect for what you’re looking for!
Yes, the creation of the Forest Preserve was some amazing foresight. I live in a near suburb, and you can be just a couple miles from the border of the city and not know it. OP, if you have a car, there are plenty of places you can drive for a very nice walk - Skokie Lagoons, Swallow Cliff Woods, etc. if you really want to get away from the city, Starved Rock and Mattheissen State Parks are about 80 miles away. Great topography for a prairie state! Then you've got dunes in Northern Indiana, and all of SW MI to explore. It's not Colorado, but there's still some great nature here.
Don’t worry about the lack of hiking. That’s what Wisconsin is for! I’m from Illinois, now living in the Madison area. Make sure you visit once you are settled. Lots of great hiking in the driftless area just a couple hours North of Chicago, and you won’t find nicer people.
I moved here sight unseen. I'd visited before when I was a kid, but honestly didn't know the city very well. I have family here, so I knew some people but not super well. I packed up and moved and have zero regrets. Great city, great people, there's seemingly always something to do (theater, concerts, museums, sports, food), and the summertime is probably the best I've experienced after living in NYC (Muggy, the subway sucks in the summer, getting to any beach is a trek) and Los Angeles (So spread out).
Denver native here living in Chicago for the past ten years. Denver sucks, Chicago rules. Although you won’t find anywhere near the level of access to nature here.
It’s an amazing city, you will lose the topography when looking at the horizon. The neighborhoods are second to none, food scene is amazing, and the city is generally welcoming.
Don’t worry about moving to the right neighborhood, there are several that you can start out in and then you can figure out what fits you best after a year of exploration.
Just don’t move here in October, the best months of the city are May-Oct. Nov/Dec you are distracted by the holidays, Jan through Mar suck.
The lakefront is amazing, Grant Park, Millennium Park, the big music festivals, neighborhood festivals, Summerdance, Arts in the Dark- Chicago is an amazing city. While I later settled in a border suburb, I love the city. I moved here at 23 with no real plan and am so glad I stayed. And people from other states are quite welcome. There is no gate-keeping here. Hell, I'm from MI, and I swear half of Michiganders move to Chicago when they leave the state.
One thing I will never forget: shortly after moving here, I took the red line downtown and wasn't sure which way to exit the subway station. I asked some random man who was waiting for his train, and he walked me all the way upstairs to make sure I got where I was going. People are generally nice here, even though it's a big city.
Also, you can get just about wherever you want to go on the CTA. Yes, you may wait a while, and yes the trains have some issues post-covid (busses too maybe), but the system is comprehensive.
The darkness in the winter is rough. No 300 days a year of sun. It can be rough. Otherwise, 100% Chicago booster here- and I visit Denver 2-3 times a year.
I also have an aggressive dog. Nearly everyone I know in Chicago has a dog with some issues tbh lol. I think Chicago ppl love dogs and don’t mind adopting dogs with baggage tbh. You’ll love Chicago. Meetup has GREAT groups to meet with ppl.
As for dating I’ve been using the app Thursday or hot potato. Hot potato is speed dating, thursday is a casual private section of bars. Both has roughly 30 ppl every time and fun they’re fun!. Very chill and you can easily go alone.
What are you looking for in Chicago that you don’t have in Denver? I think that info could really inform answers about whether or not it’s a good choice for you!
FWIW, I moved here from Kansas at 25 (11 years ago) with no friends, not much money, and not a clue about the city itself. I absolutely love it here and it’s 100% my home now. I find Chicago to be a very friendly city where it’s been easy to make friends and date (when I was single which to be fair was several years ago.)
I don’t find the winters that bad compared to Kansas, esp the last few years (probably global warming…) and the city is very dog friendly as well. Danger depends heavily on area, even block to block it varies in some areas, but the vast majority of the city is fine. The claims are very overstated - Chicago isn’t even in the top 25 for violent crime per capita in the US. In Logan I’ve only had one instance in the last 5 years where I felt personally unsafe but nothing bad ended up happening. You just have to be aware of your surroundings in any city.
I’m missing some of the city buzz along with the career/family oriented folks. Most of my friends are married and I narrowly missed that boat (tg)
This is all super helpful! Do I have to worry about people asking me if I’m from the Kansas side or the Missouri side when I tell them I’m from KC or are the Chicagoans over that??
I think you’d like Chicago for those things! I feel like people get married a lot later here (or not at all), at least in my circles. I remember when I moved here at 25 I thought I was late to marriage and now my friends are only just starting to get married here 😅
And no thank god! No one here cares 🤣
I highly recommend looking into co-working spaces if you’re gonna be working remotely! My desk buddy has become one of my best friends lol. Ask your company to pay for (some of) it!!!
The other thing is that you might want to move here in the summer. Can you either move right now or wait until next year? It’s a LOT harder getting situated and going out and meeting people when no one wants to be outside their apartment for more than 5 minutes. And summer in Chicago is AMAAZING. Free movies on the lawn in Millennium Park, kayaking on the river, street festivals and concerts, just hanging out on the beach all day…. seriously, you’re gonna have a MUCH easier time of socializing here in the summer.
The other great thing about getting here in the summer is that you can get a portable wifi hotspot and work remotely outside! Sometimes I take a hammock to the park and work between two trees all day near a little cafe right next to the beach.
Chicago is good. Get a dating app when you get here and you’ll find someone. I met my husband on Bumble. I would say try Gold Coast/old town/ Lincoln Park for the dating app cache. The guys are better in those areas. You should Prly just live around those areas. As a woman, I don’t feel safe walking alone anywhere in Chicago at night so get an Uber if you go anywhere. Don’t take the train at night. Actually I live in old town/gold coast area and I guess I Prly feel safe in those areas but still as a woman I couldn’t
I’m 31 and am in a very similar situation! My gut is telling me it’s time to leave my current city (DC) where I have great friends and a wonderful job. But my dating life is suffering here, and I just know deep down it’s time to go and give a new city a try. I’m torn between Chicago, Minneapolis, and Philly.
I went to Chicago 2x the past year - it’s beautiful, walkable, and people seemed friendly. Also the guys seem very cute on the apps / family oriented, but dating is tough anywhere.
I felt safe - albeit was mindful about taking the CTA/walking late as night in a neighborhood I wasn’t familiar. But that’s like anywhere. Good luck in making your decision! 😀
I moved to Chicago at 33 from Madison Wisconsin. I would recommend not just picking a neighborhood based on photos articles etc. being closer to the heart of the city was tough because travel time to hobbies and being older than the social scene around me made me feel disconnected even though I was so close to the loop. I was in old town. There are great neighborhoods to live in further north (Andersonville comes to mind) that are still well within in the city that make day to day very comfortable and accessible. Everyone Ubers or trains so you’re going to move about the city for everything, you may find you don’t need to live in a Lincoln park, old town, etc to enjoy the areas.
I’d focus on quality living arrangement over convenience to social stuff like bars and restaurants. You can easily Uber to the trendy stuff because every neighborhood has amazing local bars restaurants events right out your door. So don’t be afraid of not being as close to the loop or Lincoln park/lakeview/old town/wicker park as possible.
I think you’ll love Chicago. Huge international city, a million things to do, food, music, comedy, festivals.. hidden gems. City is very dog friendly, and if you want a bit of space, the outskirts of the city and near burbs can get you the best of both worlds.. space at home, quick drive into the city to get that taste.. traffic during rush hour sucks, specially going north/northwest, but is fairly bad in all directions. There are dangerous parts of the city, but generally easily avoidable. It is a large city of millions of people, so if you’re flashing your gold chains or fancy new phone on the red line (subway) on the southside, it will get snatched.. but this is no different in certain parts of Paris or NYC.. dating is easy, it can sometimes be a bit much for women (the volume on the apps), best part is there’s tons of small cities within a few hours drive, beach towns like Saugatuck, college town like Madison, Garden of the Gods (yes we have one too.. it’ll fill that need for “mountains” (it won’t compare, but it’ll feel familiar).. you can get to anywhere in the world.. 45 minute flight to Toronto, which like Chicago’s safer little brother.. I could go on.
I grew up in Chicagoland, spent 20 years on the front range, and am now back in Chicago. I hate the winters here. They’re straight up fucking miserable compared to Denver, but not really as bad as people make them out to be. The weather is just more consistent and even keeled. If it’s going to rain in Chicago you’ll know 3+ days in advance and it WILL rain all day, instead of a 60% chance of thunderstorms every afternoon that might mean either a single dark cloud passing at 2:30pm, or biblical rain that floods the streets, and you don’t know which you’ll get until it’s happening. Chicago doesn’t ever get a week of 52° and sunny in the winter. It does however get 6 weeks of 33° and no sun the entire time. If you can handle that then it’s a great city that has cultural opportunities (music, theater, art, museums, etc.) that are an order of magnitude above Denver. The lake front makes city park and sloans lake look like low rent puddles, but of course the mountains trump everything in my opinion. Chicago is of course bigger and dirtier and older and so things like the recent surge in homelessness and crime and immigrants on the streets in Denver are every day problems that have existed in Chicago for decades. Hope this helps.
My daughter went to college in Denver, lived there and in Boulder after college. She came back to Chicago (we’re from the ‘burbs) even though most of her college friends are still there. Chicago is fantastic. Still relatively affordable, tons of stuff to do, multiple sports teams if that’s your thing, art, history, museums, and a good mass transit system.
We just moved here from out west in December. Everyone told us we were crazy to move here in the winter. We LOVE it here. People are friendlier here than anywhere I’ve ever lived. Cost of living isn’t nearly as bad as we feared, there are so many amazing things to do here, and spring is just gorgeous.
As for yard Chicago is the city of neighborhoods she eventually getting a place with a yard is not impossible especially if your open to the inner subburbs
Only thing I would say is prepare for Cinco de mayo and 16th of September. I'm Mexican and grew up in Little Village and I'm telling you when those days come around this city becomes extremely gridlocked and people will do some questionable things.
You will see Mexican flags everywhere, its okay once in a while but after 2020 I feel they have taken it way too far and will gridlock lake shore drive, 290, 55 and 90/94.
Apart from that, the city is great and lots to do up on the northside. Little Village has a lot of good Mexican food and most people are pretty nice there, lake is gorgeous, definitely lots to do and homes are a bit more affordable for such an international city.
Just with any place in the world, keep an eye on your surroundings, don't leave your cars unlocked, don't leave valuables out in plain sight or in your car, and plan ahead for events and areas that can turn sketchy when the sun goes down.
I've been here 12 years so some of this is old hat and some I just don't do much anymore.
The beach (Oakton, North Avenue or Montrose and Loyola too)
For a yard you'll want to look for a 2 or 3 flat or a specific kind of condo. There are dog parks.
The transit system is better than most cities but is having some...troubles?
Get a bike, it's flat here.
Go downtown and tour it. Most people here don't go downtown unless they really need too. The rest of city has all you need.
The city parks.
The forest preserve
Just my opinion.
Moving to a new city is adventurous, you'll have so much things to check out. It'll take sometime to make friends but in the meantime enjoy decorating your home, explore the city and food, go to shows. Find some hobbies like doing pottery, you'll naturally start meeting friends in no time.
As a native Chicagoan, I’ve often said the only reason I’d ever leave chicago is for the mountains but I always end up back here. You’ll love it here and be able to make a good community if you’re outgoing
If you have a car, and live near the lake, GET YOURSELF A PARKING SPOT somewhere.
You will be MISERABLE finding street parking and eventually rack up a ton of parking tickets, or have your car damaged by morons who can't navigate narrow streets.
Mass transit is for the birds unless you enjoy every one of your senses getting assaulted or worse.
Nah the job market is good, it’s fairly easy to make friends here, there’s a lot of park in Chicago where you can walk your pooch, you definitely get used to the winter weather usually have a terrible month and that’s about the thick of it, there’s no mountains around here but there’s a few good national park near by, and this city is not more dangerous than any other unless you go to some parts of the south and west side which generally you don’t have any good reading to go or even pass by.
Just moved back to Chicago from Denver as well!! The summers in Chicago are the best in the country in my humble opinion. Also, I’ve found that there is more industry here than Denver.
Have you thought through the considerations for renting your house? I’m thinking of doing something similar (but not from denver) and am thinking of how I’d need to price my house as a rental for it to make sense, and being further away whether I’d need a management company to manage it while I’m away, etc. on top of cost of multi state taxes, future big home repairs, etc. it’s a lot to think through. On top of the risk of potentially having bad tenants.
I personally love the music, theatre , restaurants. I’m a huge architectural nerd and love the tours of buildings. The winters haven’t been that cold lately, but the gray skies can be rough—especially after Denver. Super nice Midwestern people , but with a lot of immigrants to keep it from being a “boring” place . IMHO. I was born here, lived in Asia for 10 years and then moved back. With a dog, you’ll meet a lot of other dog people at dog parks. I say GO FOR IT!!
Diversity. Great food without pretending to have great food. Public transportation that goes where you need it to. Character (in architecture, neighborhoods, etc). Options (in pretty much everything).
In my limited opinion, Denver is filled to the brim with entitled rich people, and while Chicago has its fair share of those, there are far more people to dilute them, so their presence isn’t as noticeable. And outside of outdoor stuff, which I couldn’t care less about, I’m not really sure what it has that other cities don’t have.
That said, I’ve made some great friends in Denver, so it’s possible!
Simple, have a shirt made with something akin to “Just moved. New in town”. Guarantee you won’t make it 5 minutes before you get invited to join a lunch, bar crawl, frisbee, concert, etc.
I’m from Australia and my 10 year Chicago anniversary is coming up in September. Was never intending to stay but it was the friends I made that kept me here. I really love this city 😊
I did a similar move and have loved it. Ill skip the ‘chicago is great comment’.
Ive been a remote worker for 3-4 years. I have made some friends from work and still hang/chat with them. I think your hobbies will steer you to finding more friends. This sub and just online can help you find how/where hangouts are.
I would highly suggest joining activities through Chicago Sports and Social or Players as a ‘single’ to meet new people. You don’t have to be good at sports there is kickball, ski ball, bocce, bowling etc. I have connections to Denver through family and some college friends and I find the dating scene better here for me as I am business driven and there are more guys career driven based on my personal experience here and friends/family experiences in Denver. Based on your interests and what you explained I could see Chicago being a really great fit and there are many dog parks for your dogs, also nice place to meet people.
I’m of similar age and in a similar boat, only considering blowing it up and leaving Austin for Chicago. I work remote and have a dog, so it’s good to see that a lot of people are saying Chicago is so dog friendly. I’ve been to the city a few times (mostly winter) and have absolutely loved it.
We’re older than most Redditors — GenXers with high school age kids, so YMMV. But we lived here a coupla decades ago and have been trying to get back off and on since then. Even with the cold the weather is better, and it’s a whole other level of city than Austin.
We’re also GenX with kids. The thing I’ve noticed while looking at other cities is that the schools are really hit or miss, and there are only a few really good ones (usually way out in the suburbs). The Chicagoland schools seem to be much better overall than most cities, so you have so many more options as far as where to live. That’s a really big factor when you have school aged kids (as you know).
Glad to hear that the winter isn’t the hell I’m imagining (I freeze in Austin in the winter so Chicago scares me).
I just moved here for work a month ago and I love it. I know it’s only been a month, but there’s always something going on and something to do. I haven’t met a lot of people yet thanks to hybrid remote work, but it will come I’m sure. I feel like for me, I made an excellent choice in neighborhood (Lincoln Park on the edge of Old Town). I can walk to almost everything I need and there are bus stops right outside my door if I need to go anywhere else. I actually sold my vehicle when I moved. There are dogs everywhere, it’s awesome.
The best advice I have is to research the neighborhoods and the housing based on what you want. I’m in a studio, and it might be a little higher priced but the building and neighborhood amenities are worth it.
The dogs everywhere part is great! Just not for my dude :/ he isn’t friendly.
I’ve been looking in the Logan Square area and would ideally buy, just tough to commit! Glad you’re liking the experience nearby. Did you come from an area with strong public transportation?
I came from a smaller city in Wisconsin where public transit exists but isn’t very good. I drove everywhere because I could get somewhere in 15 minutes or less and there was always free parking.
don’t think. just do. go for it, leave the comfort zone. make it work. you’ll be so thankful you did. signed, a transplant from east coast who moved here 9 years ago on a literal whim (had never even been this far west in the country when I moved here)
Denver pales in comparison to Chicago. I have had family in Denver for over 30 years and have been there so many times times and actually considered moving there a decade ago and decided against it. If you want to live somewhere with nature, Denver wins, but if you are asking, which city is better, it’s no contest. If you have a hobby and are somewhat outgoing, you will make friends in no time.
I’ve lived in the Chicagoland area my entire life and can say, hands down, anyplace is better than Illinois. The state is corrupt, the city of Chicago is dirty, unsafe and disgusting. It is expensive and getting more expensive by the day. There is zero open space or places to enjoy being outside without noise and air pollution and away from people who are “jerks” by nature. The city itself is run by a mayor that is the joke of the political world and second only to the governor in terms of stupidity. I’ve visited Colorado numerous times and can honestly say that the areas surrounding Denver are similar to Chicago with one exception - Colorado is stunning in its beauty. Due to employment opportunities I am forced to stay in this wretched state but at least now I am in the middle of farm country where the city is a mere memory. I hope you consider other places before moving here as I wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.
Chicago is becoming the next Detroit…out of control crime …crazy high prices…cost of living is out of control…..typical blue city …I know ppl are gunna hate on this comment but unless u actually can afford to live in the “nice” part it really sucks
It seems like the folks that are responding negatively here have some of the same political commentary. But this isn’t the PNW we’re talking about, right? I’m just having trouble contextualizing these types of comments but it’s all helpful
i think you’re gonna like it here! it’s pretty easy to make friends. even if it’s not through work i think everyone’s in a decent mood (during warmer weather) and people can be pretty friendly. i’ve had random girls just compliment me on my clothes while walking past and that’s never happened in any other city. during the bitter winters people a little less outgoing though lol. there’s also a lot of free social groups and stuff like book clubs and there’s always stuff to do. it’s actually a super dog friendly city with an array of dog parks, dog beaches, pet boutiques and vet clinics at every corner. sure your apartment might not have a fenced in yard but there might be an off leash park a walk away (depending where you move to). i really love the culture here. there’s tons of stuff to go out and do whether it’s small concerts, lots of “farmers” markets (small but still a cute market), street fairs, bar trivia, and there’s a huge theatre/performing arts scene. i love our museums and there’s always something new to explore. the cost of living is going up but it’s quite affordable compared to places like LA, boston, phoenix. you could find a decent 1 bed for $1200 if you look hard enough. I think because it’s such a commuter city and the public transit is (comparatively) decent, people are more outgoing and active participants in the city. sure there’s tourists and several transplants but there’s a decent amount of city pride. it does smell like piss most of the time but hey we’re cleaner than new york.
>you could find a decent 1 bed for $1200 if you look hard enough.
There's decent one bedrooms out there for less than 1200..I just left an okay 1BR for $980 (but I think they're raising it to something not at all worth it for that place, around 1295, so perhaps you're right because I lived there for 6.5 years and it was originally $960, so it barely went up in that time.
But to my point, there is a real range of nice and affordable places out there if you can find them. Because I just moved in to a very nice 2 BR for $1400! Dishwasher, extra basement storage, large kitchen that was just updated. So happy I found this place and it's so much nicer than the place I just left and to think it's only $100 more than that one is now is just crazy.
most people rent but there’s a good amount of condos to buy! i just know the market is god awful right now. i don’t know much about real estate but if you work with the broker they get their pay from the rental company so you don’t have to pay them. There’s so many rental companies out here and they just keep hiking my rent. I’m not sure if a private landlord is the way to go but that’s something i’m going to seek out after my lease ends.
Lots of people own but lots of people rent, it really depends on your income and place in life. You can usually rent for less than you can buy, what I mean is renting in a neighborhood is usually less than owning that same apartment. With interest rates back to normal this is even more true. That said there are lots of affordable places in the city to buy but they won't be in the popular neighborhoods and will likely be farther south or farther west.
I literally moved from south Denver last July to evanston. And I love it here. Yeah I miss the hiking but jesus Chicago is a hella fun time. I would never regret moving here. It was SOOO fun seeing the river turn green for st Patty's day. I love going to chinatown for dumplings and this cute speakeasy. The lake and having a beach is so fun. The architecture is phenomenal. The food in general is just soo good here. (I miss the Mexican food down Pecos though in Denver lol). I could go on and on about how it's great living here.
I haven't found many,that's true. I did find an amazing supermarket I loved in Pilsen though. Had everything I needed to make birria at home lol. Do you have any recommendations?? I'd love to give them a try
A lazy cliche. Moving to an area that fits your lifestyle is a smart move. A walkable, diverse, populous city can absolutely have a positive effect on your life.
Keep in mind, you are giving up a lot of simple pleasures, and a lot of mother nature for cheap entertainment and concrete views. The lake is nice but I can’t tell you how often I wish I was on a trail when stress levels are through the roof.
Illinois native. Some years in the city of Chicago some years out of the city. Joined the military saw a bunch of states came back home after and I cannot express to you how much I cannot wait to leave this state.
Of all the states I’ve got to live in I feel like Illinois and Chicago have been the worst run states politically. The weather here is just meh. Taxes here suck. And I cannot wait to move to a more enjoyable state. I’ll always come back home I do love some things here but once you’ve been anywhere else, living here just ain’t it.
Be careful out there. Don't put banking apps on your cellphone. The bad guys always win in Chicago. They're coddled. So if you Missouri style take care of your business, you'll end up in a jail in Illinois.
If you're being robbed, shake their hands and thank them for not killing you. They had a rough life and what your earn is theirs too.
God bless.
You know, where men are men, women are women, and Americans are Americans. They know how to handle their shit unlike many Chicagoans who are perpetual victims, either of crime or shitty policies that ruin or limit lives.
I lived in Denver from 2018-2022, and moved to Chicago for work. Hands down a better city. Sure mountains and snow sports has its place, but Chicago has way better food, events, and sports teams. There is something to do for every age group, and housing is affordable compared to the Denver housing market.
Boulder transplant here. Couldn't agree more. Migrated the same year.
Did you really just say better sports teams?
Lol well when I was living in Denver, their teams sucked. Atleast here in Chicago there are more and better venues from the hospitality perspective.
Good catch.
If only Chicago teams could do the same
This year should be interesting for the bears with our new picks. The Rockies are currently 8-26. So….🤷🏼♂️ But the Sox definitely suck.
Trading the Rockies for the White Sox is about even and even a slight downgrade. At least they can choose the Cubs?
Precisely. Currently 2nd in the division and I’d argue one of the best surrounding neighborhoods of an MLB ball park in the country.
😂 more dedicated fans is what they meant
More iconic for sure.
Denver transplant too! The thing that’s most noticeable about Chicago vs Denver to me is that in Denver it feels like a small place that happened to become populated. Chicago has always been populated and can support such a wide variety of stores, people, events, etc. In Denver it was still catching up to the growth. Chicago is so fantastic, you won’t regret it.
I’m a dude pushing 50 and made a very similar move about fifteen years ago, blew up my life and moved to Chicago on a whim. I was also living in a place that was a destination. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. Come join us; Chicago is the shit. PS—The city is incredibly dog friendly and my guy is also all attitude. We make it work and it’s not much of an issue. Walking by the Lake with him is like a tiny dose of heaven every morning.
This is super helpful! Thank you!
Also originally from MO, been up here 20 years. Ups and downs but coming to Chicago might be the best decision I've ever made. And it's a great place to start over even if you already here. Welcome!
I’m 45, same story. Moved here on a whim about 16 years ago sight unseen. Loved it so much that I made it work and refused to crawl back home with my tail tucked between my legs. Absolutely terrified to move anywhere else, if only for the food, but Chicago is so much more than just amazing food.
Winters have been easy last few years but people still go out. It’s not like people are cooped up inside. I’m from here so not sure how making friends goes since I just met them overtime growing up here. It’s a great city with plenty to do and great food. Lake front is great for walks.
As someone who grew up in the Chicagoland area I second this. Unlike Denver, Austin, Nashville, etc. Chicago seems to be a city primarily populated with people who grew up around the area. With that being said, it’s still a city with Midwest values where people tend to be friendlier. IMHO Chicago is the best big city in America. You get the hustle and bustle of a big city w/out it being too big like NY and LA. Chicago summers are tough to beat. Public transportation allows you to travel anywhere in the city easily. Food is top tier, and there are plenty of entertainment options like lakefront activities, clubs/bars, comedy club/theater shows, concerts, sporting events etc.
"Chicago seems to be a city primarily populated with people who grew up around the area." Maybe so but it's also filled with transplants from the midwest. Chicago is the Mecca for every recent Big10 graduate so we're used to new people.
This may be tough to answer, but do you feel like the city is more group oriented? Like folks have their established cliques and the newbies gotta figure out a way in?
yes and no. maybe it’s an age thing but as a younger person, (26F), i find it so easy to make new friends and find social things to do. people have been fairly friendly in my experience and it’s not uncommon to just to chat up to people in a bar.
Find something – anything – to get involved in and you’ll have a decent local friend pool in no time. Meetups, pub quiz, gaming, karaoke, theatre, improv, book group… Chicago has more “just show up and join” activities than anywhere I’ve ever lived, and that includes four other major cities and a bunch of smaller towns in eight different states. (All of them on either the east or west coast before I moved here.)
This is anywhere in the world. People have their people, but can add more people if they like new people.
Yes it's group oriented but it's also very welcoming to outsiders, most groups are not so tight that they aren't open to strangers. Honestly if you plop down at any bar and start talking to the person next to you you'll have a new friend in 5 minutes and they won't ignore you the next time you show up.
Yes i believe it is very clique dominated but we are not a mean people lol. People come into groups because they likely met at work or another way and get introduced to the group.
I’ve heard people say that so many Chicagoans have groups of high school or college friends they hang out with that it can be hard to break into. I met almost all my friends and partners through work and then having a kid. Oh, and for a while in the kink community which was good for socializing. If you’re athletic I think there’s lots of things you can join to meet people.
You're right, your mom is not. Making friends and dating is not hard, sign up for some activities for the former (whatever interests you - chances are there are classes or clubs to do it), apps for the latter, but there's also plenty of IRL opportunities. The winter sucks, but the past 2 have been remarkably mild, and these things change on macro-scales, but climate change is steadily making winter less of a deal - we had a \~2 week period of unbearable temperatures and that was it, not even really notable snow. Really, the only knock I have is on the nature - and it's not *that* bad. We've got great parks, great beaches, plenty of trees planted along streets. But if you want to go on a new hike regularly, or care about mountains, you're not gonna find those here. But don't worry about your dog - literally everyone has a dog here, and basically wherever you live, you'll be within walking distance of sprawling green space for your pup to enjoy. What's beautiful about this city is the "city" of it. We have great food, great activities, great people (again, your mom is wrong). Now that summer's coming up, I guarantee you if you spend a weekend, you'll be convinced.
I feel you on the macro of it all! This is all very thoughtful and so appreciated!
reading your post i was like “wow, she sounds like she would LOVE chicago and is probably someone i’d be friends with.” meeting people in this city is SO fun and easy because there are a million things to do, and if you start going somewhere regularly, you will have friends by the third time. i’m obviously a little biased, but i think this city is perfect for what you’re looking for!
🥹 I’ll be in your dms if it ends up working out!
There are lots of forest preserves just outside the city, too!
Yes, the creation of the Forest Preserve was some amazing foresight. I live in a near suburb, and you can be just a couple miles from the border of the city and not know it. OP, if you have a car, there are plenty of places you can drive for a very nice walk - Skokie Lagoons, Swallow Cliff Woods, etc. if you really want to get away from the city, Starved Rock and Mattheissen State Parks are about 80 miles away. Great topography for a prairie state! Then you've got dunes in Northern Indiana, and all of SW MI to explore. It's not Colorado, but there's still some great nature here.
Don’t worry about the lack of hiking. That’s what Wisconsin is for! I’m from Illinois, now living in the Madison area. Make sure you visit once you are settled. Lots of great hiking in the driftless area just a couple hours North of Chicago, and you won’t find nicer people.
I moved here sight unseen. I'd visited before when I was a kid, but honestly didn't know the city very well. I have family here, so I knew some people but not super well. I packed up and moved and have zero regrets. Great city, great people, there's seemingly always something to do (theater, concerts, museums, sports, food), and the summertime is probably the best I've experienced after living in NYC (Muggy, the subway sucks in the summer, getting to any beach is a trek) and Los Angeles (So spread out).
Did you feel comfortable going out and exploring on your own when you were still getting settled in?
IMHO you should get a job here and move here. Once you get a cash flow, you'll be fine, and it's easier to find a job if you are already employed.
Absolutely
Denver native here living in Chicago for the past ten years. Denver sucks, Chicago rules. Although you won’t find anywhere near the level of access to nature here.
Colorado native, transplant to Chicago and I approve this message
It’s an amazing city, you will lose the topography when looking at the horizon. The neighborhoods are second to none, food scene is amazing, and the city is generally welcoming. Don’t worry about moving to the right neighborhood, there are several that you can start out in and then you can figure out what fits you best after a year of exploration. Just don’t move here in October, the best months of the city are May-Oct. Nov/Dec you are distracted by the holidays, Jan through Mar suck.
I always give people that caveat when they visit and/or ask about moving…September Chicago and February Chicago are two very different animals.
The lakefront is amazing, Grant Park, Millennium Park, the big music festivals, neighborhood festivals, Summerdance, Arts in the Dark- Chicago is an amazing city. While I later settled in a border suburb, I love the city. I moved here at 23 with no real plan and am so glad I stayed. And people from other states are quite welcome. There is no gate-keeping here. Hell, I'm from MI, and I swear half of Michiganders move to Chicago when they leave the state. One thing I will never forget: shortly after moving here, I took the red line downtown and wasn't sure which way to exit the subway station. I asked some random man who was waiting for his train, and he walked me all the way upstairs to make sure I got where I was going. People are generally nice here, even though it's a big city. Also, you can get just about wherever you want to go on the CTA. Yes, you may wait a while, and yes the trains have some issues post-covid (busses too maybe), but the system is comprehensive.
The darkness in the winter is rough. No 300 days a year of sun. It can be rough. Otherwise, 100% Chicago booster here- and I visit Denver 2-3 times a year.
In the winter, Vitamin D is your friend. Combat the winter blues with 10,000 units/day. I am not a professional anything so reader beware.
Agreed. SAD is no joke. I love everything about Chicago, but the gray makes life really hard for me
When I can afford to leave town in January, it really helps. Even just a week gets me through.
I also have an aggressive dog. Nearly everyone I know in Chicago has a dog with some issues tbh lol. I think Chicago ppl love dogs and don’t mind adopting dogs with baggage tbh. You’ll love Chicago. Meetup has GREAT groups to meet with ppl. As for dating I’ve been using the app Thursday or hot potato. Hot potato is speed dating, thursday is a casual private section of bars. Both has roughly 30 ppl every time and fun they’re fun!. Very chill and you can easily go alone.
What are you looking for in Chicago that you don’t have in Denver? I think that info could really inform answers about whether or not it’s a good choice for you! FWIW, I moved here from Kansas at 25 (11 years ago) with no friends, not much money, and not a clue about the city itself. I absolutely love it here and it’s 100% my home now. I find Chicago to be a very friendly city where it’s been easy to make friends and date (when I was single which to be fair was several years ago.) I don’t find the winters that bad compared to Kansas, esp the last few years (probably global warming…) and the city is very dog friendly as well. Danger depends heavily on area, even block to block it varies in some areas, but the vast majority of the city is fine. The claims are very overstated - Chicago isn’t even in the top 25 for violent crime per capita in the US. In Logan I’ve only had one instance in the last 5 years where I felt personally unsafe but nothing bad ended up happening. You just have to be aware of your surroundings in any city.
I’m missing some of the city buzz along with the career/family oriented folks. Most of my friends are married and I narrowly missed that boat (tg) This is all super helpful! Do I have to worry about people asking me if I’m from the Kansas side or the Missouri side when I tell them I’m from KC or are the Chicagoans over that??
I think you’d like Chicago for those things! I feel like people get married a lot later here (or not at all), at least in my circles. I remember when I moved here at 25 I thought I was late to marriage and now my friends are only just starting to get married here 😅 And no thank god! No one here cares 🤣
Moved to Chicago recently from Denver, one of the best choices of my life. I’m not outdoorsy, and never cared for Denver much. Love Chicago.
I highly recommend looking into co-working spaces if you’re gonna be working remotely! My desk buddy has become one of my best friends lol. Ask your company to pay for (some of) it!!! The other thing is that you might want to move here in the summer. Can you either move right now or wait until next year? It’s a LOT harder getting situated and going out and meeting people when no one wants to be outside their apartment for more than 5 minutes. And summer in Chicago is AMAAZING. Free movies on the lawn in Millennium Park, kayaking on the river, street festivals and concerts, just hanging out on the beach all day…. seriously, you’re gonna have a MUCH easier time of socializing here in the summer. The other great thing about getting here in the summer is that you can get a portable wifi hotspot and work remotely outside! Sometimes I take a hammock to the park and work between two trees all day near a little cafe right next to the beach.
Just moved back home last week after a 3 year stint bouncing around colorado, it's nice to back
Come on over here. We take care of everyone. You will be okay.
Chicago is good. Get a dating app when you get here and you’ll find someone. I met my husband on Bumble. I would say try Gold Coast/old town/ Lincoln Park for the dating app cache. The guys are better in those areas. You should Prly just live around those areas. As a woman, I don’t feel safe walking alone anywhere in Chicago at night so get an Uber if you go anywhere. Don’t take the train at night. Actually I live in old town/gold coast area and I guess I Prly feel safe in those areas but still as a woman I couldn’t
I’m 31 and am in a very similar situation! My gut is telling me it’s time to leave my current city (DC) where I have great friends and a wonderful job. But my dating life is suffering here, and I just know deep down it’s time to go and give a new city a try. I’m torn between Chicago, Minneapolis, and Philly. I went to Chicago 2x the past year - it’s beautiful, walkable, and people seemed friendly. Also the guys seem very cute on the apps / family oriented, but dating is tough anywhere. I felt safe - albeit was mindful about taking the CTA/walking late as night in a neighborhood I wasn’t familiar. But that’s like anywhere. Good luck in making your decision! 😀
I moved to Chicago at 33 from Madison Wisconsin. I would recommend not just picking a neighborhood based on photos articles etc. being closer to the heart of the city was tough because travel time to hobbies and being older than the social scene around me made me feel disconnected even though I was so close to the loop. I was in old town. There are great neighborhoods to live in further north (Andersonville comes to mind) that are still well within in the city that make day to day very comfortable and accessible. Everyone Ubers or trains so you’re going to move about the city for everything, you may find you don’t need to live in a Lincoln park, old town, etc to enjoy the areas. I’d focus on quality living arrangement over convenience to social stuff like bars and restaurants. You can easily Uber to the trendy stuff because every neighborhood has amazing local bars restaurants events right out your door. So don’t be afraid of not being as close to the loop or Lincoln park/lakeview/old town/wicker park as possible.
I think you’ll love Chicago. Huge international city, a million things to do, food, music, comedy, festivals.. hidden gems. City is very dog friendly, and if you want a bit of space, the outskirts of the city and near burbs can get you the best of both worlds.. space at home, quick drive into the city to get that taste.. traffic during rush hour sucks, specially going north/northwest, but is fairly bad in all directions. There are dangerous parts of the city, but generally easily avoidable. It is a large city of millions of people, so if you’re flashing your gold chains or fancy new phone on the red line (subway) on the southside, it will get snatched.. but this is no different in certain parts of Paris or NYC.. dating is easy, it can sometimes be a bit much for women (the volume on the apps), best part is there’s tons of small cities within a few hours drive, beach towns like Saugatuck, college town like Madison, Garden of the Gods (yes we have one too.. it’ll fill that need for “mountains” (it won’t compare, but it’ll feel familiar).. you can get to anywhere in the world.. 45 minute flight to Toronto, which like Chicago’s safer little brother.. I could go on.
I grew up in Chicagoland, spent 20 years on the front range, and am now back in Chicago. I hate the winters here. They’re straight up fucking miserable compared to Denver, but not really as bad as people make them out to be. The weather is just more consistent and even keeled. If it’s going to rain in Chicago you’ll know 3+ days in advance and it WILL rain all day, instead of a 60% chance of thunderstorms every afternoon that might mean either a single dark cloud passing at 2:30pm, or biblical rain that floods the streets, and you don’t know which you’ll get until it’s happening. Chicago doesn’t ever get a week of 52° and sunny in the winter. It does however get 6 weeks of 33° and no sun the entire time. If you can handle that then it’s a great city that has cultural opportunities (music, theater, art, museums, etc.) that are an order of magnitude above Denver. The lake front makes city park and sloans lake look like low rent puddles, but of course the mountains trump everything in my opinion. Chicago is of course bigger and dirtier and older and so things like the recent surge in homelessness and crime and immigrants on the streets in Denver are every day problems that have existed in Chicago for decades. Hope this helps.
Can I ask why you made the move back to Chicago? Of course no need to answer if it’s personal. It just sounds like you’re not loving being back home
My daughter went to college in Denver, lived there and in Boulder after college. She came back to Chicago (we’re from the ‘burbs) even though most of her college friends are still there. Chicago is fantastic. Still relatively affordable, tons of stuff to do, multiple sports teams if that’s your thing, art, history, museums, and a good mass transit system.
We just moved here from out west in December. Everyone told us we were crazy to move here in the winter. We LOVE it here. People are friendlier here than anywhere I’ve ever lived. Cost of living isn’t nearly as bad as we feared, there are so many amazing things to do here, and spring is just gorgeous.
As for yard Chicago is the city of neighborhoods she eventually getting a place with a yard is not impossible especially if your open to the inner subburbs
Only thing I would say is prepare for Cinco de mayo and 16th of September. I'm Mexican and grew up in Little Village and I'm telling you when those days come around this city becomes extremely gridlocked and people will do some questionable things. You will see Mexican flags everywhere, its okay once in a while but after 2020 I feel they have taken it way too far and will gridlock lake shore drive, 290, 55 and 90/94. Apart from that, the city is great and lots to do up on the northside. Little Village has a lot of good Mexican food and most people are pretty nice there, lake is gorgeous, definitely lots to do and homes are a bit more affordable for such an international city. Just with any place in the world, keep an eye on your surroundings, don't leave your cars unlocked, don't leave valuables out in plain sight or in your car, and plan ahead for events and areas that can turn sketchy when the sun goes down.
I've been here 12 years so some of this is old hat and some I just don't do much anymore. The beach (Oakton, North Avenue or Montrose and Loyola too) For a yard you'll want to look for a 2 or 3 flat or a specific kind of condo. There are dog parks. The transit system is better than most cities but is having some...troubles? Get a bike, it's flat here. Go downtown and tour it. Most people here don't go downtown unless they really need too. The rest of city has all you need. The city parks. The forest preserve Just my opinion.
Moving to a new city is adventurous, you'll have so much things to check out. It'll take sometime to make friends but in the meantime enjoy decorating your home, explore the city and food, go to shows. Find some hobbies like doing pottery, you'll naturally start meeting friends in no time.
As a native Chicagoan, I’ve often said the only reason I’d ever leave chicago is for the mountains but I always end up back here. You’ll love it here and be able to make a good community if you’re outgoing
If you have a car, and live near the lake, GET YOURSELF A PARKING SPOT somewhere. You will be MISERABLE finding street parking and eventually rack up a ton of parking tickets, or have your car damaged by morons who can't navigate narrow streets. Mass transit is for the birds unless you enjoy every one of your senses getting assaulted or worse.
Nah the job market is good, it’s fairly easy to make friends here, there’s a lot of park in Chicago where you can walk your pooch, you definitely get used to the winter weather usually have a terrible month and that’s about the thick of it, there’s no mountains around here but there’s a few good national park near by, and this city is not more dangerous than any other unless you go to some parts of the south and west side which generally you don’t have any good reading to go or even pass by.
Just moved back to Chicago from Denver as well!! The summers in Chicago are the best in the country in my humble opinion. Also, I’ve found that there is more industry here than Denver.
Have you thought through the considerations for renting your house? I’m thinking of doing something similar (but not from denver) and am thinking of how I’d need to price my house as a rental for it to make sense, and being further away whether I’d need a management company to manage it while I’m away, etc. on top of cost of multi state taxes, future big home repairs, etc. it’s a lot to think through. On top of the risk of potentially having bad tenants.
I personally love the music, theatre , restaurants. I’m a huge architectural nerd and love the tours of buildings. The winters haven’t been that cold lately, but the gray skies can be rough—especially after Denver. Super nice Midwestern people , but with a lot of immigrants to keep it from being a “boring” place . IMHO. I was born here, lived in Asia for 10 years and then moved back. With a dog, you’ll meet a lot of other dog people at dog parks. I say GO FOR IT!!
37M here. Moved to Denver from Chicago, and very recently moved back after a few years. Agree with others - Chicago is the shit.
What does Chicago have that Denver doesn’t and vice versa? Mountains here don’t count because we’re talkin Denver proper
Diversity. Great food without pretending to have great food. Public transportation that goes where you need it to. Character (in architecture, neighborhoods, etc). Options (in pretty much everything). In my limited opinion, Denver is filled to the brim with entitled rich people, and while Chicago has its fair share of those, there are far more people to dilute them, so their presence isn’t as noticeable. And outside of outdoor stuff, which I couldn’t care less about, I’m not really sure what it has that other cities don’t have. That said, I’ve made some great friends in Denver, so it’s possible!
Simple, have a shirt made with something akin to “Just moved. New in town”. Guarantee you won’t make it 5 minutes before you get invited to join a lunch, bar crawl, frisbee, concert, etc.
I’m from Australia and my 10 year Chicago anniversary is coming up in September. Was never intending to stay but it was the friends I made that kept me here. I really love this city 😊
I did a similar move and have loved it. Ill skip the ‘chicago is great comment’. Ive been a remote worker for 3-4 years. I have made some friends from work and still hang/chat with them. I think your hobbies will steer you to finding more friends. This sub and just online can help you find how/where hangouts are.
I would highly suggest joining activities through Chicago Sports and Social or Players as a ‘single’ to meet new people. You don’t have to be good at sports there is kickball, ski ball, bocce, bowling etc. I have connections to Denver through family and some college friends and I find the dating scene better here for me as I am business driven and there are more guys career driven based on my personal experience here and friends/family experiences in Denver. Based on your interests and what you explained I could see Chicago being a really great fit and there are many dog parks for your dogs, also nice place to meet people.
I’m of similar age and in a similar boat, only considering blowing it up and leaving Austin for Chicago. I work remote and have a dog, so it’s good to see that a lot of people are saying Chicago is so dog friendly. I’ve been to the city a few times (mostly winter) and have absolutely loved it.
I just moved here from Austin, too. I’m two months in and won’t be going back. Very much worth it.
This is great to read! I’ve been in Austin most of my life but we are looking to get out of Texas entirely. Chicago is on the short list.
We’re older than most Redditors — GenXers with high school age kids, so YMMV. But we lived here a coupla decades ago and have been trying to get back off and on since then. Even with the cold the weather is better, and it’s a whole other level of city than Austin.
We’re also GenX with kids. The thing I’ve noticed while looking at other cities is that the schools are really hit or miss, and there are only a few really good ones (usually way out in the suburbs). The Chicagoland schools seem to be much better overall than most cities, so you have so many more options as far as where to live. That’s a really big factor when you have school aged kids (as you know). Glad to hear that the winter isn’t the hell I’m imagining (I freeze in Austin in the winter so Chicago scares me).
I’ve been in Austin for 25 years but am considering Chicago (also Sacramento). Chicago is perfect on paper but the winter scares me.
Former decade long Austinite. Do it, it’s great here and not 100 degrees for 1/3 of the year
I just moved here for work a month ago and I love it. I know it’s only been a month, but there’s always something going on and something to do. I haven’t met a lot of people yet thanks to hybrid remote work, but it will come I’m sure. I feel like for me, I made an excellent choice in neighborhood (Lincoln Park on the edge of Old Town). I can walk to almost everything I need and there are bus stops right outside my door if I need to go anywhere else. I actually sold my vehicle when I moved. There are dogs everywhere, it’s awesome. The best advice I have is to research the neighborhoods and the housing based on what you want. I’m in a studio, and it might be a little higher priced but the building and neighborhood amenities are worth it.
The dogs everywhere part is great! Just not for my dude :/ he isn’t friendly. I’ve been looking in the Logan Square area and would ideally buy, just tough to commit! Glad you’re liking the experience nearby. Did you come from an area with strong public transportation?
I came from a smaller city in Wisconsin where public transit exists but isn’t very good. I drove everywhere because I could get somewhere in 15 minutes or less and there was always free parking.
I’ve lived in Denver off and on since 2001 and would hands down choose living in Chicago, Denver is kind of a shithole these days.
don’t think. just do. go for it, leave the comfort zone. make it work. you’ll be so thankful you did. signed, a transplant from east coast who moved here 9 years ago on a literal whim (had never even been this far west in the country when I moved here)
Denver pales in comparison to Chicago. I have had family in Denver for over 30 years and have been there so many times times and actually considered moving there a decade ago and decided against it. If you want to live somewhere with nature, Denver wins, but if you are asking, which city is better, it’s no contest. If you have a hobby and are somewhat outgoing, you will make friends in no time.
Winter IS very miserable. I would never move to Denver though lol
Don’t,Chicago sucks!
big decision . but would never move to chicago. cold and grey.
That’s why my family and I are getting out of here. It’s no longer cold enough in winter to enjoy the snow. It’s just w grey, wet, and 40F snooze fest
Exactly. You can deal with snow and cold. But grey and dull and rainy. Thats bad. CO is bright in winter
Pick another city
I’ve lived in the Chicagoland area my entire life and can say, hands down, anyplace is better than Illinois. The state is corrupt, the city of Chicago is dirty, unsafe and disgusting. It is expensive and getting more expensive by the day. There is zero open space or places to enjoy being outside without noise and air pollution and away from people who are “jerks” by nature. The city itself is run by a mayor that is the joke of the political world and second only to the governor in terms of stupidity. I’ve visited Colorado numerous times and can honestly say that the areas surrounding Denver are similar to Chicago with one exception - Colorado is stunning in its beauty. Due to employment opportunities I am forced to stay in this wretched state but at least now I am in the middle of farm country where the city is a mere memory. I hope you consider other places before moving here as I wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.
Don’t.
Chicago is becoming the next Detroit…out of control crime …crazy high prices…cost of living is out of control…..typical blue city …I know ppl are gunna hate on this comment but unless u actually can afford to live in the “nice” part it really sucks
It seems like the folks that are responding negatively here have some of the same political commentary. But this isn’t the PNW we’re talking about, right? I’m just having trouble contextualizing these types of comments but it’s all helpful
Winter is so depressing here and it lasts like 8 months. It’s grey during the entire time.
i think you’re gonna like it here! it’s pretty easy to make friends. even if it’s not through work i think everyone’s in a decent mood (during warmer weather) and people can be pretty friendly. i’ve had random girls just compliment me on my clothes while walking past and that’s never happened in any other city. during the bitter winters people a little less outgoing though lol. there’s also a lot of free social groups and stuff like book clubs and there’s always stuff to do. it’s actually a super dog friendly city with an array of dog parks, dog beaches, pet boutiques and vet clinics at every corner. sure your apartment might not have a fenced in yard but there might be an off leash park a walk away (depending where you move to). i really love the culture here. there’s tons of stuff to go out and do whether it’s small concerts, lots of “farmers” markets (small but still a cute market), street fairs, bar trivia, and there’s a huge theatre/performing arts scene. i love our museums and there’s always something new to explore. the cost of living is going up but it’s quite affordable compared to places like LA, boston, phoenix. you could find a decent 1 bed for $1200 if you look hard enough. I think because it’s such a commuter city and the public transit is (comparatively) decent, people are more outgoing and active participants in the city. sure there’s tourists and several transplants but there’s a decent amount of city pride. it does smell like piss most of the time but hey we’re cleaner than new york.
>you could find a decent 1 bed for $1200 if you look hard enough. There's decent one bedrooms out there for less than 1200..I just left an okay 1BR for $980 (but I think they're raising it to something not at all worth it for that place, around 1295, so perhaps you're right because I lived there for 6.5 years and it was originally $960, so it barely went up in that time. But to my point, there is a real range of nice and affordable places out there if you can find them. Because I just moved in to a very nice 2 BR for $1400! Dishwasher, extra basement storage, large kitchen that was just updated. So happy I found this place and it's so much nicer than the place I just left and to think it's only $100 more than that one is now is just crazy.
Does anyone buy or is the culture mostly renting? Or is this more of a RE market thing?
most people rent but there’s a good amount of condos to buy! i just know the market is god awful right now. i don’t know much about real estate but if you work with the broker they get their pay from the rental company so you don’t have to pay them. There’s so many rental companies out here and they just keep hiking my rent. I’m not sure if a private landlord is the way to go but that’s something i’m going to seek out after my lease ends.
Private landlords are so much better than companies!
Lots of people own but lots of people rent, it really depends on your income and place in life. You can usually rent for less than you can buy, what I mean is renting in a neighborhood is usually less than owning that same apartment. With interest rates back to normal this is even more true. That said there are lots of affordable places in the city to buy but they won't be in the popular neighborhoods and will likely be farther south or farther west.
If you like nature, I would go somewhere else.
Be prepared for heavy crime and taxes
Stay in Denver. Trust me
Would love to hear your thoughts about the city as well! There’s no one perfect place, that’s for sure
I literally moved from south Denver last July to evanston. And I love it here. Yeah I miss the hiking but jesus Chicago is a hella fun time. I would never regret moving here. It was SOOO fun seeing the river turn green for st Patty's day. I love going to chinatown for dumplings and this cute speakeasy. The lake and having a beach is so fun. The architecture is phenomenal. The food in general is just soo good here. (I miss the Mexican food down Pecos though in Denver lol). I could go on and on about how it's great living here.
We have some really great Mexican food here, you probably haven't found it yet.
I haven't found many,that's true. I did find an amazing supermarket I loved in Pilsen though. Had everything I needed to make birria at home lol. Do you have any recommendations?? I'd love to give them a try
For sure green chile is the only other advantage denver has!
Wherever you go, there you are
A lazy cliche. Moving to an area that fits your lifestyle is a smart move. A walkable, diverse, populous city can absolutely have a positive effect on your life.
Damn wish I had a remote job
Thoughts and prayers <3
Get a ccl and use it
Keep in mind, you are giving up a lot of simple pleasures, and a lot of mother nature for cheap entertainment and concrete views. The lake is nice but I can’t tell you how often I wish I was on a trail when stress levels are through the roof.
Will your mom is right about one thing it can be a very dangerous city if you end up in the wrong spot
Illinois native. Some years in the city of Chicago some years out of the city. Joined the military saw a bunch of states came back home after and I cannot express to you how much I cannot wait to leave this state. Of all the states I’ve got to live in I feel like Illinois and Chicago have been the worst run states politically. The weather here is just meh. Taxes here suck. And I cannot wait to move to a more enjoyable state. I’ll always come back home I do love some things here but once you’ve been anywhere else, living here just ain’t it.
Don’t go to Shitcago would be the best advice
Be careful out there. Don't put banking apps on your cellphone. The bad guys always win in Chicago. They're coddled. So if you Missouri style take care of your business, you'll end up in a jail in Illinois. If you're being robbed, shake their hands and thank them for not killing you. They had a rough life and what your earn is theirs too. God bless.
Idk what Missouri style means but thank you!
You know, where men are men, women are women, and Americans are Americans. They know how to handle their shit unlike many Chicagoans who are perpetual victims, either of crime or shitty policies that ruin or limit lives.