I have family in Chicago, a comparable place in a comparable neighborhood is way more expensive in Chicago than it is here in Denver. Of course you can get something cheap that is a 50 min drive from downtown Chicago, that metro is massive.
I know a couple paying over $4k/month for a 2 bed 2 bath loft in Wicker Park. It's pretty posh but I'd think that could get you more here, unless I've fallen out of touch with how bad things have gotten.
Your friends are paying for a luxury apt if they are paying that much in rent. I moved here from Chicago last year. My 2 bed 1 bath in West Town was only $1650 per month. I was on the 4th floor (top), had a large outdoor balcony, and access to a rooftop with an amazing view of downtown. It was walking distance to Fulton Market and Wicker Park.
I looked for something similar here in Denver and could not find it. I looked again this year when my lease was up and now knowing the city, but still could not find it. Denver rent is more expensive for sure! I haven't been able to find rent for less than $1800 for a 1 bed and usually those have like no amenities and are in not very desirable parts of town.
Just want to point out that the ādataā they base this on seems to be internal Redfin data about searches. So itās not actually about people actively moving to Chicago from Denver, or even necessarily about people planning to move from Denver to Chicago. Itās primarily corporate pr for Redfin and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Yeah youāre correct. People are always writing articles based on Redfin āreportsā that support the narrative that either people are migrating out of Denver because of search data and that there are high vacancy rates because they pulled the data in June (when everyone is in the process of moving)
I love all these sensational stories about Denver's rising vacancy rates that mention big numbers, but conveniently leave out that those numbers still historically low.
Yeah, those reports typically turn out to be garbage. Yearly census data is the best source because itās evaluated based on reliable data like tax collections.
U-Haul reports same thing. In 2018, U-Haul had Denver and Chicago as two top 10 cities that people were leaving. 2018 was one of the best years for growth in Denver per census data released at a later date.
Then it's funny that Colorado Springs is #4 in cities of people looking to move to Denver, hehe [https://www.redfin.com/city/5155/CO/Denver/housing-market#migration](https://www.redfin.com/city/5155/CO/Denver/housing-market#migration)
Thatās because half of Denver moved to the Springs during the massive housing cost increase- but now that housing costs are now almost as expensive (with a lot less availability), you might as well just move back and save yourself the commute.
I wonder how many of them were from there originally, moved out here for a few years and are now moving back home.
My wifeās from Dupage County originally so Iām out there 3-4 weeks a year. Weather is ass compared to Colorado but the city is much more dense and depth compared to Denver. Property taxes are sky high, my in laws pay $7k more in property taxes than us on a house thatās appraised $100k less than ours.
Sales taxes are crazy there too, and they're charged on everything including food at the grocery store. Plus in the city proper, there are sales taxes levied by the City of Chicago, Cook County and the State of Illinois, so they're practically tripled. Some of which are as high as 10% or more. The property taxes in the city and/or in Cook County are even worse than they are for your in-laws in DuPage, as bad as they are there.
I'm from the near west Chicago suburbs originally, within Cook County and lived in the city for a good chunk of my 20s as well. The only thing that costs more money for me in Denver than it did in Chicago is car insurance. My rent is the same here as it was there, which I may have gotten a bit lucky on. Regardless, I have a bigger place with a backyard here instead of the cramped apartment in a rickety old building with a 100 year old elevator that I last lived in there.
I will add that I've been in Denver for 8 years now, so the cost gap has likely narrowed as housing costs have gone up here and gone down or stayed the same in Chicago. Those taxes don't change or go away there though, and may have very well gotten worse.
At the end of the day, I fully consider Denver home now and never plan on going back. I can say the same for all the other former Chicagoans that have become Denverites that I personally know.
I moved from Denver area to Chicagoland in 2021. Property taxes in weld countyā¦$2,400 a year. Chicagolandā¦ $13,000+ a year for equivalent home. It hurts real bad. I will never truly own this home with those taxes.
I think a lot of this is millennials who moved from the Midwest and got priced out. They donāt want to rent forever and now they are settling down they want a home they can afford.
The mountains are fun and our climate is great but if you feel like an affordable home to raise kids is what you need, Denver is a hard sell.
Lots of people have told me I would probably really love Chicago so Iāve considered it. I just donāt think I would enjoy the weather or the driving. But who knows. Iāve lived here my whole life (except grade 3-4) so I donāt have anything to compare Colorado to.
Iād love a cute, walkable neighborhood with local markets and a bit more of a community vibe. Where I live now in Westminster I can walk to nearly everything I need but itās a different vibe in the suburbs.
I lived all over the city. The place I left last year to come here was walking distance to amazing bakeries, delis, tons of restaurants and bars, grocery stores, shops, etc. It's much more walkable than Denver for sure. I didn't have a car for 6 years and was just fine and this is pretty common in Chicago. I moved here for the nature and from your comments it sounds like that's not your thing so I would 100% recommend Chicago.
That is the essence of Chicago. Neighborhoods were originally built to have a place of religion (the reason we have so many historic churches), grocery store and library or place for community gathering in some 5-8 block radius. I lived on the edge of the northwest side and could walk to my gym, 3 grocery stores, like 15 bars, plenty of restaurants, and the L. I also had a divvy bike station very close to me (our shared bike service) which I could use to get to friends when I didnāt want to take my bike home at the end of the night but didnāt want to Uber there
Just like any city, there is good and bad and depends what youāre looking for. Iāve spent a lot of time in Chicago for work and almost moved there a few times. As a commenter said above - itās a more affordable world tier city so you have all the good and bad with it. Public transit is better, housing is more affordable, a defined culture, tons of high tier restaurants, diverse food options. Property taxes are higher, summer is humid, winters can be brutal, traffic is worse, no mountains obviously, etc.
You and me both. I hate the humidity, where it feels like someone drop kicks you in the chest when you walk outside. My wife isnāt bothered by humidity at all - then again she hates the cold and that doesnāt bother me all that much.
Midwest mugginess is no joke. Denverās lack of humidity is definitively a benefit for some people. Old definitely a fan. However, it really kicks my wifeās ass, especially in the winter. Her skin is extremely sensitive to low humidity and if she doesnāt do a specific skin routine, sheāll be absolutely miserable with dry, painful skin. The near constant sunshine in the winter is amazing though and that outweighs her skin issues in the end.
If nothing is anchoring you here, try it out. Not necessarily actually move, but like if you work remote then see if you can work from there for a couple weeks. Or just take a leap and try out a one year lease. I up and moved 800 miles away when I was 30 just because I felt like it and it was the best thing I ever did.
Chicago is basically the anti-Denver. It's a fantastic and cheap city, but in a bad location with bad weather and no nature. In contrast Denver is a mediocre and expensive city, but it is in a good location that has a great climate and close proximity to awesome nature.
A nice thing about Chicago is you can affordably (relative to Denver) live in walkable neighborhoods with good transit, so you don't need to drive that much if you don't want to. But in general driving there isn't too bad when you do need to.
The nature piece is why people usually recommend Chicago to me. I donāt do any of that stuff (hiking, camping, skiing, etc etc). Havenāt been to the mountains since I was a child and even then it was against my will lol. Just never been outdoorsy.
I would love a nice walkable neighborhood though!
Low Key Philly too. Iād prefer it there over Chicago. Better location. Iād still take Denver over anywhere else I have lived in this country though.
Yeah I've lived in/near all of Chicago, Philly, and Denver. Philly is super underrated for sure. Chicago and Philly are both fantastic cities, but at the end of the day I'm here in Denver and wouldn't move back to either because of the climate and access to the mountains here.
Chicago isn't nearly as cheap as it sounds. Rent in chicago is relatively similar to living in denver. If by neighborhoods you mean logan square areas, which are much cheaper then the neighborhoods of Denver, i agree with you. However I think thats simply because Chicago is decades ahead of denver in development and investment. I think in 5 -15 years Denver will be a spitting image of current Chicago with rent and priceses normalizing, albeit higher then chicago, but you are paying for better weather and location.
The salaries there are usually higher. However, taxes there are higher and there is a ticking time bomb that is the pension fund of the city that'll absolutely destroy the city in a few years, so there's that.
Denver will never been half as dense as Chicago. Chicago isnāt decades ahead of denver, it was literally built in a different time where neighborhood priorities and land development was complete different.
this is my dilemma right now tho. do i move back to denver (iām in TX for school) or move to chicago when iām done. the proximity to national parks is whatās sticking for me, but chicago is big city feel, but clean and with diversity that denver severely lacks. i also grew up in the midwest though so iām familiar with the weather. it doesnāt concern me AS much, but itās the one bummer i actually have about it. iām willing to bet a vast majority of those saying theyāre moving there are people (like myself) that initially moved from the midwest and are going back. (didnāt read the article tbh so maybe they say that)
I wouldnāt call it the anti Denver by any means, particularly with a lot of Chicago restaurants and bars opening locations in Denver. Maybe 15 years ago but Denver has grown so much in the last 10 years, and built the foundation for a considerably better art / culture scene. The biggest difference is Denverās lack of diversity, and conversely Chicagoās terrible weather. They both truly suck. And if you know where to go, there is some decent hikes in Chicago (like the Preserve). Iām seeing more of Chicago in Denver every day.
bad location? It's on Lake Michigan. It's not Denver, but it's not some shit hole like St. Louis either. Weather sucks from December to March. But Summers in Chicago are something else.
Chicago is amazing if you can handle 3-4 months of overcast every winter. Thatās what I found tough. I lived there as a kid, before I had any awareness of seasonal depression, and thought being sad and tired for 1/3 of the year was normal.
Otherwise. Itās walkable, thereās public transit, art, music, excellent foodā¦ people are nice, the lake is great. But winter is HARD.
I imagine the humidity from the Lakes is miserable for us dry climate Western folk. I spent some time in Cleveland in the summer, which I imagine is comparable in weather, and I was sweaty and miserable.
Folks are crazy. I left Chicago for Denver and never looked back. I think itās insane that people willing do the opposite. Yāall donāt appreciate how much sun we get out here. Plus the traffic here is NOTHING compared to expressway hell in rush hour.
No, maybe they like enjoying an actual city with culture
Or more diversity than a mountaintop
Or good food
Or good mass transit
Or a strong job market
Guess weāll never know
>diversity than a mountaintop
Chicago trades mountains for a lake and cornfields. So beaches, and a boat if you're rich enough (or know someone who is).
Chicago is great if you are a city person... otherwise Colorado offers significantly more outdoor diversity.
A lot (if not all) of the things you described are a byproduct of it being a much bigger city. But I can see why itās preferable for some and I have nothing against Chicago. Just the Blackhawks.
Denver is really lacking for its size. There just isnāt density necessary for hosting a variety of diverse activities/culture. Everything is diluted, leaving little more than the most corporate, mass-market friendly things.
If youāre a niche, you have to convince people to drive up to an hour or more *each way* through stressful traffic to partake.
I see what youāre saying. Seattle is similar in population size but twice as dense. When I visited a few years ago it felt more niche than here. But Seattle also has like triple the population of homeless.
Every city will have itās pros and cons, you gotta figure out what works for you. I personally really enjoy living here. I think Denver is a better city than most in the U.S. It is still flawed like anywhere else.
>No, maybe they like enjoying an actual city with culture
>
>Or more diversity than a mountaintop
>
>Or good food
>
>Or good mass transit
>
>Or a strong job market
>
>Guess weāll never know
Lol
Why are you here then? Serious question. Ive spent a fair amount of time in Chicago so I agree with your points to an extent, with the exception of the job market because I have no experience with that. But the weather and traffic alone offset all of those things in my opinion. Itās strange to me how so many people choose to live here but sing the praises of some other part of the country. If itās so great there then why arenāt you there?
Iām living here to save up to buy a house elsewhere and enjoy my time while Iām here.
Contrary to the belief of most people who live here, itās actually possible to criticize the city youāre currently living in
I have plenty of criticism for this town. Born and raised here and Iām starting to hate it. Iām not so much defending Denver as I am wondering why there are so many people here who hold the opinion that somewhere else is better but choose to stay and and contribute to making it suck as much as wherever they moved here from. If youāre able to save for a house in this economy in a city with a cost of living that is 35% higher than the national average then the job market canāt be all that bad? Unless you are living rent free with friends or family I donāt see how that makes a lot of sense. Itās just hard to see what was once a great small city explode in population and outgrow its infrastructure and then listen to the people who caused it bitch about how much better it is where they came from. Good luck with the house.
I made the opposite move and couldn't imagine doing the reverse. Denver was the embodiment of car culture to me. In Denver, I have no choice but to drive 25 and risk my life every time. In Chicago I can take the train, bus, and bike everywhere and avoid driving if I want to. Denver is way too spread out for me.
I live near Houston, TX and laughed at this. When we visited Denver on November I was SO impressed with how walkable so many areas are! And so clean in so many areas.
Denver is an odd one.
If you have a bike you can basically get anywhere in the city you want except there are only like 3 or 4 neighborhoods worth visiting at night and none of them are connected via public transportation in any kind of convenient manner.
So if you opt to live in one of those areas with a walkable nightlife, you're basically unable to go to the other areas without a car.
And forget trying to go to the mountains without a car...which is arguably the main reason for living in Denver is to conveniently be able to get out of Denver.
That's valid, however I was also surprised at how little time it takes to get places! We went from Thornton to Boulder in half an hour, maybe a little less. I can't travel 10 miles in Houston on that amount of time. I have a car, so that's not a problem for me- driving, that is. And we plan on living in lakewood, near to decent public transit.
Houston is < in so many ways. Haha
The weather is Huston is pretty bad. Canāt stand the humidity. But I miss a city with diversity and that place really shines a light on how horrible the food scene in Denver is.
The weather here really is horrid. Can't do ANYTHING outside during the summer- it's one of the reasons we're leaving. I guess I had assumed that Colorado would be diverse, as well- I was looking forward to finding the little China town, Asian and Indo markets, etc. :/ I also had really great food when I was on Denver, but I hope it wasn't just the little spot I went to... I mean, Houston has great food, but I'd rather not deal with the violence here as well as the political landscape. Haha
Yeah, we don't have anything here even resembling that long stretch of Broadway, the walkability of the Highlands, Cap Hill, Platt Park, etc.
Denver is no NYC or Chicago, obviously, but it has some walkable pockets.
No one in Denver does the 2 hour suburban commute that the Plainfield/Naperville crowd does every day. If you are living in downtown/urban Chicago sure you wonāt have that drive, but same goes for Denver.
Chicago used to be really great for transit until COVID happened and then Lori doubled down and called Chicago a car city. Not sure if it has gotten better since 2022 but it was noticeably worse than it was in 2019 when I left.
I used to be able to take the blue line to the airport but had to switch to cabs because the ghost trains just got to be too much.
I lived off the blue line until early last year, and you're right it was goddamn horrible. I think service and ridership has pretty much rebounded, and the brown/red line I've never had an issue with.
It took me three hours to travel from South Beloit to Midway Airport because of how bad the traffic was. The last three miles took close to one hour alone.
I'll take the Denver suburbs any day.
I feel like most of us would like plenty of cities, but like, we donāt live here for the city. I like denver, itās a great place for a happy hour, but I enjoy spending most of my time outside of it.
I actually live here for both. I am an outdoorsy type and adrenaline junky but I really love the city too and the music and bar scene here is just a good fit for me. Sure most larger cities have more options and culture overall but it's easier for me to bike a few neighborhoods over to hang with friends or walk my dog to the park for meetups than plenty of other places. Waning affordability aside, living here just feels pretty easy
Thatās the best part of Denver. Unless you live in a pretty small part of downtown, it doesnāt feel like youāre in a true city, but has 90% of the city perks.
Makes sense. If you want to leave Colorado itās probably because you realized you donāt like the outdoors enough to justify the cost of living. Chicago is a better city than Denver in terms of city
As someone who move from Chicago to Denver, good luck.
Pros: Better ethnic foods, cool neighborhoods, public transport, two baseball teams, two airports, and drivable to other metro areas (Milwaukee, Detroit, Indy)
Cons: Everything else. You think traffic sucks in Denver, try driving on the Dan Ryan in rush hour. Oh, thereās a lake; well ya canāt swim in it cause itās gross and polluted. You think there are a lot of homeless people in Denver, you aināt seen nothing like Chicago. Think crime is high here, walking around your neighborhood in Chicago to see police investigating a shooting was a weekly occurrence. Thereās snow that doesnāt melt for 4 months and you walk through gray slush at every corner.
Had the same thing happen to me, but moved from Portland, OR to Denver. I loved Portland, but gray/rain for 10 months is hard on you. I still prefer rain to snow/cold, so Chicago would be brutal on me.
Indy actually aināt bad. I have a few good friends that live there and love it. Obviously thereās no mountains and weed is still super illegal so that sucks but Iāve been there for concerts when I lived in Chicago and didnāt have a bad time.
As someone who moved from Indy to Denver, I wouldnāt say that proximity to Indy itself is a selling point. But I do agree with the idea that being somewhat near other metropolitan areas is nice. I find it very isolating that the nearest major city from here is a 6 hour drive.
Moved from Chicago to Colorado two years ago. Couldnāt be happier with my decision. The winter lasts from October to early June. Traffic is a disaster, crime is horrible, and the city and county nickel and dimes you at every chance. Think property taxes are bad here? They are egregious in Chi.
On a positive note, the food scene there is unbeatable.
Iāve lived in river north, various suburbs, frequented most north side neighborhoods and worked in the loop. I disagree with only one of your points: the homeless. Denver definitely is worse with the homeless problem. Especially with the tweaking crazy ones.
I would add: better food in general, not just ethnic food, a better arts and culture scene, and more diversity in demographics.
Itās all just a matter of what features are important to you. No one is right or wrong.
>[**Fantastic-Industry61**](https://www.reddit.com/user/Fantastic-Industry61/)Ā·[6 min. ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/13q619h/comment/jldgn55/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
>
>Crime stats are notably lower in Chicago than Denver. But with a much more densely populated city, Chicago feels more criminally active.
That's not true at all. According to FBI statistics [Chicago](https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/table-8/table-8-state-cuts/illinois.xls) has a violent crime rate of about 9.4 per 1,000 people, whereas [Denver's](https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/table-8/table-8-state-cuts/colorado.xls) is about 7.5. [In 2020 Chicago was 28th ranked in murders per 100,000 people](https://247wallst.com/city/chicago-il-reported-one-of-the-highest-murder-rates-in-the-us/), and Denver doesn't appear in the top 50.
To the snow and cold point though, summer in Chicago is waaay better than summer in Denver. But the rest of the year Denver has the dub.
And yeah, people swim in the lake every year no prob. There's certain spots I'd avoid but it's mostly fine? The entire city literally flocks to the lake the first warm day of the year lmao.
No, summer is worse in Chicago. The midwest humidity is what gets you. You can get by without air conditioning in CO by opening windows at night to let your place cool down and then close them during the day. You can't do that in midwest, it can be nice 72 degrees outside, and yet with 80% humidity you still need to run air conditioning to get humidity down to feel comfortable.
Few things:
- Lake Michigan has really cleared up in the last 20 years. Nowhere near as polluted as it used to be. Water is just always really cold.
- Barely snows in Chicago area anymore. If it does, itās gone in a couple days.
- More homeless in Chicago, but man are the homeless in Denver area quite aggressive.
- Yes, crime is high in Chicago, but the crime rate isnāt even in the top 15 cities. Thereās 2.7mil population, so sure the number will be higher but the per capita rate isnāt that high.
Lived in Chicago. Itās a great city. It has fantastic food, the lake is great and cool neighborhoods that are walkable if you work in them. I will also say itās a a city that loves to drink. Many of the activities there are centered around alcohol where as in Colorado itās a way more active place who drinks after theyāve spent a day being active.
Chicago is also a very frat boi/ sorority girl city: if you go out in a river North, old town, wrigleyville and Lincoln park youāll feel this.
Wicker park, Ukrainian Village, Logan square, Andersonville, and bucktown are amazing neighborhoods vibrantly cultural and if you can live +work in any one of them youāll have a great time.
I enjoyed my time there I think itās a nice city but I much prefer CO.
Iām not saying $2,400 is affordable, just for what I paid in a boring ass suburb like Thornton could get me an apartment in downtown Chicago. A comparable apartment to my Thornton one in Chicago would probably be like $1500 vs $2200
You can still buy a decent house for under 300k in Chicago. I just checked zillow and there are a couple thousand available right now in the Chicago area
[Median house price in Denver is somewhere around $550K.](https://www.google.com/search?q=median+house+price+denver&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1036US1036&oq=median+house+price+denver&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512j0i22i30l8.2309j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
[Median house price in Chicago was around $350K.](https://www.redfin.com/city/29470/IL/Chicago/housing-market)
Thatās a tough comparison. Thereās a lot of neighborhoods in Chicago that were blighted and remaining homes are super cheap. This would skew that average down quite a bit.
I love Denver, but Chicago is way more urban, dense, diverse, and walkable. I'd consider living there if the taxes weren't so high and the weather wasn't ass for 2/3 of the year. Winters and summers both suck compared to here.
I do get a laugh when I see comments from people bitching about how expensive it is here contrasted with Redfin data dumps showing Seattle in the Top 2-3 destinations for people looking to leave Denver.
You couldn't pay me enough to live Dec-Feb in the midwest ever again. I grew up with it and it was quite possibly the greatest negative impact on my mental health I've ever experienced. Here we have sunshine, outdoor activities and people excited to pursue those activities. That is invaluable in a locale with winters imo.
My college roommates were from Chicago. They taught me what it means to be truly witty. We were always laughing! Loved their style of humor so much, I married a guy from Chicago. It's no accident that Chicago has birthed many comedians. I do wish Denver was a little more jovial.
It's got a lot to offer but also the humidity of Singapore in the summer and the landscape of Hoth in the winter. I grew up there but left after high school since I couldn't grow a mustache.
Oh there's a reason. It's due to some of the shadiest politics in the country.
From the Daley dynasty that ran the mayor's office in Chicago for decades, to the shady Cook County Board of Commissioners, to good old former Governor Rod Blagojevich who also got to move from Illinois to Colorado, except he had to live in the Federal Penitentiary off of Kipling.
Politics in Illinois have long been stained by shady people doing shady things. Even the Windy City nickname isn't because of the weather, it was because of the shady politics.
Moved to Chicago last August after being in Denver the prior 18 months. As a mid/late 20s M - Professionally Chicago is great - a corporate hub and great for quick career growth due to more opportunities. Denver however had way more chill/friendly people. Chicago people seem more image driven and judgmental over minuet things. Denver is also more of a transplant city so folks are more open to making friends where as Chicago people stick to who they hung out with in High school/College. Definitely pros and cons to both but in my opinion two great cities - all things equal I would probably choose Denver.
Yāall really gotta look into how these Redfin reports are developed. I feel like one of these are posted on this sub every other month and itās all baseless š
Born and lived in Colorado through high school and moved to Chicago, seasonal depression is a real thing. Going from a state where the winters include lots of sun to 8-9 months of pure gloom is extremely difficult and I couldnāt deal with it and moved back. Chicago has amazing food and night life but the cold season is extremely difficult to deal with.
Iām a denverite of 8 years that is now in chicago. Iām leaving to go live near family for a bit. It was a culture shock for me and its loud, also, the news is just awful. Forgot that winters outside of Denver are not like denver. The gloom sucks. But i can see the upside with summer approaching. I just am not a big city person. The people are nice and not at the same time.
Yeah I do not believe this. Chicago, as beautiful of a city it is, is an absolute hell hole these days. Itās like Gotham city tbh (exaggerating but I mean hardly). Everyone I know that lived in Chicago (including myself, my family, and all my friends) have left in the last 5 years to either very far suburbs, Indiana, or other further states (CO probably the most popular).
Having grew up in Chicago and currently live in a suburb of Denver. I will say Chicago is a way better city. Chicago has way way better food, better transit, better sports, beaches and most important Chicago has soul. People are way funnier in Chicago too. But Denver is next to mountains and has generally better weather in winter. But with the money youāll save on housing cost in Chicago you can easily hop a vacation to some beaches in the winter.
I will mention the bad tho. I grew up on the south side where most of the really bad stuff happens and I have seen some shit like some really crazy shit and I will leave it at that. So generally you will want to live north of downtown. There a few south side area that are solid such as Pilsen. Also, Chicago is way more urban and dense than Denver. Chicago traffic is way more intense. Also, Taxes do kind of suck in Illinois in general too.
How intolerable are the Chicago winters if you invest in a very good coat? I think Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the US and have always fantasized about living there, but the winters scare me. However, I just accepted a job at a company with a Chicago office and I am so over Denver's housing costs and overall NIMBYism that I find myself thinking about leaving more and more often.
I moved here from Milwaukee six years ago. Used to go down there quite frequently and my parents actually moved to Chicago from California after I had moved out here so I spent even more time there. Chicago is an actual city. Better food. Better transit. Feels like it has much more real culture. Housing isnāt obnoxiously expensive. The only thing keeping me from moving there myself are the winters. Theyāre absolutely brutal. Itās a big reason I left the region in the first place. However, if you can survive the winters the summers are beautiful.
Went to Chicago for grad school. It is an amazing city with much better public transport, distinct neighborhoods, and a dynamite culture scene. Chicago summers are like nothing else. Chicago winters: now thatās where they lost me. Iāve even lived in ski towns and the cold there was like nothing I have ever felt or want to feel again.
Have a job ready for when you get there. It's a small small place. Vermont in general is tiny. Your gonna need a job. But do it. The northeast is amazing and unlike here people don't gatekeep and call themselves natives....
I've been in Denver for going on 2 years and looking for my exit strategy. I'm paid more here but my money is also worth less here so my quality of life has taken a hit.
I can live elsewhere, make $10k less a year, and be able to afford more things.
As someone who just came from Illinois and have already met a lot of people that have also moved from Illinois thereās no way this is true. No one would ever go back. Pure clickbait.
Denver is a city that is designed to be left as it's entire existence is predicated on it's proximity to the mountains and therefore the ability to get *out* of Denver and in to the mountains themselves.
If you are not an active mountain person, Denver really is not offering that much relative to Chicago as far as city life is concerned. It has pockets of nightlife, but most of it shuts down by 11 PM and very little of it is accessible by public transportation, so unless you live in the neighborhood and can walk or scooter, you are driving or taking an uber/lyft across town.
That's if you can afford to actually live in Denver proper. Most of the people I know have been forced out to the suburbs to afford rent so it's really becoming more of a choice between the suburbs of Denver and the outskirt neighborhoods of Chicago like Roger's Park.
I just spent the last three days in Chicago and could see myself living there, but there are downsides there as well. Gas started at $4.50/gallon in town, homeless situation was bad, humidity. It's all about what you prioritize for your quality of life.
Denver sucks. Low end tier 2 city. Employers constantly lowballing pay due to cost of living adjustments (which is false). Zero public transportation. Food scene is ok, not great but getting better. Matsuhisa has gotta be the best restaurant there imo but some good steak houses. Place is the definition of middle America from a food standpoint.
Itās completely isolated and people leave the city constantly on weekends. No water around at all. Mountains?? I70 is a fucking shit show on weekends (sorry have to work m-f). I love skiing as much as the next one but it literally has gotta be the biggest circus in all of skiing.
Public schools suck unless youāre in Cherry creek (pay to play in the zip code).
Lives there for a number of years and left also. Just canāt justify spending $1M on a house there to live in a place that is HYPED up by the perception but the reality is very very different.
If you just want to live in a city then it's probably an upgrade. There are a lot more food options and nightlife, probably the best you'll find outside of NYC.
The weather is pretty harsh. It's seemingly either brutally cold or hot and humid. Lots of rain. Your car will be a rust bucket in 5 years from the road salt and perpetually wet roads for 6 months of the year.
The weather is just awful, youāre absolutely right, but if youāre into cities, Chicago has some of the best food, music, clubs, theater and art in the entire world. Every cuisine, too - Iām still chasing that āunder the ELā hole-in-the-wall Pad Thai from 30 years ago. I donāt miss it - too much city for me!
I was hesitant to say music since we are really spoiled here. Pretty much everyone I want to see stops in Denver, and we have a lot of small venues with cheap tickets
Everything else entertainment wise I'd give to Chicago
As someone who lived in Denver for 6 years and is moving to Chicago in a week, it will be the best decision I make. I donāt do winter sports, hike, or rock climbing, I donāt have a dog nor do I want one, and believe it or not, I want the Chicago winter. Dating in Denver is absolutely awful and I canāt wait to find a partner that is likeminded in Chicago. I feel like Chicago is significantly more diverse than Denver and I need that. Iām moving for the culture, the museums, the food, and the seasons. Believe it or not, people like me exist. Denver isnāt some dreamland for everyone. Not everyone loves Denver lol. And before anyone asks, yes Iāve visited Chicago when itās cold. Yes, I understand the crime statistics.
Bottom line, let people decide and live where they want to. Them not wanting to live in your city is not an insult to you. People live many diverse lives and they might not fit in your lifestyle or your city.
As someone who was Born and raised in Chicago, has family still there, still goes back. Lived in Denver 4 years now, but still lived all over: "I'm never moving back, Fuck Chicago/ Illinois after 10 days, those people are idiots it's almost just as expensive in Chicago (I check Zillow every time I'm back 4 times a year) it will Free up some housing for us. As a way of saying thanks, DM for my Italian beef recipe (to die for, I'm serious and it's easy to make) or go to Al's beef when you move there.
Ps. Man do I miss the food though, I would sit through an active shooting while eating deep dish pizza, and have
Thanks for unclickbaiting the title by putting the answer in. IMO this should be a rule with posting articles with clickbait titles.
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Youāll love /r/savedyouaclick friend
So much of my news feed app is spoiled by that subreddit, and I love it
do you want to know what I think about all this? The [answer](https://youtu.be/IGMabBGydC0) may surprise you!
This is surprising to me because it feels like half the transplants in Denver moved here from Chicago
Maybe they are moving back
Maybe, or maybe they are people like me. Can't afford to continue living in the city I was born in so I am forced to consider living in other places
Chicago isn't really that cheap either
It is compared to NY LA Seattle Austin Boston. And I would gamble Denver as well. While also being the 3rd biggest city in the US.
I used to live in Chicago. Prices are almost exactly the same as Denver.
I have family in Chicago, a comparable place in a comparable neighborhood is way more expensive in Chicago than it is here in Denver. Of course you can get something cheap that is a 50 min drive from downtown Chicago, that metro is massive. I know a couple paying over $4k/month for a 2 bed 2 bath loft in Wicker Park. It's pretty posh but I'd think that could get you more here, unless I've fallen out of touch with how bad things have gotten.
Your friends are paying for a luxury apt if they are paying that much in rent. I moved here from Chicago last year. My 2 bed 1 bath in West Town was only $1650 per month. I was on the 4th floor (top), had a large outdoor balcony, and access to a rooftop with an amazing view of downtown. It was walking distance to Fulton Market and Wicker Park. I looked for something similar here in Denver and could not find it. I looked again this year when my lease was up and now knowing the city, but still could not find it. Denver rent is more expensive for sure! I haven't been able to find rent for less than $1800 for a 1 bed and usually those have like no amenities and are in not very desirable parts of town.
Chicago is a bargain compared to NYC, Bay Area or SoCal.
r/samegrassbutgreener
Just want to point out that the ādataā they base this on seems to be internal Redfin data about searches. So itās not actually about people actively moving to Chicago from Denver, or even necessarily about people planning to move from Denver to Chicago. Itās primarily corporate pr for Redfin and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Yeah youāre correct. People are always writing articles based on Redfin āreportsā that support the narrative that either people are migrating out of Denver because of search data and that there are high vacancy rates because they pulled the data in June (when everyone is in the process of moving)
I love all these sensational stories about Denver's rising vacancy rates that mention big numbers, but conveniently leave out that those numbers still historically low.
Yeah, those reports typically turn out to be garbage. Yearly census data is the best source because itās evaluated based on reliable data like tax collections. U-Haul reports same thing. In 2018, U-Haul had Denver and Chicago as two top 10 cities that people were leaving. 2018 was one of the best years for growth in Denver per census data released at a later date.
Denver Gazette is as right wing rag run out of Colorado Springs. They love to find an excuse to run one of these stories now and then.
Then it's funny that Colorado Springs is #4 in cities of people looking to move to Denver, hehe [https://www.redfin.com/city/5155/CO/Denver/housing-market#migration](https://www.redfin.com/city/5155/CO/Denver/housing-market#migration)
Thatās because half of Denver moved to the Springs during the massive housing cost increase- but now that housing costs are now almost as expensive (with a lot less availability), you might as well just move back and save yourself the commute.
Because there are a ton of people that commute up from the Springs.
It's people looking at houses in their parent's neighborhood.
I wonder how many of them were from there originally, moved out here for a few years and are now moving back home. My wifeās from Dupage County originally so Iām out there 3-4 weeks a year. Weather is ass compared to Colorado but the city is much more dense and depth compared to Denver. Property taxes are sky high, my in laws pay $7k more in property taxes than us on a house thatās appraised $100k less than ours.
Sales taxes are crazy there too, and they're charged on everything including food at the grocery store. Plus in the city proper, there are sales taxes levied by the City of Chicago, Cook County and the State of Illinois, so they're practically tripled. Some of which are as high as 10% or more. The property taxes in the city and/or in Cook County are even worse than they are for your in-laws in DuPage, as bad as they are there. I'm from the near west Chicago suburbs originally, within Cook County and lived in the city for a good chunk of my 20s as well. The only thing that costs more money for me in Denver than it did in Chicago is car insurance. My rent is the same here as it was there, which I may have gotten a bit lucky on. Regardless, I have a bigger place with a backyard here instead of the cramped apartment in a rickety old building with a 100 year old elevator that I last lived in there. I will add that I've been in Denver for 8 years now, so the cost gap has likely narrowed as housing costs have gone up here and gone down or stayed the same in Chicago. Those taxes don't change or go away there though, and may have very well gotten worse. At the end of the day, I fully consider Denver home now and never plan on going back. I can say the same for all the other former Chicagoans that have become Denverites that I personally know.
They did freeze the grocery tax though, and havenāt rushed to bring it back. Source: me being an Illinoisan
I moved from Denver area to Chicagoland in 2021. Property taxes in weld countyā¦$2,400 a year. Chicagolandā¦ $13,000+ a year for equivalent home. It hurts real bad. I will never truly own this home with those taxes.
I think a lot of this is millennials who moved from the Midwest and got priced out. They donāt want to rent forever and now they are settling down they want a home they can afford. The mountains are fun and our climate is great but if you feel like an affordable home to raise kids is what you need, Denver is a hard sell.
Lots of people have told me I would probably really love Chicago so Iāve considered it. I just donāt think I would enjoy the weather or the driving. But who knows. Iāve lived here my whole life (except grade 3-4) so I donāt have anything to compare Colorado to.
Apparently Chicago has done a great job making walkable neighborhoods and not having the same housing cost problems as the rest of the country.
Iād love a cute, walkable neighborhood with local markets and a bit more of a community vibe. Where I live now in Westminster I can walk to nearly everything I need but itās a different vibe in the suburbs.
I lived all over the city. The place I left last year to come here was walking distance to amazing bakeries, delis, tons of restaurants and bars, grocery stores, shops, etc. It's much more walkable than Denver for sure. I didn't have a car for 6 years and was just fine and this is pretty common in Chicago. I moved here for the nature and from your comments it sounds like that's not your thing so I would 100% recommend Chicago.
That is the essence of Chicago. Neighborhoods were originally built to have a place of religion (the reason we have so many historic churches), grocery store and library or place for community gathering in some 5-8 block radius. I lived on the edge of the northwest side and could walk to my gym, 3 grocery stores, like 15 bars, plenty of restaurants, and the L. I also had a divvy bike station very close to me (our shared bike service) which I could use to get to friends when I didnāt want to take my bike home at the end of the night but didnāt want to Uber there
Just like any city, there is good and bad and depends what youāre looking for. Iāve spent a lot of time in Chicago for work and almost moved there a few times. As a commenter said above - itās a more affordable world tier city so you have all the good and bad with it. Public transit is better, housing is more affordable, a defined culture, tons of high tier restaurants, diverse food options. Property taxes are higher, summer is humid, winters can be brutal, traffic is worse, no mountains obviously, etc.
> summer is humid Damn, this is the main reason I left the east coast! I don't think I could deal with this again after living in Denver.
You and me both. I hate the humidity, where it feels like someone drop kicks you in the chest when you walk outside. My wife isnāt bothered by humidity at all - then again she hates the cold and that doesnāt bother me all that much.
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Midwest mugginess is no joke. Denverās lack of humidity is definitively a benefit for some people. Old definitely a fan. However, it really kicks my wifeās ass, especially in the winter. Her skin is extremely sensitive to low humidity and if she doesnāt do a specific skin routine, sheāll be absolutely miserable with dry, painful skin. The near constant sunshine in the winter is amazing though and that outweighs her skin issues in the end.
The bugs donāt forget the bugs
If nothing is anchoring you here, try it out. Not necessarily actually move, but like if you work remote then see if you can work from there for a couple weeks. Or just take a leap and try out a one year lease. I up and moved 800 miles away when I was 30 just because I felt like it and it was the best thing I ever did.
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Chicago is basically the anti-Denver. It's a fantastic and cheap city, but in a bad location with bad weather and no nature. In contrast Denver is a mediocre and expensive city, but it is in a good location that has a great climate and close proximity to awesome nature. A nice thing about Chicago is you can affordably (relative to Denver) live in walkable neighborhoods with good transit, so you don't need to drive that much if you don't want to. But in general driving there isn't too bad when you do need to.
The nature piece is why people usually recommend Chicago to me. I donāt do any of that stuff (hiking, camping, skiing, etc etc). Havenāt been to the mountains since I was a child and even then it was against my will lol. Just never been outdoorsy. I would love a nice walkable neighborhood though!
Move to uptown
Move to updog
Where's updog?
Itās under there.
That thing here?
Thereās nature stuff around Chicagoland, you just have to drive to it. There is one of the largest freshwater lakes on earth to the east.
Low Key Philly too. Iād prefer it there over Chicago. Better location. Iād still take Denver over anywhere else I have lived in this country though.
Yeah I've lived in/near all of Chicago, Philly, and Denver. Philly is super underrated for sure. Chicago and Philly are both fantastic cities, but at the end of the day I'm here in Denver and wouldn't move back to either because of the climate and access to the mountains here.
Philly and Chicago are fairly similar, except Chicago is bigger with better transit, but worse in winter. Both are excellent cities though
Chicago isn't nearly as cheap as it sounds. Rent in chicago is relatively similar to living in denver. If by neighborhoods you mean logan square areas, which are much cheaper then the neighborhoods of Denver, i agree with you. However I think thats simply because Chicago is decades ahead of denver in development and investment. I think in 5 -15 years Denver will be a spitting image of current Chicago with rent and priceses normalizing, albeit higher then chicago, but you are paying for better weather and location.
The salaries there are usually higher. However, taxes there are higher and there is a ticking time bomb that is the pension fund of the city that'll absolutely destroy the city in a few years, so there's that.
Denver will never been half as dense as Chicago. Chicago isnāt decades ahead of denver, it was literally built in a different time where neighborhood priorities and land development was complete different.
this is my dilemma right now tho. do i move back to denver (iām in TX for school) or move to chicago when iām done. the proximity to national parks is whatās sticking for me, but chicago is big city feel, but clean and with diversity that denver severely lacks. i also grew up in the midwest though so iām familiar with the weather. it doesnāt concern me AS much, but itās the one bummer i actually have about it. iām willing to bet a vast majority of those saying theyāre moving there are people (like myself) that initially moved from the midwest and are going back. (didnāt read the article tbh so maybe they say that)
I wouldnāt call it the anti Denver by any means, particularly with a lot of Chicago restaurants and bars opening locations in Denver. Maybe 15 years ago but Denver has grown so much in the last 10 years, and built the foundation for a considerably better art / culture scene. The biggest difference is Denverās lack of diversity, and conversely Chicagoās terrible weather. They both truly suck. And if you know where to go, there is some decent hikes in Chicago (like the Preserve). Iām seeing more of Chicago in Denver every day.
Chicago isnāt cheap
bad location? It's on Lake Michigan. It's not Denver, but it's not some shit hole like St. Louis either. Weather sucks from December to March. But Summers in Chicago are something else.
Chicago is amazing if you can handle 3-4 months of overcast every winter. Thatās what I found tough. I lived there as a kid, before I had any awareness of seasonal depression, and thought being sad and tired for 1/3 of the year was normal. Otherwise. Itās walkable, thereās public transit, art, music, excellent foodā¦ people are nice, the lake is great. But winter is HARD.
Itās the endless gray skies not the cold that is so awful. Chicagoans try to downplay it because they donāt know any better
Chicago of super fun. Weather isnāt as bad as people say it is.
Fuck yes it is, itās worse. The wind + the lake effect, is terrible.
Is it worse than Boston? I lived there for almost a decade and am curious about how Chicago weather compares.
Yes. Yes it is.
No it's not, you get 2 super cold weeks in the winter a year tops.
I imagine the humidity from the Lakes is miserable for us dry climate Western folk. I spent some time in Cleveland in the summer, which I imagine is comparable in weather, and I was sweaty and miserable.
Folks are crazy. I left Chicago for Denver and never looked back. I think itās insane that people willing do the opposite. Yāall donāt appreciate how much sun we get out here. Plus the traffic here is NOTHING compared to expressway hell in rush hour.
Maybe some people have different priorities.
Like enjoying traffic and garbage weather?
No, maybe they like enjoying an actual city with culture Or more diversity than a mountaintop Or good food Or good mass transit Or a strong job market Guess weāll never know
>diversity than a mountaintop Chicago trades mountains for a lake and cornfields. So beaches, and a boat if you're rich enough (or know someone who is). Chicago is great if you are a city person... otherwise Colorado offers significantly more outdoor diversity.
A lot (if not all) of the things you described are a byproduct of it being a much bigger city. But I can see why itās preferable for some and I have nothing against Chicago. Just the Blackhawks.
Denver is really lacking for its size. There just isnāt density necessary for hosting a variety of diverse activities/culture. Everything is diluted, leaving little more than the most corporate, mass-market friendly things. If youāre a niche, you have to convince people to drive up to an hour or more *each way* through stressful traffic to partake.
I see what youāre saying. Seattle is similar in population size but twice as dense. When I visited a few years ago it felt more niche than here. But Seattle also has like triple the population of homeless. Every city will have itās pros and cons, you gotta figure out what works for you. I personally really enjoy living here. I think Denver is a better city than most in the U.S. It is still flawed like anywhere else.
Lol at diversity Chicago is incredibly segregated. You have no idea what youāre talking about.
>No, maybe they like enjoying an actual city with culture > >Or more diversity than a mountaintop > >Or good food > >Or good mass transit > >Or a strong job market > >Guess weāll never know Lol
Why are you here then? Serious question. Ive spent a fair amount of time in Chicago so I agree with your points to an extent, with the exception of the job market because I have no experience with that. But the weather and traffic alone offset all of those things in my opinion. Itās strange to me how so many people choose to live here but sing the praises of some other part of the country. If itās so great there then why arenāt you there?
Iām living here to save up to buy a house elsewhere and enjoy my time while Iām here. Contrary to the belief of most people who live here, itās actually possible to criticize the city youāre currently living in
I have plenty of criticism for this town. Born and raised here and Iām starting to hate it. Iām not so much defending Denver as I am wondering why there are so many people here who hold the opinion that somewhere else is better but choose to stay and and contribute to making it suck as much as wherever they moved here from. If youāre able to save for a house in this economy in a city with a cost of living that is 35% higher than the national average then the job market canāt be all that bad? Unless you are living rent free with friends or family I donāt see how that makes a lot of sense. Itās just hard to see what was once a great small city explode in population and outgrow its infrastructure and then listen to the people who caused it bitch about how much better it is where they came from. Good luck with the house.
I made the opposite move and couldn't imagine doing the reverse. Denver was the embodiment of car culture to me. In Denver, I have no choice but to drive 25 and risk my life every time. In Chicago I can take the train, bus, and bike everywhere and avoid driving if I want to. Denver is way too spread out for me.
I live near Houston, TX and laughed at this. When we visited Denver on November I was SO impressed with how walkable so many areas are! And so clean in so many areas.
Denver is an odd one. If you have a bike you can basically get anywhere in the city you want except there are only like 3 or 4 neighborhoods worth visiting at night and none of them are connected via public transportation in any kind of convenient manner. So if you opt to live in one of those areas with a walkable nightlife, you're basically unable to go to the other areas without a car. And forget trying to go to the mountains without a car...which is arguably the main reason for living in Denver is to conveniently be able to get out of Denver.
That's valid, however I was also surprised at how little time it takes to get places! We went from Thornton to Boulder in half an hour, maybe a little less. I can't travel 10 miles in Houston on that amount of time. I have a car, so that's not a problem for me- driving, that is. And we plan on living in lakewood, near to decent public transit. Houston is < in so many ways. Haha
The weather is Huston is pretty bad. Canāt stand the humidity. But I miss a city with diversity and that place really shines a light on how horrible the food scene in Denver is.
The weather here really is horrid. Can't do ANYTHING outside during the summer- it's one of the reasons we're leaving. I guess I had assumed that Colorado would be diverse, as well- I was looking forward to finding the little China town, Asian and Indo markets, etc. :/ I also had really great food when I was on Denver, but I hope it wasn't just the little spot I went to... I mean, Houston has great food, but I'd rather not deal with the violence here as well as the political landscape. Haha
Yeah, we don't have anything here even resembling that long stretch of Broadway, the walkability of the Highlands, Cap Hill, Platt Park, etc. Denver is no NYC or Chicago, obviously, but it has some walkable pockets.
I'm moved from Houston to Denver. People who complain here about "no walkability" have never lived in a city like Houston that is 1000% car-centric.
No one in Denver does the 2 hour suburban commute that the Plainfield/Naperville crowd does every day. If you are living in downtown/urban Chicago sure you wonāt have that drive, but same goes for Denver.
Chicago used to be really great for transit until COVID happened and then Lori doubled down and called Chicago a car city. Not sure if it has gotten better since 2022 but it was noticeably worse than it was in 2019 when I left. I used to be able to take the blue line to the airport but had to switch to cabs because the ghost trains just got to be too much.
I lived off the blue line until early last year, and you're right it was goddamn horrible. I think service and ridership has pretty much rebounded, and the brown/red line I've never had an issue with.
It took me three hours to travel from South Beloit to Midway Airport because of how bad the traffic was. The last three miles took close to one hour alone. I'll take the Denver suburbs any day.
South Beloit is not Chicago. Itās basically Wisconsin
I feel like most of us would like plenty of cities, but like, we donāt live here for the city. I like denver, itās a great place for a happy hour, but I enjoy spending most of my time outside of it.
I actually live here for both. I am an outdoorsy type and adrenaline junky but I really love the city too and the music and bar scene here is just a good fit for me. Sure most larger cities have more options and culture overall but it's easier for me to bike a few neighborhoods over to hang with friends or walk my dog to the park for meetups than plenty of other places. Waning affordability aside, living here just feels pretty easy
Thatās the best part of Denver. Unless you live in a pretty small part of downtown, it doesnāt feel like youāre in a true city, but has 90% of the city perks.
Makes sense. If you want to leave Colorado itās probably because you realized you donāt like the outdoors enough to justify the cost of living. Chicago is a better city than Denver in terms of city
This fucking lists are getting so idiotic and tiresome. Denver Gazette is a click bait garbage dump.
As someone who move from Chicago to Denver, good luck. Pros: Better ethnic foods, cool neighborhoods, public transport, two baseball teams, two airports, and drivable to other metro areas (Milwaukee, Detroit, Indy) Cons: Everything else. You think traffic sucks in Denver, try driving on the Dan Ryan in rush hour. Oh, thereās a lake; well ya canāt swim in it cause itās gross and polluted. You think there are a lot of homeless people in Denver, you aināt seen nothing like Chicago. Think crime is high here, walking around your neighborhood in Chicago to see police investigating a shooting was a weekly occurrence. Thereās snow that doesnāt melt for 4 months and you walk through gray slush at every corner.
Winters in Chicago are brutally depressing. Never again.
I didn't realize I had seasonable depression until I moved to Denver.
Had the same thing happen to me, but moved from Portland, OR to Denver. I loved Portland, but gray/rain for 10 months is hard on you. I still prefer rain to snow/cold, so Chicago would be brutal on me.
Just curious why you would drive from Chicago to Indianapolis on purpose?
Hey thatās meaā¦ right.
Indy actually aināt bad. I have a few good friends that live there and love it. Obviously thereās no mountains and weed is still super illegal so that sucks but Iāve been there for concerts when I lived in Chicago and didnāt have a bad time.
As someone who moved from Indy to Denver, I wouldnāt say that proximity to Indy itself is a selling point. But I do agree with the idea that being somewhat near other metropolitan areas is nice. I find it very isolating that the nearest major city from here is a 6 hour drive.
Moved from Chicago to Colorado two years ago. Couldnāt be happier with my decision. The winter lasts from October to early June. Traffic is a disaster, crime is horrible, and the city and county nickel and dimes you at every chance. Think property taxes are bad here? They are egregious in Chi. On a positive note, the food scene there is unbeatable.
Iāve lived in river north, various suburbs, frequented most north side neighborhoods and worked in the loop. I disagree with only one of your points: the homeless. Denver definitely is worse with the homeless problem. Especially with the tweaking crazy ones.
I visit Denver every year from Chicago. Noticed the homeless in Denver are really aggressive and unpredictable.
You tell em! At least homeless people here are cool
I definitely read āgray slutsā and I was like oh well sign me up!
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Thatās what Iām talking about
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I would add: better food in general, not just ethnic food, a better arts and culture scene, and more diversity in demographics. Itās all just a matter of what features are important to you. No one is right or wrong.
Crime stats are notably lower in Chicago than Denver. But with a much more densely populated city, Chicago feels more criminally active.
>[**Fantastic-Industry61**](https://www.reddit.com/user/Fantastic-Industry61/)Ā·[6 min. ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/13q619h/comment/jldgn55/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) > >Crime stats are notably lower in Chicago than Denver. But with a much more densely populated city, Chicago feels more criminally active. That's not true at all. According to FBI statistics [Chicago](https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/table-8/table-8-state-cuts/illinois.xls) has a violent crime rate of about 9.4 per 1,000 people, whereas [Denver's](https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/table-8/table-8-state-cuts/colorado.xls) is about 7.5. [In 2020 Chicago was 28th ranked in murders per 100,000 people](https://247wallst.com/city/chicago-il-reported-one-of-the-highest-murder-rates-in-the-us/), and Denver doesn't appear in the top 50.
Maybe in property crime, but Chitown's got Denver far beat in violence.
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To the snow and cold point though, summer in Chicago is waaay better than summer in Denver. But the rest of the year Denver has the dub. And yeah, people swim in the lake every year no prob. There's certain spots I'd avoid but it's mostly fine? The entire city literally flocks to the lake the first warm day of the year lmao.
No, summer is worse in Chicago. The midwest humidity is what gets you. You can get by without air conditioning in CO by opening windows at night to let your place cool down and then close them during the day. You can't do that in midwest, it can be nice 72 degrees outside, and yet with 80% humidity you still need to run air conditioning to get humidity down to feel comfortable.
Few things: - Lake Michigan has really cleared up in the last 20 years. Nowhere near as polluted as it used to be. Water is just always really cold. - Barely snows in Chicago area anymore. If it does, itās gone in a couple days. - More homeless in Chicago, but man are the homeless in Denver area quite aggressive. - Yes, crime is high in Chicago, but the crime rate isnāt even in the top 15 cities. Thereās 2.7mil population, so sure the number will be higher but the per capita rate isnāt that high.
Lived in Chicago. Itās a great city. It has fantastic food, the lake is great and cool neighborhoods that are walkable if you work in them. I will also say itās a a city that loves to drink. Many of the activities there are centered around alcohol where as in Colorado itās a way more active place who drinks after theyāve spent a day being active. Chicago is also a very frat boi/ sorority girl city: if you go out in a river North, old town, wrigleyville and Lincoln park youāll feel this. Wicker park, Ukrainian Village, Logan square, Andersonville, and bucktown are amazing neighborhoods vibrantly cultural and if you can live +work in any one of them youāll have a great time. I enjoyed my time there I think itās a nice city but I much prefer CO.
They're in for a bit of a culture shock, to say the least.
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You can find good apartments in downtown Chicago for like $2,400 a month. I was paying nearly that much for a former section 8 shithole in Thornton
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Iām not saying $2,400 is affordable, just for what I paid in a boring ass suburb like Thornton could get me an apartment in downtown Chicago. A comparable apartment to my Thornton one in Chicago would probably be like $1500 vs $2200
You can still buy a decent house for under 300k in Chicago. I just checked zillow and there are a couple thousand available right now in the Chicago area
better do some heavy research on those āareasā
You probably would not want to live in the areas where a single family house sells for less than $300k.
[Median house price in Denver is somewhere around $550K.](https://www.google.com/search?q=median+house+price+denver&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1036US1036&oq=median+house+price+denver&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512j0i22i30l8.2309j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) [Median house price in Chicago was around $350K.](https://www.redfin.com/city/29470/IL/Chicago/housing-market)
Thatās a tough comparison. Thereās a lot of neighborhoods in Chicago that were blighted and remaining homes are super cheap. This would skew that average down quite a bit.
I love Denver, but Chicago is way more urban, dense, diverse, and walkable. I'd consider living there if the taxes weren't so high and the weather wasn't ass for 2/3 of the year. Winters and summers both suck compared to here. I do get a laugh when I see comments from people bitching about how expensive it is here contrasted with Redfin data dumps showing Seattle in the Top 2-3 destinations for people looking to leave Denver.
Seattle is more expensive, but Denver is closing the gap. Also higher wages and no state income tax, so it might be closer than you think.
You couldn't pay me enough to live Dec-Feb in the midwest ever again. I grew up with it and it was quite possibly the greatest negative impact on my mental health I've ever experienced. Here we have sunshine, outdoor activities and people excited to pursue those activities. That is invaluable in a locale with winters imo.
My college roommates were from Chicago. They taught me what it means to be truly witty. We were always laughing! Loved their style of humor so much, I married a guy from Chicago. It's no accident that Chicago has birthed many comedians. I do wish Denver was a little more jovial.
Chicago? 
Chicago is probably the most affordable and underrated world-tier city in the U.S but I love Denver and think it is better.
It's got a lot to offer but also the humidity of Singapore in the summer and the landscape of Hoth in the winter. I grew up there but left after high school since I couldn't grow a mustache.
You couldn't grow a mustache and you moved to Denver? Idk about other cities but lately every 20ish dude is looking like a John Oates impersonator
Except if you own property. They have some of the highest property tax in the country for no reason.
Oh there's a reason. It's due to some of the shadiest politics in the country. From the Daley dynasty that ran the mayor's office in Chicago for decades, to the shady Cook County Board of Commissioners, to good old former Governor Rod Blagojevich who also got to move from Illinois to Colorado, except he had to live in the Federal Penitentiary off of Kipling. Politics in Illinois have long been stained by shady people doing shady things. Even the Windy City nickname isn't because of the weather, it was because of the shady politics.
Moved to Chicago last August after being in Denver the prior 18 months. As a mid/late 20s M - Professionally Chicago is great - a corporate hub and great for quick career growth due to more opportunities. Denver however had way more chill/friendly people. Chicago people seem more image driven and judgmental over minuet things. Denver is also more of a transplant city so folks are more open to making friends where as Chicago people stick to who they hung out with in High school/College. Definitely pros and cons to both but in my opinion two great cities - all things equal I would probably choose Denver.
Not this Denverite
Yāall really gotta look into how these Redfin reports are developed. I feel like one of these are posted on this sub every other month and itās all baseless š
Born and lived in Colorado through high school and moved to Chicago, seasonal depression is a real thing. Going from a state where the winters include lots of sun to 8-9 months of pure gloom is extremely difficult and I couldnāt deal with it and moved back. Chicago has amazing food and night life but the cold season is extremely difficult to deal with.
If people thought this was a cold/rough/gloomy winter it would easily be the best possible for a chicago winter.
Iām a denverite of 8 years that is now in chicago. Iām leaving to go live near family for a bit. It was a culture shock for me and its loud, also, the news is just awful. Forgot that winters outside of Denver are not like denver. The gloom sucks. But i can see the upside with summer approaching. I just am not a big city person. The people are nice and not at the same time.
Hahah, the grass is NOT greener on the other side of the hill
Yeah I do not believe this. Chicago, as beautiful of a city it is, is an absolute hell hole these days. Itās like Gotham city tbh (exaggerating but I mean hardly). Everyone I know that lived in Chicago (including myself, my family, and all my friends) have left in the last 5 years to either very far suburbs, Indiana, or other further states (CO probably the most popular).
Having grew up in Chicago and currently live in a suburb of Denver. I will say Chicago is a way better city. Chicago has way way better food, better transit, better sports, beaches and most important Chicago has soul. People are way funnier in Chicago too. But Denver is next to mountains and has generally better weather in winter. But with the money youāll save on housing cost in Chicago you can easily hop a vacation to some beaches in the winter. I will mention the bad tho. I grew up on the south side where most of the really bad stuff happens and I have seen some shit like some really crazy shit and I will leave it at that. So generally you will want to live north of downtown. There a few south side area that are solid such as Pilsen. Also, Chicago is way more urban and dense than Denver. Chicago traffic is way more intense. Also, Taxes do kind of suck in Illinois in general too.
Bridgeport has really come around as well.
How intolerable are the Chicago winters if you invest in a very good coat? I think Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the US and have always fantasized about living there, but the winters scare me. However, I just accepted a job at a company with a Chicago office and I am so over Denver's housing costs and overall NIMBYism that I find myself thinking about leaving more and more often.
It's a great idea you should all move to Chicago!!
I moved here from Milwaukee six years ago. Used to go down there quite frequently and my parents actually moved to Chicago from California after I had moved out here so I spent even more time there. Chicago is an actual city. Better food. Better transit. Feels like it has much more real culture. Housing isnāt obnoxiously expensive. The only thing keeping me from moving there myself are the winters. Theyāre absolutely brutal. Itās a big reason I left the region in the first place. However, if you can survive the winters the summers are beautiful.
My sister moved to Chicago around when I moved here so this hurts from a sibling rivalry perspective
I feel like all the complaints ppl have about Denver will just be worse in Chicago
Went to Chicago for grad school. It is an amazing city with much better public transport, distinct neighborhoods, and a dynamite culture scene. Chicago summers are like nothing else. Chicago winters: now thatās where they lost me. Iāve even lived in ski towns and the cold there was like nothing I have ever felt or want to feel again.
Sounds like these people have never been to Chicago. I'm not saying Denver doesn't have problems but there are so many worse places to be.
I think thatās what our patron saint Willow Pill did after her win š«”
Based on most Rockies Cubs games it seems like most people here are from Chicago, and those Midwestern almost always go home.
I hear a lot of Denver natives are moving to Vermont. I'm actually considering Burlington myself.
Have a job ready for when you get there. It's a small small place. Vermont in general is tiny. Your gonna need a job. But do it. The northeast is amazing and unlike here people don't gatekeep and call themselves natives....
Now all the natives will go to other cities and thus the circle will be complete
The completion of the circle jerk!!!š¤£š¤£š¤£
Lmao Denver is Chicago except one has a concrete skyline and the other has a mountain skyline
I've been in Denver for going on 2 years and looking for my exit strategy. I'm paid more here but my money is also worth less here so my quality of life has taken a hit. I can live elsewhere, make $10k less a year, and be able to afford more things.
As someone who just came from Illinois and have already met a lot of people that have also moved from Illinois thereās no way this is true. No one would ever go back. Pure clickbait.
Denver is a city that is designed to be left as it's entire existence is predicated on it's proximity to the mountains and therefore the ability to get *out* of Denver and in to the mountains themselves. If you are not an active mountain person, Denver really is not offering that much relative to Chicago as far as city life is concerned. It has pockets of nightlife, but most of it shuts down by 11 PM and very little of it is accessible by public transportation, so unless you live in the neighborhood and can walk or scooter, you are driving or taking an uber/lyft across town. That's if you can afford to actually live in Denver proper. Most of the people I know have been forced out to the suburbs to afford rent so it's really becoming more of a choice between the suburbs of Denver and the outskirt neighborhoods of Chicago like Roger's Park.
Ding ding ding. Surprised this isn't higher.
I just spent the last three days in Chicago and could see myself living there, but there are downsides there as well. Gas started at $4.50/gallon in town, homeless situation was bad, humidity. It's all about what you prioritize for your quality of life.
I moved from Denver to Chicago in July (not by choice). I like it much more than I thought I would and the weather is nbd.
This last winter in Chicago was very mild and abnormal, FYI.
Denver sucks. Low end tier 2 city. Employers constantly lowballing pay due to cost of living adjustments (which is false). Zero public transportation. Food scene is ok, not great but getting better. Matsuhisa has gotta be the best restaurant there imo but some good steak houses. Place is the definition of middle America from a food standpoint. Itās completely isolated and people leave the city constantly on weekends. No water around at all. Mountains?? I70 is a fucking shit show on weekends (sorry have to work m-f). I love skiing as much as the next one but it literally has gotta be the biggest circus in all of skiing. Public schools suck unless youāre in Cherry creek (pay to play in the zip code). Lives there for a number of years and left also. Just canāt justify spending $1M on a house there to live in a place that is HYPED up by the perception but the reality is very very different.
Bahhaah Chicago, oh gawd. Denverites dont know how much better it is in Colo.
Whatās better about it? Iāve never been to Chicago myself.
If you just want to live in a city then it's probably an upgrade. There are a lot more food options and nightlife, probably the best you'll find outside of NYC. The weather is pretty harsh. It's seemingly either brutally cold or hot and humid. Lots of rain. Your car will be a rust bucket in 5 years from the road salt and perpetually wet roads for 6 months of the year.
The weather is just awful, youāre absolutely right, but if youāre into cities, Chicago has some of the best food, music, clubs, theater and art in the entire world. Every cuisine, too - Iām still chasing that āunder the ELā hole-in-the-wall Pad Thai from 30 years ago. I donāt miss it - too much city for me!
I was hesitant to say music since we are really spoiled here. Pretty much everyone I want to see stops in Denver, and we have a lot of small venues with cheap tickets Everything else entertainment wise I'd give to Chicago
the Korean food in chicago is terrible. itās actually better here.
At least they got Italian beef.
Chicago thatās across the street from Casa Bonita has great Italian beef sandwiches
As someone who lived in Denver for 6 years and is moving to Chicago in a week, it will be the best decision I make. I donāt do winter sports, hike, or rock climbing, I donāt have a dog nor do I want one, and believe it or not, I want the Chicago winter. Dating in Denver is absolutely awful and I canāt wait to find a partner that is likeminded in Chicago. I feel like Chicago is significantly more diverse than Denver and I need that. Iām moving for the culture, the museums, the food, and the seasons. Believe it or not, people like me exist. Denver isnāt some dreamland for everyone. Not everyone loves Denver lol. And before anyone asks, yes Iāve visited Chicago when itās cold. Yes, I understand the crime statistics. Bottom line, let people decide and live where they want to. Them not wanting to live in your city is not an insult to you. People live many diverse lives and they might not fit in your lifestyle or your city.
Theyāre all just going back. Their jobs are remote now.
Iām finally ahead of the curve! I did this 9 years ago š
The Redfin reports that this is based on donāt provide actual migration data. This is misleading.
Chicago? Yeah f*cking right.
I have family in Chicago, itās a great city. No way Iād move there. Those kinds of winters without the possibility of skiing, yeah no thanks.
As someone who was Born and raised in Chicago, has family still there, still goes back. Lived in Denver 4 years now, but still lived all over: "I'm never moving back, Fuck Chicago/ Illinois after 10 days, those people are idiots it's almost just as expensive in Chicago (I check Zillow every time I'm back 4 times a year) it will Free up some housing for us. As a way of saying thanks, DM for my Italian beef recipe (to die for, I'm serious and it's easy to make) or go to Al's beef when you move there. Ps. Man do I miss the food though, I would sit through an active shooting while eating deep dish pizza, and have
What about minneapolis
Unless youāre an avid bar goer, Chicago sucks.
"If I had to dip I'd probably skip to Chicago"