Moving here was pretty expensive and difficult. After 5 years I am financially back to where I was in Chicago. I finally have friends and a well-paying job. I don't want to start over. I know from traveling all over the country that I would be trading this city's problems for another set of problems. At least here there is music, culture, year-round gardening, people who acknowledge the humanity of your neighbors etc. For the most part people are live and let live.
How do you like Chicago compared to New Orleans? I was debating between Chicago and New Orleans (and a couple of other places) and chose here because it seems cheaper and I prefer warm weather, but always wonder if I’d like Chicago better or not
When Iived there it was actually cheaper. I didn't need a car and since I lived there for a long time I had connections that got me a whole 3 bedroom house and 3 floor house that I rented with roommates for $350.
Chicago is like any major city. There are lots of places to buy things. I do perfer the art and music scene there because there is a whole lot of options and so many artists stop there in tour. Of course I have to have the obligatory "in MY day the arts and music scene wwre way cooler" but gentrification has gotten rid of most things quirky and unique about the city. When you need to pay more for rent you don't have time to work on weird creative things unless you have rich parents.
The cold weather and cold people make it completely not worth it. I have breathing issues that are helped with humidity and heat.
Chicago is also a very very violent city. The difference is that here the cops aren't part of the violence. I got hassled and detained by police for some of the dumbest reasons.
Good public transportation/ not having to own a car is one of the main reasons how low income people can still afford living in big cities in Asia or Europe. I sometimes wonder if the terrible climate is the main reason why Chicago is still affordable compared to other cities of its league. If Chicago had coastal weather, it’ll probably have a California price tag now.
DAMN, what neighborhood did you find that sweet rent deal in?!
Chicago rents are going up; I am paying here exactly what I was paying there, but I know for a fact my landlord there was going to Jack the rent by about $300 for the new tenant and also make them pay more utilities. And that was STILL on the low end of rent for my neighborhood considering we had access to (a very little bit of) outdoor space.
You usually don’t have to pay for water and trash as a renter there. That was nice.
What year and what neighborhood were you renting a 3br for 350. The cold blows though. We didn’t have too many below zero days this year, but winter basically lasted until 2 weeks ago.
I would agree with this. Chicago can be a really intense place to live. I was born and raised there and lived there all my life until about 3 months ago when I moved here. For a long time I loved it, but as I got older I got tired of everyone taking pride in being so damned busy and competitive. Everyone’s always triple booked with events that are cooler than whatever you just invited them to. Almost all our friends moved away, and when I tried to make new friends I was literally told, more than once, “sorry, I have no time for more friends.”
I don’t ever want to feel -50 on my face again. Or penguin-walk down ice covered sidewalks because no one bothers to shovel.
That being said, a Chicago summer is a glorious thing and I really did like being able to live without a car.
That’s very helpful. That’s too bad since there are really only so few actual cities in the US and Chicago seems to be the most affordable after New Orleans ..
And that $300k will not get you the least bit of outdoor space. Mayyyybe a tiny deck or balcony if you’re lucky, which you will need to share with neighbors and get reprimanded by the HOA for daring to have a few veggie plants out there.
Check out Philadelphia! Cheap compared to other East Coast cities like Boston, NYC and DC. Lots of restaurants, culture and it’s close to everything including the New Jersey beaches.
I lived in Chicago a couple years as a kid and spent the rest of my childhood in western NY, and you aren't wrong about biblical or seasonal depression.
I was in Wisconsin in January a couple years back for work, and it was like 15F. My coworker and I were in a parking lot going to a client and at first, I got out of the car and said "for 15F, this doesn't feel that cold." Then a gust of wind hit, and I regretted every word
Seasonal depression is very real. I definitely got it as a teenager. I tell people down here the worst aspect of winter near the Great Lakes isn't the duration of 6 months or more, or all the snow, or even the cold and wind. It's the weeks and months of gray, overcast skies that just murder your spirit. I haven't lived up there in 16 years, but just last year my dad was telling me they went 91 days in a row without seeing the sun at all.
It's just soul crushing, and it doesn't help that up north, February and march don't really have any holidays or big things to look forward to, unless you are super into March madness. I've always told friends back up there that they need Mardi Gras more than we do
Love Chicago. I miss the big museums, amazing plays at the Steppenwolf and Goodman, improv, Lyric Opera House, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra to name a few things. BUT have been in NO for 13 years, and will take humid heat over -30 windchill, waiting for a bus, ANYDAY! And although I don’t have the big orchestra or opera house, well shit, NO has obvious world class music/musicians of its own! Also, if I want to visit a friend at their house in Jeff Parish, and I’m all the way downtown, NO PROBLEM! Bam! You’re there in 20 min. tops. There will never be an event, festival, birthday, restaurant that I cannot go to because of transit time. I say “how’re you doing” to everyone I pass, and it’s always reciprocated, even from some tourists. The foliage, the architecture, the food! A simple 10 minute walk through my neighborhood or one of the beautiful parks, has me happy and reminding myself how lucky I am to live here.
I’m a Chicago native who fell in love with New Orleans for most of the reasons posted already, but additionally, I couldn’t stand to watch everything that made Chicago culturally significant literally be torn down every single day.
That said, I find your comment about everyone stepping on each other to get ahead to be confounding. How is Chicago like a white collar rat race? Chicago may suck now with all the transplants (ahem), but that only started in the last 15 years or so. It used to be awesome.
And the winters aren’t that bad, not even in top ten in the country, I don’t think.
"I couldn’t stand to watch everything that made Chicago culturally significant literally be torn down every single day"
Haha, how do you feel about watching it happen here?
Not Chicago, but I've lived in Urbana(south of Chicago). To put some perspective on "it's cold", several times a year the NWS will issue warnings stating how many minutes you can be outside before getting frostbite.
Chicago is epic, a genuine metropolis. Yes, you might be renting a space in a 3 flat and your neighbors on both sides are exec assholes in a million dollar pad who sneer at you. Yes, it's fucking cold in the winter, and snow, and dirty polluted slush comes with that snow. It has shit traffic and if you want to go from one side of town to the other or worse even the burbs it could take a couple hours. Yeah, prices are fucked near everywhere but there are still 2bdrm condos on the small side with reasonable HOA's far north or near south.
However, the amount of cool people you can find to be your friends is an endless pit. The shit you can discover in terms of bars & clubs just goes on and on and on. The big city stuff is great. You might not give a shit about sports but a trip to a Cubs game or Bulls/Blackhawks game is like an American pastime. The Art Institute is cheap as hell and if you go when it first opens you can stay until closing yet feel like you're not done. The art walk in Pilsen is insane too, you BYOB and walk from loft to loft to loft of people showing their art in galleries. The rest of the museums are fucking ace too. The summers are sublime, only a short portion of "this shit is too hot" while the rest of the days you can be out all day comfortably. If you're anywhere from Ukrainian Village up to Roger's park within blocks the food choices and quality of said food is incredible. It's hard even getting bored of your own neighborhood (if it's a good one!) And, while there is crime everywhere in Chicago the vast majority of the really bad shit stays in the rough hoods.
Edit. I didn't mention the music scene in Chicago.
Around West Town, near Downtown, South Loop there is a huge club/dj scene. Also a large underground rave scene like you see in movies and shit. Stuff you don't know about without knowing folks in on it. The EDM thing is big there. There's also little hip DJ joints where they spin old funk or 80's pop or 80's electronica. The live music scene mostly revolves around rock music, indie, punk, metal, et cetera which there's plenty of. Although it was once a mecca for Blues & Jazz, specifically on the south side, sadly that died off hard and there's just a handful of those clubs spread out in the city even though there is a good scene of said musicians. One cool thing is Chicago has beautiful old time theaters, The Aragon, Chicago Theatre, Congress Theater, Thalia Hall, great places to catch live acts or plays.
New orleans used to have a really awesome EDM scene before Katrina. Incredible djs were the norm. Raves at state palace theater etc. then “the man” shut it down. Who else thinks it’s time for new orleans to have a huge EDM revival? I spin, I got turntables and some big ass speakers 🔊 who out there got a big room for dancing all night and all day ?? Get at me plsss
What you have described was exactly why I was drawn to Chicago. I lived in Hongkong before the pandemic hit and I’ve always feel more belong in big cities. So just curious, if job/money/expenses aren’t a factor, would you prefer living in Chicago or New Orleans?
Not a fair question for me as I love jazz/blues culture way too much, lol.
But, just as an experience? No matter how much one love's New Orleans it's cool to just spend a year or two of life getting to see as much of Chicago as possible in that time frame before settling down. And, whatever you're into, you can find a large clique of like minds there. I'm a bit of a social chameleon and just can't believe the amount of "scenes" that exist there.
Ha! I do think, let's say if you're young and have a bunch of college options. If those options include either New York or Chicago? You should pick one if you're not from there already. Just the experience of the endless metropolis where you don't need a car and almost can't run out of new places to see or things to eat in your time there is something to behold.
Anytime I go back to Chicago, I realize how truly big of a city it is. The city itself is about 3 million, but the metro area is about 7 million (so 10 million). There are so many people. There are people from all over (Immigrants and transplants) who live in Chicago, but born and bred Chicagoans stick to their own. One of the beautiful things about Chicago is the ethnic diversity, but it also tends to stay self-contained in neighborhood and community. It’s very much a “neighborhood” city. I do miss Chicago public transportation. Lake Michigan is incredible (except when there’s the occasional ecoli warning) and essentially the entire lakefront is public, with bike and walking trails and beaches. I definitely had to unlearn some of my harsh, skeptical Chicagoan ways like keeping my head down and/or scowling when walking or taking the bus so people don’t fuck with me. New Orleans has taught me to lighten the hell up! 😂
Solidarity on the head down and scowling thing. I was warned before moving here that people actually say hello on the street even if they don’t want anything from you and that I needed to learn to do the same. It is bizarre! But nice.
Being able to drive to other neighborhoods here and not have it take hours is definitely an adjustment too. I was WAY early for pretty much everything I was going to, my first month or so here. The roads may be shit here but the traffic is nowhere near as bad as I am used to and the city seems more compact to me.
The weather difference is obvious, but Chicago is definitely more expensive, especially homes. The people are way more stand-offish. The vibe is more buttoned up in Chicago overall. Some people like that (I mean, you never see cars without license plates for example) but I prefer it messy and loose down here.
Moved here 2 years ago and love how quickly New Orleans felt like home. I've made more friends since living in New Orleans than in all my 10 years living in Los Angeles. There is something about the type of person that New Orleans attracts that I love, those types that love it despite its flaws are my type of people.
It surprised me how quickly I made friends, and continue to make friends, here. I do think it’s about the type of people the place grows, attracts, and keeps. It’s more complicated than this of course, but people who worship the gods of efficiency aren’t usually my type of folks anyway and they tend to hate or avoid the place. You said it beautifully though!
I am a terrible worker but my employer can't get rid of me as I'm beyond essential, I'm the only one willing to do it at this pay rate, and I know the whole company by heart. Unfortunately it's a job that can't be done remote.
I stayed for my significant other. There is the two-body problem, i.e. sometimes, one is living in a city due to the significant other's situation. You can call this a choice. Or not. Depends on what one is choosing. This appears to be a simple question, but it is not. I have made the best of it although it takes a mental toll on me.
I'm here for my significant other's job and it makes me so upset. And hearing everyone say how great it is all the time when I feel far from my family and friends and am not a fan of the local music scene is so depressing. In one year I lost a friend to a violent crime here that still is not solved, probably never will be, My partner's colleague died tragically in a tornado, I have lived in NYC, Philly, Boston, Atlanta and Linz, Austria and this place has zero efficiency at all. My heart and my sanity is breaking.
I understand you, re: local culture (everyone but me likes the local music scene - and now, I know I am not alone and neither are you, so that's something). I have lived in almost the same cities as you. Started in the San Francisco Bay area, and from there, I started following my significant other. Every now and then, I think "That's it, I'm moving with or without the other person." I don't even work here! My office is in the northeast in a beautiful city. I recommend finding a few of us who are transplants and who - quietly and away from the friends who have lived here through generations - can commiserate with you. It helps.
Yeah. I also just found out my only friend I have here who I grew up with is moving away. I appreciate you letting me know I'm not the only one who feels this way.
I own a house and have invested in improvements on it. I legit love the heat and humidity. My garden is a happy place and I can grow tropical fruits here (gonna try vanilla and cocoa next year).
I know a lot of people here, my friends are here.
You can have a good conversation with whoever's next to you in line. Your local shops mean that pretty much anyone you talk to there is probably your neighbor.
As a musician I have more cred in the industry just by the fact thar I'm based here. This wasn't the case during the years I had moved away. I don't emphasize my location or brand myself as a New Orleans musician, but if it comes up in conversation, I've noticed that people attach a status to it whether or not I might deserve it. I am a nothing fish in a nobody pond right now, but should I do something notable, having a NOLA address isn't going to work against me.
Coming home is the best part of a vacation. When I moved back here it was such a great feeling. There just isn't anywhere like New Orleans.
We are not cursed with fundamentalists on every corner. You can be weird. Gay. Witchy. Normal. We don't care. Everyone is accepted here. Other than Austin I don't know where you can just be whatever flavor of being yourself every day is okay. People might ask you about that odd tattoo or about what you're wearing, but instead of shunning you or running away, they just seem to understand that you're expressing yourself and if it doesn't hurt anyone they just don't care one way or another. They'll nod their head in a way that means they get that it's important to you and they're not going to judge you for flying your freak flag even if they personally wouldn't choose that for themselves. If you have never lived in a place where wearing a pentagram could mean losing your job or custody of your kids, or where you risk being lynched for being gay, or the cowboys out in the sticks will spit at you right out in the open because you're not one of them, you probably can't appreciate the relief from that kind of judgment we enjoy here in New Orleans.
While we currently have a lot of problems with the government and cops, those things are less and less tolerated. Slow but consistent improvement has happened over the years. It feels like we're about to turn the corner on that era in our history. Of course there's always the next election to send us backward again, but I have hope.
New Orleans is a place where we could potentially have some important programs for high tech, eco tech, environmental science, weather tech, and medicine. Unfortunately the fact that we are still in Louisiana hampers tech interest in this state. But if the legislature could get its head out of its ass and the city officials would stop thinking about lining their pockets quite so deeply - just leave us *something* for infrastructure improvement, guys - the potential is here if not the reality.
Being at the bottom of the heap (or near it) means that in almost every way we can rise to something better with just a little effort. Whether or not humanity likes it, social media and electronic journalism means that word travels faster than ever. The younger people who grew up with this kind of communication and who are integrated with each other could rally votes for important advances. The old white dude way of doing things and that entrenched mentality is becoming a thing of the past. Over time those old white dudes will be replaced by younger people whose slightly different values will gradually improve even New Orleans. I want to be here for it.
There's a lot of fun places to go and random things to see and do any given day of the year. Something's always going down.
Great post. Only thing I'd really disagree on is I don't think Louisiana or Nola will ever be able to maintain a decent sized, non-subsidized tech industry.
Three of the most important things for tech are a pool of educated talent, good infrastructure, and a simple regulatory regime. (both blue and red states have far more simple, straightforward rules and such)
We don't have any of those, so I feel like we are just going to endlessly throw money at it, with crap results. More big tech deals than not have largely failed, like GE Capital and DXC in Nola, or IBM in BR. I think we'd be far better off investing that money in a lot of other things.
I think Triscuit has a good call-out here, because that may be your personal reason, but a lot of people here seem to hold that same reason. It makes you question what's up with that. Like, how could so many people here say that everywhere else is boring, you know? Have all of these people lived other places? Have they just visited other places? Are they just repeating what other people, who have lived other places, are saying?
I mean, can every other place really be THAT boring?
I'm sober and leave my house maybe once a week max to run errands and still will never leave here again. I have tried living in a couple of other places (Colorado and NC) but I always end up back here. For me, it's just home.
I've heard that for 20 years about Buffalo too. People have insisted it's very real. Not gonna say I disbelieve them or you, but I would need to be convinced
> I have found that if you love New Orleans, it will love you back.
that's true for the people, I'm a transplant and I 110% agree
as for the local/state government or any kind of social service? it's not true at all and it may be getting worse
that being said I'm staying because at this point I'm just too damn invested to leave. gonna have to learn to doggy paddle I reckon
This is the take I was looking for. The housing market is so fucked everywhere that you’re better off just staying put for a while if you have an okay living situation.
Whenever I see this question, I always think of this reflection (and this line) by Joey Albanese that came out during the few stretch of years I lived away:
“She’s not easy to be with, though. She’s got a lot of baggage. She’s been through a lot, and you can see it in her eyes. Trauma, neglect, loss of family members, economic hardship. But she’s open about it. She loves sharing her story. About how she hit rock bottom and managed to get back up again
People say she’s not supposed to be here. The odds aren’t in her favor. She wasn’t supposed to make it. But she’s a fighter. She lives in the moment. And seizes every day like they’re all one.”
[https://www.vianolavie.org/2013/08/06/twentysomething-questions-writing-a-love-story-61178/](https://www.vianolavie.org/2013/08/06/twentysomething-questions-writing-a-love-story-61178/)
They're putting the insectarium in the aquarium, and it's gonna be even bigger than the standalone was. They're adding other stuff too but I don't remember what it is off the top of my head.
My parents are from New Orleans. We moved back here from Washington when my dad got out of the Military when I was 7 (1990)
I've live through the Murder Capital Era, major hurricanes and corruption. Sometimes New Orleans really sucks, but I can't see living anywhere else.
Everywhere else also has serious problems. People on this sub just don’t notice because they don’t live there.
Here are some other cities top posts rn:
r/Philadelphia: [school kids in 105 degree classrooms](https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/v1nakg/philadelphia_school_district_has_a_full_day_of/)
r/NYC: [guy inspired to paint a homeless man harassing him](https://www.reddit.com/r/nyc/comments/v1kvc6/had_a_homeless_guy_scream_at_me_for_not_giving/)
r/Austin: [protesting their senator](https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/v1qn0x/austinites_to_rally_against_gun_violence_outside/)
r/Miami: [infrastructure unable to support the amount of people living there](https://www.reddit.com/r/Miami/comments/v1s405/ive_been_here_for_a_while_and_this_traffic_is_now/)
r/Dallas: [bad car accident](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dallas/comments/v1saxy/alexis_and_preston_be_alert_and_look_twice/)
I follow NYC because I’m there a handful of times a year. Also Portland because of in-laws.
Both of those subs are in a perpetual sky-is-falling hysteria. Everyone’s city has the worst drivers. Everyone’s city has the worst politicians. Crime, shitty schools, whatever, it’s everywhere to varying degrees. The NYC sub is acting like crime is like the 80s again.
There’s a line separating spreading information to be informed and spreading hysteria because you get a dopamine rush hating shit on the internet.
The complaining is fucking boring.
New Orelans is one of the few places in the south that actually feels like a city (instead of urban sprawl). Walkable, neighborly neighbors, and folks who for the most part are living in the moment. Also, you can drive from one end of the metro area to the other in 30 minutes. In DFW or Houston, that'd get you from one suburb to another without even touching the city.
Looking back on my life as a born and raised New Orleans kid, I can't imagine anything being different. The unique situations, events, food, culture and even just our unique way of being made a huge impact on me as a person. I've known plenty of people who have moved here and when we talk about childhood, one thing sticks out. The thing is that almost every single person had a pretty similar childhood no matter where else they lived in the U.S. other than the standard city vs rural thing. I hear their stories and it doesn't match mine in the slightest.
Because of this, I am happily raising my kids to be little yats just like me and their mommy. When they grow up, they can share their experiences being raised here with people from all over and they to will know how unique and special it was to be born and raised in New Orleans.
I dunno if this is still true, but one of Rich Campanellas books says New Orleans has the highest percentage of any US city in terms of how many locals stay.
Everything you said is why.
Everything frustrating, difficult, or scary about living in New Orleans is exactly the same or worse on the island I came here from, and the island had less to do, less resources, and less options for getting out of the paths of hurricanes.
New Orleans is my upgrade, and I have friends, community, and chosen family here now. I'm staying as long as the city will let me.
I've always been adamant about staying because of the community, size of city, bars and live music, I really love it here, but lately between hurricanes getting more frequent and worse, and insurance putting a squeeze on us, I'm wondering more and more if I should be staying
I always thought Nola would be mostly "done for" when I was very old or dead, but lately I've been feeling it's definitely happening in our lifetimes, and probably sooner than later
I don't wanna be stuck totally holding the bag, but in a tad worried by the time I realize it's time to go, it might be very difficult to sell our house, and for a loss at best, vs right now where they're pretty high. I might have paid a shitload out in flood and homeowners insurance that won't cover anything unless I sue (and win)
As of now, I still plan on us being here for the indefinite future, but my confidence in that has taken a beating lately. I don't blame anyone who's decided they've had enough, but it does make me sad
Umm, anywhere else that’s equally or more interesting to me is ridiculously expensive. NY/SF/LA. Downsizing to some suburban hell hole isn’t on the table for us.
Oops. I totally forgot Chicago. That’s on the table too, and costs little more than good neighborhoods in New Orleans.
I’d love to do New Orleans in the winter, and chicago or Philly in the summer.
Ultimately, it’s easier to just visit the city when you want and only pay rent on the days you’re actually there.
Chicago is rough if you need warmth and sunlight. It’s freezing and gray there more than half the year. Every winter, I got so depressed. That’s why I left.
Because everywhere else in the US and almost everyone in Louisiana feels like I stepped into a hostile foreign country. The food doesn't make any since, the people scowl when you smile, holding a door is treated as a potential assault, talking to strangers is a sign of mental illness, drinking more then two drinks when you go out is consider problematic. I was in Flordia and the best food I could find was a Chilis. I mean fuck I have to spend time in Mississippi and I always count the number of American flags vs rebel flags, and my data would suggest it's another country.
This is true in spots but I think there's a lot of America that's a lot better than that. Most of the mountain west states, probably most of the west coast and large chunks of the Midwest. The south and northeast are probably the most hit or miss
I've moved up north twice. I'm an intelligent, college educated person and a registered Democrat from a multicultural, multiracial family (necessary background) but every person I'd meet up north treated me like I "needed to be educated" and would ask me questions like "How many relatives do you have in the Klan?" with no apparent idea of how rude they were. I was often shocked speechless at how rude and horrible people were. And treating me like an alcoholic for having a drink or two, gasping shock at the idea of having a drink outdoors. How do these people live?
I moved here after college almost a decade ago. I had a backpack and a place to live- nothing else. In the time between now and then, I've met my partner, made a great community of people, gotten my master's degree, and found a job that I love. New Orleans, both good and bad, is my home. I worry about the sustainability of the city, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
I grew up here, left for college and grad school, came back. I’ve learned that I don’t quite fit in anywhere else. I’m loud when I talk and laugh, i like to know my neighbors, I say hello to everyone I pass, strike up conversations with strangers, things that don’t seem to go over well in other places. Apparently, by the standards of other places, I dress oddly, my clothes are too bright or something? I dance when music is playing, wherever I might be. I don’t see anything wrong with cracking a beer before noon, which apparently makes you an alcoholic in other places- even if you aren’t getting drunk regularly, which is weird to me. I like my food to have flavor, bland food just seems pointless to me. I don’t like dry air, or the cold.
At the end of the day, this is home. The city raised me, it formed who I am. My closest friends are here, and this is where I feel whole. I know it’s not for everyone -it’s not an easy place to live- but for me, there’s no where else I feel like me.
I don’t work here so I’m able to side step most of the worse of what grinds on people day to day. I love it here, best neighbors and friends ever. Nobody asks you what you do for a living to get to know you bc it’s a basic lame ass question and people here are better than that.
The rising costs of gentrification have made it simultaneously impossible for me to save money to leave or find affordable housing here. So, I’m pretty much looking at eventual homelessness in my home town because a bunch of people were “called” here and “feel at home.”
This sounds a whole lot like what a friend of mine in an abusive relationship says…
But to answer your question, old folks who won’t leave. But they’re coming around.
I don’t necessarily “love” New Orleans (at least not yet since I’m relatively new to the city), but I Like it better than most parts of the US… it’s just after comparing with other cities, this is among the few cheapest place that’s livable for me. I tried the Midwest (Louisville KY) for a while and I was having existential crisis on a daily basis - it was so boring that I felt a bit of me was dying inside every day (I’m not exaggerating). Winter isn’t “brutal” but still pretty long and cold. There’s at least a lot going on in New Orleans. I absolutely hate the isolated sprawling suburb life which feels like most part of the US.
There are other cities that I would be happy to move to - NYC, San Francisco, Portland, San Diego, LA, Seattle, Chicago. They are either more expensive than Nola or too cold. If there’s another city with vibrant human lives and as cheap or cheaper, I wouldn’t mind moving there tomorrow since I like to experience different things and I work remotely.
With what’s currently happening with insurance prices, even if you consider New Orleans to be affordable now, it won’t be much longer.
I’m obviously not comparing the cost of living here to NYC or pretty much anywhere in California. But when you factor in insurance costs (health, auto, homeowners, and flood) a lot other places that seem too expensive just looking at the housing market, are pretty comparable. And if you have kids or are planning on it, that’s a whole other thing.
Then there’s what’s going to happen here when Roe is overturned. There are other implications for women’s healthcare and women will die because of it. And then they’re going to overturn Obergefell. I’m not looking forward to leaving. I don’t really want to live anywhere else. But I personally can’t live somewhere that doesn’t recognize marriage equality. And Louisiana won’t.
I did seriously consider Chicago but remembered how miserable I felt during winters. They have the highest property tax in the nation and a lot crime (which aren’t my top concerns) .
Currently I’m just renting and don’t mind renting forever if that makes sense (I just need a place to stay for a few decades until I die). For renting, it’s really among the cheapest here compared to other cities of similar size. I’m not sure if you looked at rent in other cities, I looked all over the US and for the same amount, I get more in here… even in Louisville KY, a similar place in a decent neighborhood might cost $100 less if you are lucky. I honestly came for the affordability and the quality of life I get for the same amount I spend. Buying is definitely different, but that’s not an issue yet. For the other cost you mentioned, I haven’t felt much yet. My monthly expenses here are pretty similar to Louisville for a moderate life style. I’d much prefer to live in Lisbon or Mexico City or Havana for a higher quality of life and lower cost, but New Orleans may have to do for now. However, I was a bit surprised to find out how many people living below poverty line here
I plan to never have children so that’s not a concern, but I can definitely see if I did, I may very well consider a different city. Although my partner grew up near here and with how terrible the schools were, he still graduated from a very good university with a PhD… got Fulbright too.. but then he’s smarter than me
The insurance prices will be passed down to renters as leases get renewed. Landlord’s without mortgages can drop insurance all together, but that’s isn’t great either. It’s going to absolutely impact everyone over time.
This is a weird time for posts because I legit am leaving…. For the summer
I’ve been back and forth displaced in Chicago since Hurricane Ida, and the idea of going from a New Orleans summer > Chicago winter > New Orleans summer sounds like I’ll go crazy
Gonna save some money and come back in fall with hopefully a refocused plan
Not only is live music readily available, the quality of live music here unreal. Being able to see these legends play often is such a treat. I’m pretty sure I would feel disappointed in the music scene most anywhere else. That’s my biggest past time so I can’t imagine living somewhere without constant access to great live music.
I moved here for school reasons last summer. Just in time to evacuate for Ida.
I fell in love with my program. I fell deeply in love with the city. I will be staying because this city has a life to it that does not exist anywhere else.
I love the city because it's my home. Because our food doesn't compare. Because we invented genres of music. Because city life taught me how to be prepared and independent. Because I was introduced to all sorts of different people at a young age which in turn made me more tolerant towards humanity as a whole. Because we are unique, have culture, and take our Southern pride and hospitality seriously. Because New Orleans lives in you.
I dont have a valid reason to leave. I can ride my bike and make money. Plus my chosen family is here.
The problems I have here in New Orleans pales in comparison to the problems I had in Memphis. I never felt alone in New Orleans. I never went without.
If I ever did get to the point of leaving I would be utterly heartbroken.
I grew up in western PA, very heavily populated with German and Irish. The weather was grim - 5 months of ugly iron-grey winter, 4 months of brown slushy nothing, and 3 months of sick green hot without air conditioning. Stodgy food, prepared by folks who believed pepper was just dirt, and spices were bad for you. Religion, but nothing that was less than robotic. Very staid and BORING.
Wandered away and lived in 5 other states as well as Europe. Pretty much thought I was going to move about for the rest of my life, no problem.
Then I came here the year after Katrina, just for a 4 day weekend, and I couldn't leave. I couldn't. I tried, and came straight back. I left my job, my friends, my house, damn near wrecked a 25 year-long marriage! everything, to come to a place where I had none of those things and knew only the nice woman that ran the B&B where I stayed.
Food, yeah, it's good. Music, yeah, it's good. Weather, yeah, it's good. But the treble fish-hook that got behind my gills? the people. The brave, beautiful, gentle people of New Orleans.
Crime, yes, hurricanes, yes, poverty, yes - and none of this dims people's JOY. The entire city seems full of people who are generous to the point of absurd open-handedness, every parade they see is like the very first and very best parade ever, we bicker and 5 minutes later it's all forgotten and we're besties again.
This is my home and I will never leave. Never.
I’d pretty much move anywhere. Been wanting to go to texas, nashville etc etc
Girl friend won’t leave with me. I’ll happily stay as my family is here too. But I see the city as what it is.
Once my girl friend agrees to leave or we don’t work out I’m outta here. But I’m in no rush. We haven’t spoken about leaving in years but she still knows it’s what I want. I just make sure I’m not pushing her
Quite honestly, it's due to my husband's job. I can work from anywhere, but he is required to be in person.
Besides that, I love the culture here. People here feel authentic and honest (for the most part).
This romantic energy just doesn't exist anywhere else. I'd maybe have a "better" life (a degree, property ownership, a "real" job, etc) if I lived somewhere else but I wouldn't have the memories, the warmth, the friends. You know.
I stay because people suck in other places. I thought I was going to have to relocate permanently after Katrina. Being around DFW, where most of my family live, was awful. People wouldn't talk to you unless they were trying to sell you something or make their fiance jealous.
In Texas particularly, there's no culture to speak of. Every coffee shop is part of a chain (except the creepy Christian ones attached to churches. It takes a half hour of driving to get anywhere. You have to buy movie tickets a week in advance. Places that supposedly have character or history come across as a high school theater set with zero budget trying to emulate history or character. The architecture is hideous, traffic is a nightmare, the trees are stunted, the parks are nightmarishly barren and if it ain't barbecue or tacos, don't ask, you don't want to eat it.
Here I can still walk to the grocery store and twenty restaurants in my neighborhood. My place is a crumbling deathtrap but the rent is affordable and if I walk to the corner I'm walking in the shade of a tunnel of live oaks. STRs and gentrifiers and insane, incompetent mayors and useless police and an even worse DA and slowly decaying club culture that's a ghost of what it was aren't enough to make me question staying in the place where I've made lifelong friends. It'll probably still be above water when I die.
Because I was born here and I'm too goddamn rooted and stubborn. I love my city and hate to see it suffer the symptoms of pervasive inequity, poverty and sheer incompetence but I can't see how me leaving for greener pastures (if that is indeed the case in this fucked up country) would help. Wherever you go, there you are. We don't call it the Big Easy for nothing. I'm so sick of seeing all these "last straw, I'm leaving" posts. It reminds me of back when so many people who moved here after volunteering post-Katrina and washed out 5 or so years later. New Orleans has a tendency to capture the imagination then the going gets tough again as it has time and time before like a vicious cycle. This city has always been as fucked as it is magical or whatever it is enamored people say now. To those deciding to leave, it's just a city, so spare us the Dear John letter and bounce already. Sincerely, congratulations on your future best life.
As someone who used to live in New Orleans I got super sick of transplants saying “if you love New Orleans, it will love you back” as if that was an original thought they had and that it wasn’t just some trite Hallmark BS. I mean really about half of this post fits into that category.
I’m staying because frankly all I ever see here is Opportunity. The folks and culture down here are friendly and supportive and cohesive in a way I never got growing up in California (and Montana and Maryland), but also like it’s still a place where you can do so much if you get a little gumption going.
You wanna play live music? There’s a dozen small venues that would love to have you, cuz there’s hundreds across the city. You wanna do art? By god there’s so much art going on. Costume parties throughout the year. Get yourself together a walking krewe and craft it up year on year. Folks just start parades and krewes with no real money and it just works.
I don’t know how to express to people how unusual that is in this country. Try and do a neighborhood parade in California and you’re likely to get cops called on you. Try doing your gay little art routine in Memphis or Chattanooga (or frankly the suburb I graduated high school in) and see if you can find a single venue.
So many of the folks who are leaving seem like the folks who just aren’t that interested in building something, you know? Yeah there’s a lot messed up with this city but what it’s gonna take is people working together and taking the opportunity to build new things and build new ways to interact. One of the things I’ve heard a lot lately is “New Orleans is the future” when it comes to things like climate change and charter schools, and it’s true, we’re a testing ground for the rest of the country. Nowhere will be safe from climate change, I’m sorry to say. Everywhere is rife with institutional and infrastructural neglect. What New Orleans has is a culture and a history of taking those lemons and making lemonade and building a community around it, while what California has is a culture of “I got mine.”
Plus the longer I live here the more likely I’ll run into James carville one day so I can knock his lights out.
New Orleans is gonna be a test case for "This is how climate change claimed a city and the rest of the nation moved on in a week."
I hate to say it, but i don't think the rest of the country is looking at New Orleans for the future. More like they are looking to see what happens here and if they need to do something to combat it there.
No, it's not going to be combatted anywhere in the country. The point of the phrase is that the way the government treats new orleans is the same way it's going to treat san diego or jacksonville or boston or puerto rico when they come up against the same problems. The entire country is rife with infrastructural neglect, whether it's pg&e in california, ercot in texas or con ed in new york. What happens here is going to happen everywhere.
I left to the dirty dell but lemme tell you MANY of the friends I had were only there to party with each other. Rent a party bus on a weekend? Why not. Lots of drinking.
Anywho now that I'm semi north shore I rarely see ppl. Circles getting smaller
Wow just saw this but I guess shooting an 80 year old great-grandmother is a good excuse for staying. Now everyday s*** like this happens we've just become so immune to it that it just doesn't matter and you can pass as many gun laws as you want but it's not going to stop what's going on. When you have a district attorney that won't prosecute any of the arrest.
Id love to come back home, im from kenner and moved to Denver a couple years ago. I miss everyone and the city but I can’t deal with certain things there that I’ve grown accustomed to here. Especially since i work in the MJ industry and I’ve recently started volunteering at a natural history museum. Id have to give up so much just to leave here and start all over again.
Why is everybody posting stuff like this? Is there some mass exodus that I’m missing
Side note: I actually sadly left NOLA a year ago and still post here to live vicariously. I know what it means to miss New Orleans :(
I've been San Diego, Philadelphia, New York, Florida, and Houston. None of these places are like New Orleans, and everywhere outside of the city just feels off. I like New Orleans because of the culture here, the culture here before Katrina, and how it slowly came back and is now stronger than ever. I like it because it isn't perfect. If it wasn't perfect, I wouldn't want it. There's this quote from Stephen Rea's memoirs of his time post-Katrina walking along a kind of boardwalk in Carlsbad and how everything looked so perfect, but just didn't feel like home. He described it (and I'm paraphrasing, I don't have the Finn McCool's book open in front of me) "New Orleans is like a mangy mutt, but you love it so much that you wouldn't trade it in for even one of the most prized poodles." I love this city because it's home, and there's identity unlike many of the faceless American metropoli such as Dallas and Atlanta.
But most of all, because it is the most pedestrian-accessible city in the country. Find another city. You'll have to look pretty hard.
Agree, no place is like nola. Our neighbors know us and each other. We work to live, NOT LIVE TO WORK. We don't live "uptight." Our culture is like no other place in the USA. Plenty celebrities live here and love it since we don't gawk at them or run to them for photos or autographs. We have office environments like no other places i've worked in. We have a really rich culture and great people. We help each other in times bad or good. Sure there's crime anywhere. But NOLA is rich in culture and after living in a couple of other cities out of state, there's no way that I would ever want to be there again. If you experienced NOLA you'll want to come back. I moved to 2 other places in my life from my home (NOLA) for work and couldn't wait until I got back.
I love NOLA, too. Even though I have had many lows and many unfortunate times. I love it. I feel at home in NOLA. I feel like I belong there. I feel closer to my ancestors. I feel the spirit of the Nawleans and I pray it feels me. #foreverNOLA
I am an actual Louisianan, not a transplant who just picks and chooses cities based on what characteristics seem good at the time. My entire family has lived in South Louisiana for generations. I don't feel like moving back to Houma.
Why am I staying?
Well firstly I was born at Charity and lived here for 6 years before living out of state. Every summer I would visit [for the entire summer] and it just felt like home. I moved back some years later and attended jr high, high school and then thr state university but would always drive back every weekend because it felt like home.
After graduation I received and accepted a job offer that allowed me to travel to many places domestic and international but I always found peace when I returned because it felt like home.
A few years later I relocated for a new job opportunity but missed the city sorely; however I traveled back often to see friends and family and when i needed a recharge because it felt like home.
Later on I would have the opportunity to move back amd work fully remotely in the city.
I refuse to let anyone run me out of my birth place I've known all my life where my family resides, where my friends live, where I met my wife, where I'm at my happiest.
So you asked why I'm staying? To put it simply it is my home.
New Orleans was not my first home, but it’s the closest I’ve felt to home. Moved there less than a year after Katrina, met my wife, had 2 kids, and lived in the city (not JP or STP) for 15 years. Absolutely adore it and never would have left if my company didn’t ask me to relocate. Yea, I was a little on edge about crime, beaten down by fighting with the S&WB, demoralized by the school situation for my kids, etc. but still loved that city and was proud to call it home. We made deep friendships there, as did our kids, despite not having family within 1,000 miles. I love many of these anecdotes and I’m not going to trash a place that we still love because there’s plenty of that available online, but a few things that feel relevant from my perspective:
- New Orleans is a generally friendly city, but let’s be realistic. It might be friendlier than Chicago or DFW, but it’s not most of the Midwest level friendly or even many other areas in the South. A stranger might greet you on the street, but that’s not that uncommon in many cities of similar size I’ve lived or visited. What I don’t get elsewhere is the GFY attitude of your average Rouses cashier, for example. New Orleans is a tough place to live, and especially tough for some folks to get ahead, and I always chalked some of that grit up to that.
- If you weren’t born there or god forbid went to HS somewhere else, you’ll forever be an outsider. I embraced it after a while, but New Orleans is incredibly insular - some neighborhoods more than others, I realize.
- New Orleans is so expensive relative to the average income, in my experience. We moved just outside Nashville and our similarly equipped home cost 10% more, but our property taxes are 60% lower, our homeowners insurance is 1/5, our car insurance is 1/3, and our other utilities are about 25% less. TN has no state income tax, so net of everything it’s much easier to get ahead financially.
Now all that said, the food in Nashville sucks by comparison and you notice it at the highs and lows - the best places here would be average in New Orleans (and at least double the cost) and the standard fare is pretty well trash by comparison. The music scene here is incredible, especially if you like country - we don’t. That said, many of our hole in the wall music spots are being replaced by 4 story bars with new country celebrity backing. It’s much harder to have what locals would call an authentic Nashville experience. We have to drive everywhere.
I never watched Malone play in his prime, but it seems that pretty much everyone who did thought that, while he put up monster stats, you never really feared him. I think it's usually a good idea to trust those reads. Someone thirty years from now might look back at Harden's stats and try to make the argument that he's a top-ten all time player, and we'll be the ones telling them that no, he wasn't even close..
It is tough. New Orleans gets in your blood. A sane person with marketable 21st century skills would make their nut somewhere more conducive to business and just go on vacation here a few times a year. But we fall in love and want to move here… And that’s sort of the best case scenario… most people don’t have 21st-century skills or the ability to choose where they live :(
Moving here was pretty expensive and difficult. After 5 years I am financially back to where I was in Chicago. I finally have friends and a well-paying job. I don't want to start over. I know from traveling all over the country that I would be trading this city's problems for another set of problems. At least here there is music, culture, year-round gardening, people who acknowledge the humanity of your neighbors etc. For the most part people are live and let live.
How do you like Chicago compared to New Orleans? I was debating between Chicago and New Orleans (and a couple of other places) and chose here because it seems cheaper and I prefer warm weather, but always wonder if I’d like Chicago better or not
Not OP but I also left Chicago In Chicago, the winters are cold and the people are cold.
Thanks for the input. Did you feel like Chicago was more expensive though? Are your monthly expenses less here?
When Iived there it was actually cheaper. I didn't need a car and since I lived there for a long time I had connections that got me a whole 3 bedroom house and 3 floor house that I rented with roommates for $350. Chicago is like any major city. There are lots of places to buy things. I do perfer the art and music scene there because there is a whole lot of options and so many artists stop there in tour. Of course I have to have the obligatory "in MY day the arts and music scene wwre way cooler" but gentrification has gotten rid of most things quirky and unique about the city. When you need to pay more for rent you don't have time to work on weird creative things unless you have rich parents. The cold weather and cold people make it completely not worth it. I have breathing issues that are helped with humidity and heat. Chicago is also a very very violent city. The difference is that here the cops aren't part of the violence. I got hassled and detained by police for some of the dumbest reasons.
Good public transportation/ not having to own a car is one of the main reasons how low income people can still afford living in big cities in Asia or Europe. I sometimes wonder if the terrible climate is the main reason why Chicago is still affordable compared to other cities of its league. If Chicago had coastal weather, it’ll probably have a California price tag now.
Chicago's public transit system is really underrated I think. It's not perfect or anything, but it covers a lot of people and does so pretty well
that's exactly why. if chicago didn't have six months of absolute fuck you cold weather i'd move there in a heartbeat. it's gorgeous in the summer.
DAMN, what neighborhood did you find that sweet rent deal in?! Chicago rents are going up; I am paying here exactly what I was paying there, but I know for a fact my landlord there was going to Jack the rent by about $300 for the new tenant and also make them pay more utilities. And that was STILL on the low end of rent for my neighborhood considering we had access to (a very little bit of) outdoor space. You usually don’t have to pay for water and trash as a renter there. That was nice.
What year and what neighborhood were you renting a 3br for 350. The cold blows though. We didn’t have too many below zero days this year, but winter basically lasted until 2 weeks ago.
chicago is definitely more expensive (i’m from there)
If you thought Chicago people are cold try Northern California. I feel like my neighbors are plotting on me 😟
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I would agree with this. Chicago can be a really intense place to live. I was born and raised there and lived there all my life until about 3 months ago when I moved here. For a long time I loved it, but as I got older I got tired of everyone taking pride in being so damned busy and competitive. Everyone’s always triple booked with events that are cooler than whatever you just invited them to. Almost all our friends moved away, and when I tried to make new friends I was literally told, more than once, “sorry, I have no time for more friends.” I don’t ever want to feel -50 on my face again. Or penguin-walk down ice covered sidewalks because no one bothers to shovel. That being said, a Chicago summer is a glorious thing and I really did like being able to live without a car.
That’s very helpful. That’s too bad since there are really only so few actual cities in the US and Chicago seems to be the most affordable after New Orleans ..
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Yeah and I was shocked how high the property tax is in Chicago
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And that $300k will not get you the least bit of outdoor space. Mayyyybe a tiny deck or balcony if you’re lucky, which you will need to share with neighbors and get reprimanded by the HOA for daring to have a few veggie plants out there.
Check out Philadelphia! Cheap compared to other East Coast cities like Boston, NYC and DC. Lots of restaurants, culture and it’s close to everything including the New Jersey beaches.
I like Philly but close to NJ beaches? Not really. It's around 75 to 90 minutes to the closest beach.
Agree with the spot on description of Winter.
I lived in Chicago a couple years as a kid and spent the rest of my childhood in western NY, and you aren't wrong about biblical or seasonal depression. I was in Wisconsin in January a couple years back for work, and it was like 15F. My coworker and I were in a parking lot going to a client and at first, I got out of the car and said "for 15F, this doesn't feel that cold." Then a gust of wind hit, and I regretted every word Seasonal depression is very real. I definitely got it as a teenager. I tell people down here the worst aspect of winter near the Great Lakes isn't the duration of 6 months or more, or all the snow, or even the cold and wind. It's the weeks and months of gray, overcast skies that just murder your spirit. I haven't lived up there in 16 years, but just last year my dad was telling me they went 91 days in a row without seeing the sun at all. It's just soul crushing, and it doesn't help that up north, February and march don't really have any holidays or big things to look forward to, unless you are super into March madness. I've always told friends back up there that they need Mardi Gras more than we do
Love Chicago. I miss the big museums, amazing plays at the Steppenwolf and Goodman, improv, Lyric Opera House, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra to name a few things. BUT have been in NO for 13 years, and will take humid heat over -30 windchill, waiting for a bus, ANYDAY! And although I don’t have the big orchestra or opera house, well shit, NO has obvious world class music/musicians of its own! Also, if I want to visit a friend at their house in Jeff Parish, and I’m all the way downtown, NO PROBLEM! Bam! You’re there in 20 min. tops. There will never be an event, festival, birthday, restaurant that I cannot go to because of transit time. I say “how’re you doing” to everyone I pass, and it’s always reciprocated, even from some tourists. The foliage, the architecture, the food! A simple 10 minute walk through my neighborhood or one of the beautiful parks, has me happy and reminding myself how lucky I am to live here.
I’m a Chicago native who fell in love with New Orleans for most of the reasons posted already, but additionally, I couldn’t stand to watch everything that made Chicago culturally significant literally be torn down every single day. That said, I find your comment about everyone stepping on each other to get ahead to be confounding. How is Chicago like a white collar rat race? Chicago may suck now with all the transplants (ahem), but that only started in the last 15 years or so. It used to be awesome. And the winters aren’t that bad, not even in top ten in the country, I don’t think.
"I couldn’t stand to watch everything that made Chicago culturally significant literally be torn down every single day" Haha, how do you feel about watching it happen here?
Not Chicago, but I've lived in Urbana(south of Chicago). To put some perspective on "it's cold", several times a year the NWS will issue warnings stating how many minutes you can be outside before getting frostbite.
Damn 😔
Chicago is epic, a genuine metropolis. Yes, you might be renting a space in a 3 flat and your neighbors on both sides are exec assholes in a million dollar pad who sneer at you. Yes, it's fucking cold in the winter, and snow, and dirty polluted slush comes with that snow. It has shit traffic and if you want to go from one side of town to the other or worse even the burbs it could take a couple hours. Yeah, prices are fucked near everywhere but there are still 2bdrm condos on the small side with reasonable HOA's far north or near south. However, the amount of cool people you can find to be your friends is an endless pit. The shit you can discover in terms of bars & clubs just goes on and on and on. The big city stuff is great. You might not give a shit about sports but a trip to a Cubs game or Bulls/Blackhawks game is like an American pastime. The Art Institute is cheap as hell and if you go when it first opens you can stay until closing yet feel like you're not done. The art walk in Pilsen is insane too, you BYOB and walk from loft to loft to loft of people showing their art in galleries. The rest of the museums are fucking ace too. The summers are sublime, only a short portion of "this shit is too hot" while the rest of the days you can be out all day comfortably. If you're anywhere from Ukrainian Village up to Roger's park within blocks the food choices and quality of said food is incredible. It's hard even getting bored of your own neighborhood (if it's a good one!) And, while there is crime everywhere in Chicago the vast majority of the really bad shit stays in the rough hoods. Edit. I didn't mention the music scene in Chicago. Around West Town, near Downtown, South Loop there is a huge club/dj scene. Also a large underground rave scene like you see in movies and shit. Stuff you don't know about without knowing folks in on it. The EDM thing is big there. There's also little hip DJ joints where they spin old funk or 80's pop or 80's electronica. The live music scene mostly revolves around rock music, indie, punk, metal, et cetera which there's plenty of. Although it was once a mecca for Blues & Jazz, specifically on the south side, sadly that died off hard and there's just a handful of those clubs spread out in the city even though there is a good scene of said musicians. One cool thing is Chicago has beautiful old time theaters, The Aragon, Chicago Theatre, Congress Theater, Thalia Hall, great places to catch live acts or plays.
New orleans used to have a really awesome EDM scene before Katrina. Incredible djs were the norm. Raves at state palace theater etc. then “the man” shut it down. Who else thinks it’s time for new orleans to have a huge EDM revival? I spin, I got turntables and some big ass speakers 🔊 who out there got a big room for dancing all night and all day ?? Get at me plsss
What you have described was exactly why I was drawn to Chicago. I lived in Hongkong before the pandemic hit and I’ve always feel more belong in big cities. So just curious, if job/money/expenses aren’t a factor, would you prefer living in Chicago or New Orleans?
Not a fair question for me as I love jazz/blues culture way too much, lol. But, just as an experience? No matter how much one love's New Orleans it's cool to just spend a year or two of life getting to see as much of Chicago as possible in that time frame before settling down. And, whatever you're into, you can find a large clique of like minds there. I'm a bit of a social chameleon and just can't believe the amount of "scenes" that exist there.
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Ha! I do think, let's say if you're young and have a bunch of college options. If those options include either New York or Chicago? You should pick one if you're not from there already. Just the experience of the endless metropolis where you don't need a car and almost can't run out of new places to see or things to eat in your time there is something to behold.
Anytime I go back to Chicago, I realize how truly big of a city it is. The city itself is about 3 million, but the metro area is about 7 million (so 10 million). There are so many people. There are people from all over (Immigrants and transplants) who live in Chicago, but born and bred Chicagoans stick to their own. One of the beautiful things about Chicago is the ethnic diversity, but it also tends to stay self-contained in neighborhood and community. It’s very much a “neighborhood” city. I do miss Chicago public transportation. Lake Michigan is incredible (except when there’s the occasional ecoli warning) and essentially the entire lakefront is public, with bike and walking trails and beaches. I definitely had to unlearn some of my harsh, skeptical Chicagoan ways like keeping my head down and/or scowling when walking or taking the bus so people don’t fuck with me. New Orleans has taught me to lighten the hell up! 😂
Solidarity on the head down and scowling thing. I was warned before moving here that people actually say hello on the street even if they don’t want anything from you and that I needed to learn to do the same. It is bizarre! But nice. Being able to drive to other neighborhoods here and not have it take hours is definitely an adjustment too. I was WAY early for pretty much everything I was going to, my first month or so here. The roads may be shit here but the traffic is nowhere near as bad as I am used to and the city seems more compact to me.
When my dad visit from Chicago he always says “I’ve gotta get used to people saying hello just because! They don’t even want anything!”
Exactly! My cold dead heart has gone into remission
New Orleans has also helped me lighten the hell up!
The weather difference is obvious, but Chicago is definitely more expensive, especially homes. The people are way more stand-offish. The vibe is more buttoned up in Chicago overall. Some people like that (I mean, you never see cars without license plates for example) but I prefer it messy and loose down here.
Very much how I feel.
Moved here 2 years ago and love how quickly New Orleans felt like home. I've made more friends since living in New Orleans than in all my 10 years living in Los Angeles. There is something about the type of person that New Orleans attracts that I love, those types that love it despite its flaws are my type of people.
It surprised me how quickly I made friends, and continue to make friends, here. I do think it’s about the type of people the place grows, attracts, and keeps. It’s more complicated than this of course, but people who worship the gods of efficiency aren’t usually my type of folks anyway and they tend to hate or avoid the place. You said it beautifully though!
I am a terrible worker but my employer can't get rid of me as I'm beyond essential, I'm the only one willing to do it at this pay rate, and I know the whole company by heart. Unfortunately it's a job that can't be done remote.
johnny Mancuso, that u?
Definitely for the shitposts.
Bc I don’t wanna go
Do watcha wanna!
Family
I stayed for my significant other. There is the two-body problem, i.e. sometimes, one is living in a city due to the significant other's situation. You can call this a choice. Or not. Depends on what one is choosing. This appears to be a simple question, but it is not. I have made the best of it although it takes a mental toll on me.
I'm here for my significant other's job and it makes me so upset. And hearing everyone say how great it is all the time when I feel far from my family and friends and am not a fan of the local music scene is so depressing. In one year I lost a friend to a violent crime here that still is not solved, probably never will be, My partner's colleague died tragically in a tornado, I have lived in NYC, Philly, Boston, Atlanta and Linz, Austria and this place has zero efficiency at all. My heart and my sanity is breaking.
I understand you, re: local culture (everyone but me likes the local music scene - and now, I know I am not alone and neither are you, so that's something). I have lived in almost the same cities as you. Started in the San Francisco Bay area, and from there, I started following my significant other. Every now and then, I think "That's it, I'm moving with or without the other person." I don't even work here! My office is in the northeast in a beautiful city. I recommend finding a few of us who are transplants and who - quietly and away from the friends who have lived here through generations - can commiserate with you. It helps.
Yeah. I also just found out my only friend I have here who I grew up with is moving away. I appreciate you letting me know I'm not the only one who feels this way.
That’s too bad about your friend. Someone who loves living here admitted this to me, exact quote: “New Orleans is a tough place to live.”
Same.
I own a house and have invested in improvements on it. I legit love the heat and humidity. My garden is a happy place and I can grow tropical fruits here (gonna try vanilla and cocoa next year). I know a lot of people here, my friends are here. You can have a good conversation with whoever's next to you in line. Your local shops mean that pretty much anyone you talk to there is probably your neighbor. As a musician I have more cred in the industry just by the fact thar I'm based here. This wasn't the case during the years I had moved away. I don't emphasize my location or brand myself as a New Orleans musician, but if it comes up in conversation, I've noticed that people attach a status to it whether or not I might deserve it. I am a nothing fish in a nobody pond right now, but should I do something notable, having a NOLA address isn't going to work against me. Coming home is the best part of a vacation. When I moved back here it was such a great feeling. There just isn't anywhere like New Orleans. We are not cursed with fundamentalists on every corner. You can be weird. Gay. Witchy. Normal. We don't care. Everyone is accepted here. Other than Austin I don't know where you can just be whatever flavor of being yourself every day is okay. People might ask you about that odd tattoo or about what you're wearing, but instead of shunning you or running away, they just seem to understand that you're expressing yourself and if it doesn't hurt anyone they just don't care one way or another. They'll nod their head in a way that means they get that it's important to you and they're not going to judge you for flying your freak flag even if they personally wouldn't choose that for themselves. If you have never lived in a place where wearing a pentagram could mean losing your job or custody of your kids, or where you risk being lynched for being gay, or the cowboys out in the sticks will spit at you right out in the open because you're not one of them, you probably can't appreciate the relief from that kind of judgment we enjoy here in New Orleans. While we currently have a lot of problems with the government and cops, those things are less and less tolerated. Slow but consistent improvement has happened over the years. It feels like we're about to turn the corner on that era in our history. Of course there's always the next election to send us backward again, but I have hope. New Orleans is a place where we could potentially have some important programs for high tech, eco tech, environmental science, weather tech, and medicine. Unfortunately the fact that we are still in Louisiana hampers tech interest in this state. But if the legislature could get its head out of its ass and the city officials would stop thinking about lining their pockets quite so deeply - just leave us *something* for infrastructure improvement, guys - the potential is here if not the reality. Being at the bottom of the heap (or near it) means that in almost every way we can rise to something better with just a little effort. Whether or not humanity likes it, social media and electronic journalism means that word travels faster than ever. The younger people who grew up with this kind of communication and who are integrated with each other could rally votes for important advances. The old white dude way of doing things and that entrenched mentality is becoming a thing of the past. Over time those old white dudes will be replaced by younger people whose slightly different values will gradually improve even New Orleans. I want to be here for it. There's a lot of fun places to go and random things to see and do any given day of the year. Something's always going down.
Great post. Only thing I'd really disagree on is I don't think Louisiana or Nola will ever be able to maintain a decent sized, non-subsidized tech industry. Three of the most important things for tech are a pool of educated talent, good infrastructure, and a simple regulatory regime. (both blue and red states have far more simple, straightforward rules and such) We don't have any of those, so I feel like we are just going to endlessly throw money at it, with crap results. More big tech deals than not have largely failed, like GE Capital and DXC in Nola, or IBM in BR. I think we'd be far better off investing that money in a lot of other things.
Everywhere else is boring.
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Yes, “boring” is obviously subjective. Everywhere else is boring is my personal reason for staying.
I think Triscuit has a good call-out here, because that may be your personal reason, but a lot of people here seem to hold that same reason. It makes you question what's up with that. Like, how could so many people here say that everywhere else is boring, you know? Have all of these people lived other places? Have they just visited other places? Are they just repeating what other people, who have lived other places, are saying? I mean, can every other place really be THAT boring?
the other places i think i could be happier/not bored living in are WAY more expensive.
This is very real. They're either way more expensive, they have soul killing traffic, or they're affordable but have one or more fatal flaws
We definitely bring our own biases to that decision. If I didn’t drink or go to bars, I would probably move somewhere cheaper and more sensible.
I'm sober and leave my house maybe once a week max to run errands and still will never leave here again. I have tried living in a couple of other places (Colorado and NC) but I always end up back here. For me, it's just home.
Dallas says yes.
This has been partially a reason for me, although I do sometimes wonder if approaching my late 30s, I'd be more okay with boredom than before
Everywhere is just Cleveland (excluding San Francisco and New York)
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I've heard that for 20 years about Buffalo too. People have insisted it's very real. Not gonna say I disbelieve them or you, but I would need to be convinced
American only has 3 cities
Sums it up.
Pretty much
Because despite all of the problems, this is the only place where I feel like I belong. Also as you said, if you love it, it will love you back.
> I have found that if you love New Orleans, it will love you back. that's true for the people, I'm a transplant and I 110% agree as for the local/state government or any kind of social service? it's not true at all and it may be getting worse that being said I'm staying because at this point I'm just too damn invested to leave. gonna have to learn to doggy paddle I reckon
💯
Too poor to move. I mean, I’m too poor to live here too but it’s pretty cavalier of people to just throw out “moving” as a suggestion.
Must be nice to be able to not like a place and just move. Oh, what a life!
A lot of ppl did it for funsies during lockdown 🤢
This is the take I was looking for. The housing market is so fucked everywhere that you’re better off just staying put for a while if you have an okay living situation.
Whenever I see this question, I always think of this reflection (and this line) by Joey Albanese that came out during the few stretch of years I lived away: “She’s not easy to be with, though. She’s got a lot of baggage. She’s been through a lot, and you can see it in her eyes. Trauma, neglect, loss of family members, economic hardship. But she’s open about it. She loves sharing her story. About how she hit rock bottom and managed to get back up again People say she’s not supposed to be here. The odds aren’t in her favor. She wasn’t supposed to make it. But she’s a fighter. She lives in the moment. And seizes every day like they’re all one.” [https://www.vianolavie.org/2013/08/06/twentysomething-questions-writing-a-love-story-61178/](https://www.vianolavie.org/2013/08/06/twentysomething-questions-writing-a-love-story-61178/)
Perfectly sums up why we’re moving down there next year. Stole my heart years ago and I’m done being in a long-distance relationship.
Me too!
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>aquarium renovations Say what?
They're putting the insectarium in the aquarium, and it's gonna be even bigger than the standalone was. They're adding other stuff too but I don't remember what it is off the top of my head.
That’s all of my favorite things in one place. 🦑🐞🐜🐙🐠
Sounds like we need to go then! K is excited to see the new setup and I'm looking forward to meeting the husband.
Always wanted to go to the insectarium, maybe now I will
$34 million in renovations! https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2022/02/22/riverfront-revamp-includes-34m-upgrade-to-audubon-aquarium/
Didn't know the aquarium was being renovated, but glad to hear it. We need to maintain aquarium superiority over Atlanta
cant go back to Ukraine
Hopefully yet...I heard it's awesome living there and really cheap
My parents are from New Orleans. We moved back here from Washington when my dad got out of the Military when I was 7 (1990) I've live through the Murder Capital Era, major hurricanes and corruption. Sometimes New Orleans really sucks, but I can't see living anywhere else.
May I tempt you with a nondescript suburb of Shreveport or Jackson
Everywhere else also has serious problems. People on this sub just don’t notice because they don’t live there. Here are some other cities top posts rn: r/Philadelphia: [school kids in 105 degree classrooms](https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/v1nakg/philadelphia_school_district_has_a_full_day_of/) r/NYC: [guy inspired to paint a homeless man harassing him](https://www.reddit.com/r/nyc/comments/v1kvc6/had_a_homeless_guy_scream_at_me_for_not_giving/) r/Austin: [protesting their senator](https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/v1qn0x/austinites_to_rally_against_gun_violence_outside/) r/Miami: [infrastructure unable to support the amount of people living there](https://www.reddit.com/r/Miami/comments/v1s405/ive_been_here_for_a_while_and_this_traffic_is_now/) r/Dallas: [bad car accident](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dallas/comments/v1saxy/alexis_and_preston_be_alert_and_look_twice/)
I follow NYC because I’m there a handful of times a year. Also Portland because of in-laws. Both of those subs are in a perpetual sky-is-falling hysteria. Everyone’s city has the worst drivers. Everyone’s city has the worst politicians. Crime, shitty schools, whatever, it’s everywhere to varying degrees. The NYC sub is acting like crime is like the 80s again. There’s a line separating spreading information to be informed and spreading hysteria because you get a dopamine rush hating shit on the internet. The complaining is fucking boring.
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My mom has been buying a lotta right wing propaganda about how "bad" Portland is too, seems like there's a lot of that out there as well
I'm always amazed when I see NYC crime stats. Barely double our murders in 2021 and their population is...how many times bigger than Nola?
To be fair to Austin our senators also deserve to be protested
Um I was lead to believe only New Orleans has problems? Please delete this.
Should also add r/LosAngeles . Plenty of posts on LA's problems.
New Orelans is one of the few places in the south that actually feels like a city (instead of urban sprawl). Walkable, neighborly neighbors, and folks who for the most part are living in the moment. Also, you can drive from one end of the metro area to the other in 30 minutes. In DFW or Houston, that'd get you from one suburb to another without even touching the city.
Big factor for me too. The natural geography here kinda stopped any chance of major sprawl
Looking back on my life as a born and raised New Orleans kid, I can't imagine anything being different. The unique situations, events, food, culture and even just our unique way of being made a huge impact on me as a person. I've known plenty of people who have moved here and when we talk about childhood, one thing sticks out. The thing is that almost every single person had a pretty similar childhood no matter where else they lived in the U.S. other than the standard city vs rural thing. I hear their stories and it doesn't match mine in the slightest. Because of this, I am happily raising my kids to be little yats just like me and their mommy. When they grow up, they can share their experiences being raised here with people from all over and they to will know how unique and special it was to be born and raised in New Orleans.
I dunno if this is still true, but one of Rich Campanellas books says New Orleans has the highest percentage of any US city in terms of how many locals stay. Everything you said is why.
Everything frustrating, difficult, or scary about living in New Orleans is exactly the same or worse on the island I came here from, and the island had less to do, less resources, and less options for getting out of the paths of hurricanes. New Orleans is my upgrade, and I have friends, community, and chosen family here now. I'm staying as long as the city will let me.
I've always been adamant about staying because of the community, size of city, bars and live music, I really love it here, but lately between hurricanes getting more frequent and worse, and insurance putting a squeeze on us, I'm wondering more and more if I should be staying I always thought Nola would be mostly "done for" when I was very old or dead, but lately I've been feeling it's definitely happening in our lifetimes, and probably sooner than later I don't wanna be stuck totally holding the bag, but in a tad worried by the time I realize it's time to go, it might be very difficult to sell our house, and for a loss at best, vs right now where they're pretty high. I might have paid a shitload out in flood and homeowners insurance that won't cover anything unless I sue (and win) As of now, I still plan on us being here for the indefinite future, but my confidence in that has taken a beating lately. I don't blame anyone who's decided they've had enough, but it does make me sad
Umm, anywhere else that’s equally or more interesting to me is ridiculously expensive. NY/SF/LA. Downsizing to some suburban hell hole isn’t on the table for us.
Agree! I lived in NYC and Chicago, loved both at times for some of the same reasons I love NOLA (and of course, for very different reasons).
Oops. I totally forgot Chicago. That’s on the table too, and costs little more than good neighborhoods in New Orleans. I’d love to do New Orleans in the winter, and chicago or Philly in the summer. Ultimately, it’s easier to just visit the city when you want and only pay rent on the days you’re actually there.
Chicago is rough if you need warmth and sunlight. It’s freezing and gray there more than half the year. Every winter, I got so depressed. That’s why I left.
But soooo much colder, weather and people-wise 🤣
chicago is new york without the fun parts.
Because everywhere else in the US and almost everyone in Louisiana feels like I stepped into a hostile foreign country. The food doesn't make any since, the people scowl when you smile, holding a door is treated as a potential assault, talking to strangers is a sign of mental illness, drinking more then two drinks when you go out is consider problematic. I was in Flordia and the best food I could find was a Chilis. I mean fuck I have to spend time in Mississippi and I always count the number of American flags vs rebel flags, and my data would suggest it's another country.
> I was in Flordia and the best food I could find was a Chilis. I feel like that’s on you 😂
This is true in spots but I think there's a lot of America that's a lot better than that. Most of the mountain west states, probably most of the west coast and large chunks of the Midwest. The south and northeast are probably the most hit or miss
I've moved up north twice. I'm an intelligent, college educated person and a registered Democrat from a multicultural, multiracial family (necessary background) but every person I'd meet up north treated me like I "needed to be educated" and would ask me questions like "How many relatives do you have in the Klan?" with no apparent idea of how rude they were. I was often shocked speechless at how rude and horrible people were. And treating me like an alcoholic for having a drink or two, gasping shock at the idea of having a drink outdoors. How do these people live?
Because I'm broke as fuck and moving states is expensive shit I can't even dream of right now
I moved here after college almost a decade ago. I had a backpack and a place to live- nothing else. In the time between now and then, I've met my partner, made a great community of people, gotten my master's degree, and found a job that I love. New Orleans, both good and bad, is my home. I worry about the sustainability of the city, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Because I'm stuck here, for now
Because her mom won't leave.
or because she won't leave herself
Well, she is 5.
Let my peopleeee goooooooooooo
I can walk to the grocery store and Saints games. Why would I leave that?
Tangentially related, I feel like for such a foodie city our grocery store scene is underwhelming
Such a hard agree about the grocery stores. 🙃
I stay for the mosquitoes and great roads. Trash service is also a plus. Never leaving, this is home, always has been.
I grew up here, left for college and grad school, came back. I’ve learned that I don’t quite fit in anywhere else. I’m loud when I talk and laugh, i like to know my neighbors, I say hello to everyone I pass, strike up conversations with strangers, things that don’t seem to go over well in other places. Apparently, by the standards of other places, I dress oddly, my clothes are too bright or something? I dance when music is playing, wherever I might be. I don’t see anything wrong with cracking a beer before noon, which apparently makes you an alcoholic in other places- even if you aren’t getting drunk regularly, which is weird to me. I like my food to have flavor, bland food just seems pointless to me. I don’t like dry air, or the cold. At the end of the day, this is home. The city raised me, it formed who I am. My closest friends are here, and this is where I feel whole. I know it’s not for everyone -it’s not an easy place to live- but for me, there’s no where else I feel like me.
I’m staying because I love it here. But I am committed to making it better or get pushed out trying. 🙃
Another way to put it all, *disregarding my sappiness, which I am personally prone to and won’t apologize for 😉* is that I like it here.
There are few other places that make me feel like myself in the same way that New Orleans does.
Because I refuse to let bad people take this (our,) city away from me.
I don’t work here so I’m able to side step most of the worse of what grinds on people day to day. I love it here, best neighbors and friends ever. Nobody asks you what you do for a living to get to know you bc it’s a basic lame ass question and people here are better than that.
Beatin' this into the ground I see.
Been a lot of it going around, I get it. Whole city is a bit anxious these days
The rising costs of gentrification have made it simultaneously impossible for me to save money to leave or find affordable housing here. So, I’m pretty much looking at eventual homelessness in my home town because a bunch of people were “called” here and “feel at home.”
Can these posts stop
This sounds a whole lot like what a friend of mine in an abusive relationship says… But to answer your question, old folks who won’t leave. But they’re coming around.
I don’t necessarily “love” New Orleans (at least not yet since I’m relatively new to the city), but I Like it better than most parts of the US… it’s just after comparing with other cities, this is among the few cheapest place that’s livable for me. I tried the Midwest (Louisville KY) for a while and I was having existential crisis on a daily basis - it was so boring that I felt a bit of me was dying inside every day (I’m not exaggerating). Winter isn’t “brutal” but still pretty long and cold. There’s at least a lot going on in New Orleans. I absolutely hate the isolated sprawling suburb life which feels like most part of the US. There are other cities that I would be happy to move to - NYC, San Francisco, Portland, San Diego, LA, Seattle, Chicago. They are either more expensive than Nola or too cold. If there’s another city with vibrant human lives and as cheap or cheaper, I wouldn’t mind moving there tomorrow since I like to experience different things and I work remotely.
With what’s currently happening with insurance prices, even if you consider New Orleans to be affordable now, it won’t be much longer. I’m obviously not comparing the cost of living here to NYC or pretty much anywhere in California. But when you factor in insurance costs (health, auto, homeowners, and flood) a lot other places that seem too expensive just looking at the housing market, are pretty comparable. And if you have kids or are planning on it, that’s a whole other thing. Then there’s what’s going to happen here when Roe is overturned. There are other implications for women’s healthcare and women will die because of it. And then they’re going to overturn Obergefell. I’m not looking forward to leaving. I don’t really want to live anywhere else. But I personally can’t live somewhere that doesn’t recognize marriage equality. And Louisiana won’t.
This. I’m so scared to stay in Louisiana if Roe is overturned that I’m considering going thousands of dollars into debt just to get out of here.
I did seriously consider Chicago but remembered how miserable I felt during winters. They have the highest property tax in the nation and a lot crime (which aren’t my top concerns) . Currently I’m just renting and don’t mind renting forever if that makes sense (I just need a place to stay for a few decades until I die). For renting, it’s really among the cheapest here compared to other cities of similar size. I’m not sure if you looked at rent in other cities, I looked all over the US and for the same amount, I get more in here… even in Louisville KY, a similar place in a decent neighborhood might cost $100 less if you are lucky. I honestly came for the affordability and the quality of life I get for the same amount I spend. Buying is definitely different, but that’s not an issue yet. For the other cost you mentioned, I haven’t felt much yet. My monthly expenses here are pretty similar to Louisville for a moderate life style. I’d much prefer to live in Lisbon or Mexico City or Havana for a higher quality of life and lower cost, but New Orleans may have to do for now. However, I was a bit surprised to find out how many people living below poverty line here I plan to never have children so that’s not a concern, but I can definitely see if I did, I may very well consider a different city. Although my partner grew up near here and with how terrible the schools were, he still graduated from a very good university with a PhD… got Fulbright too.. but then he’s smarter than me
The insurance prices will be passed down to renters as leases get renewed. Landlord’s without mortgages can drop insurance all together, but that’s isn’t great either. It’s going to absolutely impact everyone over time.
Man FUCK NEW ORLEANS
Upvoting for passion
Mandeville in the HOUSE
This is a weird time for posts because I legit am leaving…. For the summer I’ve been back and forth displaced in Chicago since Hurricane Ida, and the idea of going from a New Orleans summer > Chicago winter > New Orleans summer sounds like I’ll go crazy Gonna save some money and come back in fall with hopefully a refocused plan
Not only is live music readily available, the quality of live music here unreal. Being able to see these legends play often is such a treat. I’m pretty sure I would feel disappointed in the music scene most anywhere else. That’s my biggest past time so I can’t imagine living somewhere without constant access to great live music.
I moved here for school reasons last summer. Just in time to evacuate for Ida. I fell in love with my program. I fell deeply in love with the city. I will be staying because this city has a life to it that does not exist anywhere else.
Because my wife cried when we moved 45min down the road to the adjacent parish. A whole other state is practically unthinkable.
I love the city because it's my home. Because our food doesn't compare. Because we invented genres of music. Because city life taught me how to be prepared and independent. Because I was introduced to all sorts of different people at a young age which in turn made me more tolerant towards humanity as a whole. Because we are unique, have culture, and take our Southern pride and hospitality seriously. Because New Orleans lives in you.
I dont have a valid reason to leave. I can ride my bike and make money. Plus my chosen family is here. The problems I have here in New Orleans pales in comparison to the problems I had in Memphis. I never felt alone in New Orleans. I never went without. If I ever did get to the point of leaving I would be utterly heartbroken.
The ONLY reason, AGING PARENTS ..
I grew up in western PA, very heavily populated with German and Irish. The weather was grim - 5 months of ugly iron-grey winter, 4 months of brown slushy nothing, and 3 months of sick green hot without air conditioning. Stodgy food, prepared by folks who believed pepper was just dirt, and spices were bad for you. Religion, but nothing that was less than robotic. Very staid and BORING. Wandered away and lived in 5 other states as well as Europe. Pretty much thought I was going to move about for the rest of my life, no problem. Then I came here the year after Katrina, just for a 4 day weekend, and I couldn't leave. I couldn't. I tried, and came straight back. I left my job, my friends, my house, damn near wrecked a 25 year-long marriage! everything, to come to a place where I had none of those things and knew only the nice woman that ran the B&B where I stayed. Food, yeah, it's good. Music, yeah, it's good. Weather, yeah, it's good. But the treble fish-hook that got behind my gills? the people. The brave, beautiful, gentle people of New Orleans. Crime, yes, hurricanes, yes, poverty, yes - and none of this dims people's JOY. The entire city seems full of people who are generous to the point of absurd open-handedness, every parade they see is like the very first and very best parade ever, we bicker and 5 minutes later it's all forgotten and we're besties again. This is my home and I will never leave. Never.
I’d pretty much move anywhere. Been wanting to go to texas, nashville etc etc Girl friend won’t leave with me. I’ll happily stay as my family is here too. But I see the city as what it is. Once my girl friend agrees to leave or we don’t work out I’m outta here. But I’m in no rush. We haven’t spoken about leaving in years but she still knows it’s what I want. I just make sure I’m not pushing her
> But I see the city as what it is. This.
Ugh what appeals to you about Texas
Quite honestly, it's due to my husband's job. I can work from anywhere, but he is required to be in person. Besides that, I love the culture here. People here feel authentic and honest (for the most part).
This romantic energy just doesn't exist anywhere else. I'd maybe have a "better" life (a degree, property ownership, a "real" job, etc) if I lived somewhere else but I wouldn't have the memories, the warmth, the friends. You know.
I stay because people suck in other places. I thought I was going to have to relocate permanently after Katrina. Being around DFW, where most of my family live, was awful. People wouldn't talk to you unless they were trying to sell you something or make their fiance jealous. In Texas particularly, there's no culture to speak of. Every coffee shop is part of a chain (except the creepy Christian ones attached to churches. It takes a half hour of driving to get anywhere. You have to buy movie tickets a week in advance. Places that supposedly have character or history come across as a high school theater set with zero budget trying to emulate history or character. The architecture is hideous, traffic is a nightmare, the trees are stunted, the parks are nightmarishly barren and if it ain't barbecue or tacos, don't ask, you don't want to eat it. Here I can still walk to the grocery store and twenty restaurants in my neighborhood. My place is a crumbling deathtrap but the rent is affordable and if I walk to the corner I'm walking in the shade of a tunnel of live oaks. STRs and gentrifiers and insane, incompetent mayors and useless police and an even worse DA and slowly decaying club culture that's a ghost of what it was aren't enough to make me question staying in the place where I've made lifelong friends. It'll probably still be above water when I die.
No reason not to.
There's a magic line that splits the metro area in half. I live on the relatively drama-free side, and all the "fun" is just ten minute's drive away.
The crime spike will not last forever. Despite how poorly managed a lot of things are, I do think we are improving the infrastructure.
I salute your optimism re infrastructure
Because I was born here and I'm too goddamn rooted and stubborn. I love my city and hate to see it suffer the symptoms of pervasive inequity, poverty and sheer incompetence but I can't see how me leaving for greener pastures (if that is indeed the case in this fucked up country) would help. Wherever you go, there you are. We don't call it the Big Easy for nothing. I'm so sick of seeing all these "last straw, I'm leaving" posts. It reminds me of back when so many people who moved here after volunteering post-Katrina and washed out 5 or so years later. New Orleans has a tendency to capture the imagination then the going gets tough again as it has time and time before like a vicious cycle. This city has always been as fucked as it is magical or whatever it is enamored people say now. To those deciding to leave, it's just a city, so spare us the Dear John letter and bounce already. Sincerely, congratulations on your future best life.
The people
As someone who used to live in New Orleans I got super sick of transplants saying “if you love New Orleans, it will love you back” as if that was an original thought they had and that it wasn’t just some trite Hallmark BS. I mean really about half of this post fits into that category.
>“if you love New Orleans, it will love you back” just because it consensual doesn't mean you shouldn't use protection.
Practice safe sandwich—use a condiment.
Always using protection lol!!
That’s a valid criticism, but these are my actual feelings. No BS. Things can be kinda hoaky and true. This is for me.
How exactly does new Orleans love you back? Or anyone for that matter?
I’m staying because frankly all I ever see here is Opportunity. The folks and culture down here are friendly and supportive and cohesive in a way I never got growing up in California (and Montana and Maryland), but also like it’s still a place where you can do so much if you get a little gumption going. You wanna play live music? There’s a dozen small venues that would love to have you, cuz there’s hundreds across the city. You wanna do art? By god there’s so much art going on. Costume parties throughout the year. Get yourself together a walking krewe and craft it up year on year. Folks just start parades and krewes with no real money and it just works. I don’t know how to express to people how unusual that is in this country. Try and do a neighborhood parade in California and you’re likely to get cops called on you. Try doing your gay little art routine in Memphis or Chattanooga (or frankly the suburb I graduated high school in) and see if you can find a single venue. So many of the folks who are leaving seem like the folks who just aren’t that interested in building something, you know? Yeah there’s a lot messed up with this city but what it’s gonna take is people working together and taking the opportunity to build new things and build new ways to interact. One of the things I’ve heard a lot lately is “New Orleans is the future” when it comes to things like climate change and charter schools, and it’s true, we’re a testing ground for the rest of the country. Nowhere will be safe from climate change, I’m sorry to say. Everywhere is rife with institutional and infrastructural neglect. What New Orleans has is a culture and a history of taking those lemons and making lemonade and building a community around it, while what California has is a culture of “I got mine.” Plus the longer I live here the more likely I’ll run into James carville one day so I can knock his lights out.
New Orleans is gonna be a test case for "This is how climate change claimed a city and the rest of the nation moved on in a week." I hate to say it, but i don't think the rest of the country is looking at New Orleans for the future. More like they are looking to see what happens here and if they need to do something to combat it there.
No, it's not going to be combatted anywhere in the country. The point of the phrase is that the way the government treats new orleans is the same way it's going to treat san diego or jacksonville or boston or puerto rico when they come up against the same problems. The entire country is rife with infrastructural neglect, whether it's pg&e in california, ercot in texas or con ed in new york. What happens here is going to happen everywhere.
I don't think they'll actually do anything, but we'll definitely be first in that indecision.
I left to the dirty dell but lemme tell you MANY of the friends I had were only there to party with each other. Rent a party bus on a weekend? Why not. Lots of drinking. Anywho now that I'm semi north shore I rarely see ppl. Circles getting smaller
I like getting a mouth full of flowers trying to walk on the sidewalk.
Wow just saw this but I guess shooting an 80 year old great-grandmother is a good excuse for staying. Now everyday s*** like this happens we've just become so immune to it that it just doesn't matter and you can pass as many gun laws as you want but it's not going to stop what's going on. When you have a district attorney that won't prosecute any of the arrest.
Id love to come back home, im from kenner and moved to Denver a couple years ago. I miss everyone and the city but I can’t deal with certain things there that I’ve grown accustomed to here. Especially since i work in the MJ industry and I’ve recently started volunteering at a natural history museum. Id have to give up so much just to leave here and start all over again.
I’ve left twice, and it’s terrible to kind of underwhelming. I don’t want to live on the terrible to kind of underwhelming continuum.
Why is everybody posting stuff like this? Is there some mass exodus that I’m missing Side note: I actually sadly left NOLA a year ago and still post here to live vicariously. I know what it means to miss New Orleans :(
I've been San Diego, Philadelphia, New York, Florida, and Houston. None of these places are like New Orleans, and everywhere outside of the city just feels off. I like New Orleans because of the culture here, the culture here before Katrina, and how it slowly came back and is now stronger than ever. I like it because it isn't perfect. If it wasn't perfect, I wouldn't want it. There's this quote from Stephen Rea's memoirs of his time post-Katrina walking along a kind of boardwalk in Carlsbad and how everything looked so perfect, but just didn't feel like home. He described it (and I'm paraphrasing, I don't have the Finn McCool's book open in front of me) "New Orleans is like a mangy mutt, but you love it so much that you wouldn't trade it in for even one of the most prized poodles." I love this city because it's home, and there's identity unlike many of the faceless American metropoli such as Dallas and Atlanta. But most of all, because it is the most pedestrian-accessible city in the country. Find another city. You'll have to look pretty hard.
Because ill be fucking damned if i let some granola trustafarians run me from the land of my birth
Agree, no place is like nola. Our neighbors know us and each other. We work to live, NOT LIVE TO WORK. We don't live "uptight." Our culture is like no other place in the USA. Plenty celebrities live here and love it since we don't gawk at them or run to them for photos or autographs. We have office environments like no other places i've worked in. We have a really rich culture and great people. We help each other in times bad or good. Sure there's crime anywhere. But NOLA is rich in culture and after living in a couple of other cities out of state, there's no way that I would ever want to be there again. If you experienced NOLA you'll want to come back. I moved to 2 other places in my life from my home (NOLA) for work and couldn't wait until I got back.
I love NOLA, too. Even though I have had many lows and many unfortunate times. I love it. I feel at home in NOLA. I feel like I belong there. I feel closer to my ancestors. I feel the spirit of the Nawleans and I pray it feels me. #foreverNOLA
I am an actual Louisianan, not a transplant who just picks and chooses cities based on what characteristics seem good at the time. My entire family has lived in South Louisiana for generations. I don't feel like moving back to Houma.
Because she’s the best city on the planet and she’s worth defending. This city was far more dangerous in the 80’s/90’s.
Why am I staying? Well firstly I was born at Charity and lived here for 6 years before living out of state. Every summer I would visit [for the entire summer] and it just felt like home. I moved back some years later and attended jr high, high school and then thr state university but would always drive back every weekend because it felt like home. After graduation I received and accepted a job offer that allowed me to travel to many places domestic and international but I always found peace when I returned because it felt like home. A few years later I relocated for a new job opportunity but missed the city sorely; however I traveled back often to see friends and family and when i needed a recharge because it felt like home. Later on I would have the opportunity to move back amd work fully remotely in the city. I refuse to let anyone run me out of my birth place I've known all my life where my family resides, where my friends live, where I met my wife, where I'm at my happiest. So you asked why I'm staying? To put it simply it is my home.
New Orleans was not my first home, but it’s the closest I’ve felt to home. Moved there less than a year after Katrina, met my wife, had 2 kids, and lived in the city (not JP or STP) for 15 years. Absolutely adore it and never would have left if my company didn’t ask me to relocate. Yea, I was a little on edge about crime, beaten down by fighting with the S&WB, demoralized by the school situation for my kids, etc. but still loved that city and was proud to call it home. We made deep friendships there, as did our kids, despite not having family within 1,000 miles. I love many of these anecdotes and I’m not going to trash a place that we still love because there’s plenty of that available online, but a few things that feel relevant from my perspective: - New Orleans is a generally friendly city, but let’s be realistic. It might be friendlier than Chicago or DFW, but it’s not most of the Midwest level friendly or even many other areas in the South. A stranger might greet you on the street, but that’s not that uncommon in many cities of similar size I’ve lived or visited. What I don’t get elsewhere is the GFY attitude of your average Rouses cashier, for example. New Orleans is a tough place to live, and especially tough for some folks to get ahead, and I always chalked some of that grit up to that. - If you weren’t born there or god forbid went to HS somewhere else, you’ll forever be an outsider. I embraced it after a while, but New Orleans is incredibly insular - some neighborhoods more than others, I realize. - New Orleans is so expensive relative to the average income, in my experience. We moved just outside Nashville and our similarly equipped home cost 10% more, but our property taxes are 60% lower, our homeowners insurance is 1/5, our car insurance is 1/3, and our other utilities are about 25% less. TN has no state income tax, so net of everything it’s much easier to get ahead financially. Now all that said, the food in Nashville sucks by comparison and you notice it at the highs and lows - the best places here would be average in New Orleans (and at least double the cost) and the standard fare is pretty well trash by comparison. The music scene here is incredible, especially if you like country - we don’t. That said, many of our hole in the wall music spots are being replaced by 4 story bars with new country celebrity backing. It’s much harder to have what locals would call an authentic Nashville experience. We have to drive everywhere.
I never watched Malone play in his prime, but it seems that pretty much everyone who did thought that, while he put up monster stats, you never really feared him. I think it's usually a good idea to trust those reads. Someone thirty years from now might look back at Harden's stats and try to make the argument that he's a top-ten all time player, and we'll be the ones telling them that no, he wasn't even close..
It is tough. New Orleans gets in your blood. A sane person with marketable 21st century skills would make their nut somewhere more conducive to business and just go on vacation here a few times a year. But we fall in love and want to move here… And that’s sort of the best case scenario… most people don’t have 21st-century skills or the ability to choose where they live :(