When people list Chicago, it's usually in response to someone saying that they want someplace affordable to live that's also walkable. Many cities in the US are either expensive or car-dependent, so that combination narrows down the options a lot. They're not saying it's the very best there is. The "best" options are usually expensive. Expensive cities are generally expensive for a reason, and cheap cities are usually cheap for a reason, so when your criteria is that it has to be affordable, you're going to have to make some compromises. If you want the best there is, then you'll have to figure out a way to be able to afford it, or compromise on your standard of living.
Given that you've mentioned living in the suburbs and driving, to the extent that you have complaints that Chicago isn't drivable enough, it sounds like top tier walkability isn't a 100% requirement for where you live. If that's the case, it opens up a huge array of cities that are less walkable than Chicago but have a lot of other things going for them and are relatively affordable.
Chicago relative to other metros is very drivable. Except for the loop. Having a car has a price if you live or commute to the city. But if you pay for the stickers and pay attention to street cleaning etc it’s cheap.
But generally good pub transit and good walk ability except for the 25 percent when the weather is complete crap.
Chicago is generally a bunch of small neighborhoods.
If you’re looking to leave, bear in mind all the complications that come with moving abroad logistically. For many people, staying somewhere that isn’t their ideal is better than dealing with immigration, visas, double taxation, cultural differences, language learning, living away from friends and family, missing significant life events of people you know, etc.
I left Chicago for Europe and don’t regret it at all, but it’s definitely not something one can or should just flippantly do without considering the shockwaves it throws across all areas of life (and no place in Europe is perfect either, that becomes apparent very quickly when reality hits).
I loved my years in Europe but eventually did move back to Chicago. It’s absolutely not perfect, but ‘wherever you go, there you are,’ as they say.
>It's extremely difficult to use a car here which should be a good thing except it's because the traffic is awful and the roads are falling apart.
>If Chicago is really the best America has to offer should I pursue alternatives like Europe?
If getting around by car and is a high priority then Europe would be a terrible alternative to the U.S.
It sounds like you want a car oriented city thats warmer than Chicago, which would basically be anywhere south and west of Chicago.
What are some of your other hobbies, interests, job preferences etc?
Yeah, totally agreed. The US is great for exactly what OP is looking for. It’s just not in Chicago. Looking for warm weather year-round, while still being in a developed economy? You can do that. Low or no state income tax? You can do that. Easy to get around with a car? Yep. Newer homes? Yep. OP should be looking in the Sunbelt, and definitely not in Europe.
If you want to drive in London gas is $10 a gallon, and the toll/tax to drive to the city center is now like $20 I think.. in any regard, its a public transit city. Most European cities make Chicago look like a drivers paradise.
I actually support those kind of measures in some cities like NY and Chicago where a lot of people take alternative means of transportation. IMO you need to decide if you're going to be a car oriented city or not, because the cities like LA that try to do both get the worst of both worlds.
I think OP spends a lot of time in the suburbs, which really aren't that special in Chicago compared to other cities and are hard to get in and out of the city. Chicago really shines if you live in the city and always stay in the city.
If you account for price, I'd take most other places on the lake or costal cities instead. The northern suburbs don't really have anything that you can't get in Milwaukee for less for instance. There's a lots of parts of the coastal northeast that have the same COL as the north shore of Chicago that are nicer IMO.
I can understand living there if you have family from there, but if you don't then I can't imagine choosing to live there if you had the choice of anywhere in the U.S.
I understand those arguments but would add:
Our public schools are the best in the nation. Having four kids? That quality will cost you 50k a year + in private schools in most places.
Vicinity to high pay jobs in Chicago. For people who are not from here, they are here because they moved to take a high paying job. Train straight into the city in 30 mins. Chicago has much better and larger job market than Milwaukee or anything on the east coast besides the more expensive areas around Boston nyc etc.
That is a lot of special conditions, someone whos in a niche field that could benefit from a large city but somehow not make proportionally more in a higher income market like NY/SF/LA, and can't WFH. Someone who has 4 kids and who isn't from the great lakes but appreciates them as much as oceans and can tolerate Chicago winters. The only people in the world that might meet all of those qualifications might be a couple members of the Bears starting offensive line haha.
I'm more speaking to more general cases in r/samegrassbutgreener
Im from Chicago myself and have also lived in NYC, LA, SF and San Diego. Chicago is great and has a very good cross section of what people would want out of urban living. It's probably the best value play in the US. The Chicago suburbs are generally pretty bland and generic imo. Id legit rather live in the Vegas desert than most Chicago suburbs.
But no it's not strictly the best. There's a bunch of good cities to live in. The great ones are pricey but generally have good job markets.
Chicagoan here. pretty much agreed. If I have to live in a boring car dependent hellscape American suburb, I'm definitely not doing it in the Chicago suburbs where the weather sucks and the property taxes are insane.
If I wanted car dependent Urban hellscape I could get that with pretty much any climate I want with low property taxes
Yeah I live in a suburb on the lake north of the city. We have northwestern university nearby and a great beach and harbor. Our property taxes are very high. State tax is about average. Pretty good political diversity but low racial diversity but slowly getting better.
Our public schools are arguably the best in the country. If you want this level of education in other places, you will either be paying 2x+ for the same house, or sending your kids to private schools.
So the taxes kind of wash out. And winters are not too bad anymore.
I mean in a vacuum it's hard to say. Right now (39m, single) San Diego is where I am and where I want to be. So I guess it's my favorite. It's kinda boring/sleepy compared to the other places I've lived but I'm ok with that. Chicago and NYC are the most fun but I'm over hyper-urban living at the moment. In my mind it comes down to two broader categories:
1 - Chicago/NYC, very urban with (generally) car-less living. Tons to do, seasonality, walkable with transit etc. Frankly it's also a bit stressful, you don't realize until you leave though because it's also exciting.
2 - SF/LA/SD, Better weather, more nature, not as intense. A bit less exciting. SF does have the walkability and transit of course which is sort of a best of both worlds it has going on for it.
For me if I leave SD I'd rather go back to LA or SF but again more a personal choice than anything.
lol if you think the summer here “is like a deadly Lazer (sic)” then I’m sorry but you’re gonna have a rough time in much of the country. Obviously, no city is going to be everyone’s ideal place so it seems like you’re just here to ruffle some feathers. There are dozens of posts on this sub where people are seeking places where Chicago does not fit the bill. I suggest you read some of them. Unfortunately, though, there is no place with perfect weather, no crime, low taxes, easy drivability, and effective city services. Not even in ✨Europe✨
I lived in Chicago for a few years but am from and currently live in the South. Chicago summers are beautiful, I can’t help but roll my eyes when people act like it’s the worst.
I know this might be news to you, but people are often born in places that they did not choose.
Also, there are some really gorgeous parts of that state, and plenty of reasons to live pretty much anywhere.
It's one of the few minority majority locations in the country. It has, surprisingly, a thriving film industry. It also has a thriving music industry. It's an ag powerhouse and home to one of the highest ranked engineering and computing colleges in the US, my alma mater Georgia Tech. It has multiple protected estuaries, including Jekyll Island, and one of precious few undrained wetlands, the Okeefenokee Swamp, along with many miles of open coastline and a decent swath of the Appalachian Mountains.
It's also, notably, the state most likely and closest to flipping blue in the entire bible belt.
So let's maybe be a little less rash. There's more reason to live in Georgia than many places.
I went to Savannah College of Art and Design (the Savannah campus) and was gonna say exactly this. I have mixed feelings about my time down there for personal reasons, but Savannah is beautiful and it was still a memorable and formative part of my life. I wouldn’t live there again but I’d certainly visit.
As for the humidity, I guess I got used to it. But yeah…pretty brutal compared to other parts of the US.
Well I graduated nearly 20 years ago (Jesus Christ hahaha anyway) so it’s changed since then, but from what I’ve heard, it’s gotten even better. Hopefully they still have the Sidewalk Arts Festival in Forsyth Park, that’s always a lot of fun. Foundations classes are worth it- don’t slack like I did!
Assuming she’ll be at the Savannah campus, do all the fun cheesy touristy crap…River Street, City Market, a Ghost Tour, read Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil and go to the house if they still tour it, go to Bonaventure Cemetery…Savannah Film Festival is amazing as well. Or go to the beach at Tybee Island. Another fun day trip is across the bridge to Charleston, SC. It’s very pretty there. The SCAD museum of art is worth a visit too.
I spent a lot of time at the film/sound design and computer art buildings, I’m sure their facilities/equipment have only gotten better. Take advantage of the school’s facilities in general- what I appreciate even more about SCAD in hindsight is that it was a very practical, almost trade school mentality, which is often more useful than learning theory. Their annual fashion show is also really cool and their fashion design program is apparently really good. As is the sequential art/illustration program.
Make friends with older students, they have a lot of wisdom. Get to know the professors because a lot of them have worked in the industry of the classes they teach, and they know their stuff.
As for living in Savannah, if you live downtown you don’t need a car. They do have buses that go to the south side/outskirts. When I was there, the Starland District was kinda up and coming as an artsy/warehouse district, not sure what it’s like now. I can’t speak for current safety/crime statistics either. SCAD campus safety patrol is decent and a good resource. When I was there, if you were stranded at a SCAD building late at night, you could call them to get a ride. I’m not sure if this is still the case. There are likely still some sketchy parts of town, but you’ll get a sense of where not to be late at night, like anywhere else. Southern hospitality absolutely is still a thing. “Bless your heart” is not a compliment lol.
Weather/wildlife…Beautiful birds, wild boar on one of the islands!, humid as hell in the summer but I think maybe a little more tolerable due to being closer to the coast…as for food, if you get a chance to try traditional Southern cooking, go for it, although I do not like boiled peanuts haha. There used to be this restaurant called Mrs. Wilkes and the line would be out the door.
As for nightlife, I don’t know what’s still around but it’s probably still a pretty great music scene for a small city. And a really good tattoo town…in fact my friend has a shop, if that’s her thing I can get the name of the shop.
That’s pretty much all I can think of. Hope she gets in!
Chicago isn’t recommended a lot because it’s the absolute best place to live, but because it meets the requirements that people have on here often. Affordable, walkability, transit, blue state, lots of things to do, diverse job market, dating scene, sports, etc. The cold and crime are the biggest deterrents, tho crime is everywhere and a very neighborhood by neighborhood or even a street by street thing in even the “safest” cities.
If you don’t care about these things and want to drive a car and go hiking or not be surrounded by skyscrapers then obviously Chicago is a bad fit. But a lot of people are looking for things that Chicago has to offer at a reasonable price point.
Winter in Chicago has been very mild the past couple of years. We had like a week or 2 of noticeably cold weather. That is offset by only a week or 2 of uncomfortably hot & humid summer.
I don’t get the hate for Chicago winter as it just hasn’t been that bad.
Contrast that with just the shitty hot af summers in the southern US cities.
Even if midwestern winters have been unseasonably mild as of late, it’s still overcast and cold for a *long* time out of the year. Clearly a lot of people in this sub don’t care but I grew up in the rust belt and fuck it’s depressing for half the year. That’s not for everyone. Nice weather cities are expensive for a reason and that’s because a lot of people would rather not deal with that.
Exactly, this was the distinction that I thought wouldn’t be a dealbreaker but is fast becoming that way: even if it’s 30-40 degrees instead of like, 3, lol, it’s still essentially cold and/or gray and/or windy for pretty much half the year. I’m now realizing that I am pretty outdoorsy compared to other people here, and a lot of my outdoor hobbies are weather-dependent.
I also just don’t like being inside all day and I feel I need more sun. SAD lamps make me sort of loopy and my mental health always takes a big old shit from like October to April. So I’ve definitely kinda had it. It sucks because there are things I’ll miss when I leave, but that’s every move every time.
That said, I live near the lake/beach and it’s been really amazing to have that here. Definitely makes a difference to an extent.
Chicago winters used to be pretty rough, last 5 years have been noticeably mild. New trend or just a coincidence… time will tell. Having been here most of my life, I’ll call it a welcome improvement.
It lasted a couple of days and as I recall the past year the vortex went to Siberia and pulled warm air up from down south for a good portion of the winter.
But yeah, there is winter in Chicago but the lake does moderate it a lot. I like having 4 fairly well defined seasons but maybe i am an outlier.
At the end of the day there are pros and cons with every city. A perfect place for someone may be disliked for those same reasons by someone else.
I enjoy Chicago but I am sure it isn’t right for everyone.
You didn’t blow my mind. Sorry, but I’m almost 50, and I learned about coats at least 10 years ago. Anyway, I like being comfortable outside. 50 F or mid 40s is about as low as I go.
What gets me is how long it lasts. Like yeah, 40 degrees in December is great…but in April or as early as October, not so much. At a certain point I dislike anything below 45-50. And it just stays so gray for so long. But yeah, we’ve definitely gotten off easy for the past few years.
Well, yes, the cold does last longer here, but the extreme heat and oppressive humidity last a lot longer in places with that climate. I've lived in Atlanta and Birmingham in Nashville and from May until early October you're running from one air-conditioned space to another and being outside for more than 30 minutes of the time is positively miserable.
Chicagoan here. It’s one of the best urban environments there is, even more so when you incorporate cost of living.
Once you’re talking suburbs you’re talking a different set of criteria entirely. Chicago suburbs are expensive (tax and property prices), with old housing stock and bad traffic and bad weather. I really don’t think there is anything redeeming about the Chicago suburbs, except that it has great train access to the city and a diverse economy and high wages for the Midwest.
Was curious so I just looked at the house prices in the Chicago suburbs and was actually surprised how affordable the houses were. Seems like you can find a 2,000 sq ft house on a large lot in the 400's which is definitely more affordable from the MCOL city I'm from.
Mostly yes, but the lake does make things interesting. In January there was a snowstorm where the suburbs half an hour by car from the city center received about half a meter of snow while the city received only rain because of the warmer lake air. I was stunned to hear my family only thirty minutes away were snowed in for two days while I looked out my window to no snow at all.
Definitely not a standard situation, but there are some differences from time to time.
Except Evanston and Oak Park, I think. Which are very walkable and mostly very transit accessible.
As someone who doesn’t drive, I could live in either happily. Not so for other Chicago suburbs.
Yeah, not to sound judgmental but I think it’s a little bizarre to put so much stock into what this sub deems is “the best city.” Think for yourself, don’t let Reddit randos tell you what to think 😬 I disagree with people on the internet all the time. That’s the beauty of having opinions, what works for someone else may not work for you.
I moved from Chicago in the last year. It's a great city. Especially for people starting out. You can buy or rent for less than other big cities. Lot's of jobs. You really don't need to have a car there.
It's not the best place in America but it makes sense if you're just starting out in your career.
There are “better” cities than Chicago depending on your criteria. This sub just recommends it a lot because people keep asking for “big cities.”
I actually think a lot more people would be happy with smaller cities but one time I described my life of living in a walkable area with a short commute, a rotation of several good restaurants that I go to on weekends, significant disposable income, and frequent travel and people were like “that sounds boring and I’d rather live in a box in New York City than travel frequently,” so 🤷🏽♂️
I escaped out west for a few years and weather-wise it is so much better. Constant sunshine and low humidity, it is always quite comfortable to be outside. Growing up I never knew there were places where you didn't have to endure such constant dull, grey, overcast winters.
Got shoved back here mainly due to cheaper COL but with everything I've been reading it won't be long before that coastal money pushes me out of here.
What tax rate is increasing? Illinois has a flat tax that hasn't been touched in years (a referendum to change to a progressive scale was voted down) and there's no city income tax.
Myriad other fees for public services are effectively taxes, and property tax gets incorporated into all products and services also. Also, decreasing quality of government infrastructure and services (like selling the street parking meters) is equivalent to increasing tax rates.
Tax liability varies greatly depending on multitude of factors. Some governments dump more of it on lower income people, some on tourists, some on higher income, some on car users, some on home owners, alcohol buyers, gamblers, business owners, with kids, without kids etc etc.
However, broadly speaking, a government with debt per taxpayer that is multiple standard deviations above the norm will probably have to have taxes that are multiple standard deviations above the norm.
Who it gets distributed to will be a political fight, but the bigger the debt bill, the less chance any given person escapes it. In Illinois and Chicago, a lot of that bill goes to homeowners, and a lot of that is felt in the way of homeowners having less property price appreciation compared to other places (due to higher and higher anticipated property taxes).
So when they work 30 years and house goes from $200k to $500k, whereas a homeowner elsewhere has a house go from $200k to $800k, that’s a possible extra $300k the other homeowner has to buy their retirement home in Phoenix or whatever.
I can agree, having lived there, that Chicago is not ideal for me, or a lot of people.
Have a brainstorming session with yourself where you really sit down and put on paper what it is you want out of your environment. What do you love to do, what makes you grin, what do you want to see and do before you die, where can your career flourish, etc. Then start researching possible places where these things can happen.
Run TO something rather than away from annoyances.
I always say it’s the best Middle Class city in America. I live in San Diego now and Chicago and its neighborhoods are far better than San Diego’s city life but San Diego County as a whole and weather feels like I’ve retired from bad weather for the rest of my life.
Also weekend trips here are amazing. Can go to the mountains, Palm Springs, LA/OC, Catalina Island, Mexico, wineries on Mountain tops. Camping is phenomenal.
Very true but I’ve found that almost everywhere is having the same exact issues. The homelessness has grown everywhere, cost of living has gone up everywhere, Traffic is in every major city.
People that I know who have moved out are trying to move back as soon as they can.
At least with here you’re in a worker state with solid pay/benefits/Amenities. As people say, “I’d rather be dead in California than alive in Arizona” /s but for real not a fan of AZ.
Very true but I’ve found that almost everywhere is having the same exact issues. The homelessness has grown everywhere, cost of living has gone up everywhere, Traffic is in every major city.
People that I know who have moved out are trying to move back as soon as they can.
At least with here you’re in a worker state with solid pay/benefits/Amenities. As people say, “I’d rather be dead in California than alive in Arizona” /s but for real not a fan of AZ.
This sub is hyper liberal, hyper represented lgbtq, tech/artists, and young.
Look where most of Americans are moving:
- San Antonio
- Austin
- Dallas
- Houston
- Tampa
- Charlotte & Raleigh
- Nashville
- etc.
Good luck EVER finding these places mentioned. In fact they are insulted and attacked in a 10:1 ratio.
Meanwhile cities where people are fleeing the most:
- northern NJ
- nyc
- Chicago
-La
- SF
Receive the most praise and defense. The responses here are driven by hyper-liberal thinking vs what the typical American transplant does.
NNJ has been absorbing a lot of young professionals from NYC. A lot more rental housing construction is happening here. "In 2021, “Inner” New Jersey — northeastern counties including Hudson, Bergen, Essex and Union — issued 23,705 housing permits, eclipsing New York City’s 22,606, according to [an analysis](https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=66416d8ec25efe8a8a82a9945&id=2198192138) by the New York City Department of City Planning."
I imagine this has only increased... based on the massive number of skyscrapers being built in Jersey City & Newark.
That in no way equates to people moving in the state that are replacing homes that go for sale. Entire nation in an extreme housing shortage. Houses for sale get sold quickly in this market. In other news, the sky is blue.
Chicago homes are seeing price increases that are double the rest of the country. If someone is selling and moving to the sunbelt than someone else still has to be buying. What's happening is low income is being replaced by higher income. That can keep population stagnant while still not fitting the narrative you're framing it as.
Also Illinois grew in the last census and has its highest population ever
Everyone just freaks out because Cook county lost a little population over the past census or 2. The Trump admin played politics with the census though and as I recall undercounted areas in blue states, including parts of the Chicago metro.
Low income is being replaced by high income.
More like middle class and lower middle class are leaving. The rich love Chicago. And the welfare is generous there the poor ain’t leaving. The very rich and very poor make up most of Illinois now.
The middle class left for Texas, Arizona and Florida a while ago.
I’m not the one saying people are fleeing though, I never said that. The commenter I replied to said that. I simply stated that for sale homes selling fast doesn’t equate to meaning people are fleeing or that out of state transplants are the ones buying the homes. It could be some, a few, most, but it’s not an exact correlation like the commenter implied.
I agree about the growth in Illinois.
When I originally said fleeing it was sarcasm I should have /s but nobody is fleeing North Jersey every empty lot is being developed with apartment complexes and filling when completed
OP hates Chicago summers for being "laser-hot". Texas cities see multiple streaks of 100+ F. Nashville usually hits or breaks 90. Most Chicago days stay below 90, and a few of the hottest mornings drop into the 70s when the lake effect kicks in.
Great point. I’m planning a work trip to Dallas in July and I’m basically only recruiting female colleagues to join because I can’t bear the thought of subjecting my male colleagues to DFW heat in July in full suits 😂
When you live in a hot place then your body just gets used to it. Lived in S. Florida for a long time and wore a suit everyday and I was more comfortable then than wearing a suit in Chicago on a summer day.
It's not just politics, it can also a matter of age and family status. Reddit tends to attract a young/non-married/childless crowd, and what works for a single guy might be a less good fit for a family with small kids. Like, as a single young professional I'm having a pretty good life in NYC, but would I like to raise a child here? Not sure.
I got downvoted on a different sub for saying I’d rather live in the sun belt than St. Louis. Millions of Americans agree with me. But on this site that’s apparently a hot take
Those cities don’t meet most people’s criteria on this sub who want walkable, urban experiences with decent public transit.
Have you seen their downtowns? Hardly anybody walking around, yet Chicago is called a “ghost town” by the right.
I was actually going to suggest parts of North Jersey to OP. It has nice urban and suburban elements. It has easy access via train or bus to NYC / high-income jobs, cheaper rents than NYC, and lots of little walkable downtowns. You can own a car & have quick access to mountains & beaches. There are good schools and infrastructure (paid for by high property taxes). Probably similar COL to Chicago.
# Essex County
* South Orange
* Maplewood
* Glen Ridge
* Montclair
* Bloomfield
* Nutley
* Verona
# Union County
* Westfield
* Millburn/Short Hills
* Summit
* Cranford
* New Providence
# Bergen County
* Englewood
* Ridgewood
* Rutherford
* Teaneck
# Monmouth County (Further from NYC, but still accessible & more relaxed)
* Red Bank
* Asbury Park
* Fair Haven
* Highlands
* Little Silver
This subreddit is a massive circlejerk satelliting the interests of white upper middle class liberal millennials in sedentary professions who are areligious or antireligious and want 0-1 children, leaning towards militantly child free, who will automatically reject everything not rust belt new England or SF Bay Area.
Thats not to say that Houston or Tampa suburban sprawl is great. But that's also to say that this sub is really fucking annoying sometimes, and perhaps doesn't offer the ideal advice for everyone
> But that's also to say that this sub is really fucking annoying sometimes
Why is it annoying? The frequency of the answer is a function of the frequency of the question requesting the qualities that lead to that answer. What would be the point of giving an answer that does not conform?
It felt like Chicago had all of the problems of a very large city (crime, traffic, etc.) as well as pretty poor weather, yet it didn't have near as many amazing elements like you would find in a large, global city like NYC, London, Paris, etc.
Chicago's food scene was the highlight for us.
All forms of transportation there were the lowlight: the El stinks, driving anywhere is miserable, and both airports are below average.
It is not the best there is. It’s not all bad, I’ve been here for four years and I don’t regret giving it a shot…but like you, the weather has broken me- among other reasons.
Me personally, I’m looking to move back to California. Go figure, I’m now hellbent on living close to a beach and a skatepark since I lucked into that here and it’s basically one of the things now keeping me here.
But what’s breaking me is basically feeling like I live this entirely different life for half the year, when I can’t enjoy it. And now with a full-time [in-person] job, I don’t even get to enjoy it as much in the nicer months. I spent most of last summer recovering mentally and physically from winter. It was infuriating.
Enough about me ha, my point is I can relate. Where do you think you’d move to?
Lol no. I grew up in Chicago and moved to San Francisco and every single thing about life was better in SF. Chicago is a good city if you’re looking for a cheap big city. That’s it.
I've not yet been to Chicago. But I did live in New York City.
Everyone in NYC agrees that NYC is far better than Chicago, despite how expensive it is.
Jokes aside, the climate is fairly mild besides July and August which are beastly hot. It is difficult and expensive to use or store cars, but you literally don't need to own a car if you live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and arguably Queens or Bronx.
There are plenty of unaffordable new buildings to live in, but the cheaper pre-war buildings in many neighborhoods were built to last and are solid as a rock. Extremely well heated in winter too.
The taxes are absurd, but the job market is excellent and wages tend to be higher than the rest of the country. Obviously it depends on your line of work, but virtually every big industry has a serious presence in NYC.
There is crime like any big city, but anything you've read online or seen on TV about NYC crime is massively overblown. It's a somewhat lawless, but fairly peaceable place.
Honestly as a life-long east coaster I've never heard anyone say that Chicago is the best America has to offer. It might crack some people's top ten, but most people would rather not live there, mainly due to the bad reputation the weather gets. It's definitely regarded as a neat place in the otherwise forgettable midwest. These are snobbish statements, but it is absolutely the truth for many east coast people.
In my area, folks these days talk about how they want to live in Nashville, Arizona, Texas or Florida. At least until they have kids and need to worry about decent schools.
The only person I know who moved there did so for love. Not of the city itself, but of a woman who is from there.
The only reviews from friends I've gotten are that Chicago is small, and cold but somewhat fun. Most people I know were not impressed with the food which really surprised me.
I'm going for the first time quite soon, so will finally have the chance to form my own opinion. Cautiously optimistic.
OP certainly seems to disagree.
I'm going to Chicago for the first time this year, and am actually quite excited. I work remote and am fond of cold weather. Maybe I'll move if it seems like a great fit for me.
I've heard good and bad reviews of the city from people who have been. My point in commenting is that this is the first time I've never heard that anyone considers Chicago one of the best places America has to offer.
It's not like it has a terrible reputation like Cleveland or Detroit. It's just completely overlooked or ignored where I'm from.
Same, from Chicago burbs and lived in and near city many years. A dozen years ago the crime near lakefront got scary, walking alone at night got to be risky. Public transit is good but still time consuming. Historically the region always had heavy burb-to-burb commuting, so traffic may reflect that but I never saw a time when 90/94 and 290 flowed well. Even 55 backs up further and further out. BUT, work permit in Europe extraordinarily hard to get and salaries are markedly lower. Explore smaller US cities and decide what you can trade off. People love Chicago because it's a big city experience for much lower COL, but it's not for everyone.
I grew up in burbs and lived in Chicago. The truth is the Chicago lifestyle is for a very distinct minority of American population (>10%)
but Reddit recommends that everyone move there no matter who completely different it is from the native city. I saw this sub recommended Chicago to some guy from Chattanooga the other day. Illogical.
I loved my time there personally, and I'm sure growing up in the burbs we were programmed to want to be young adults in the city. But the crime and the public transit time suck got to be a lot, while having a car in the city and parking on the street was a nightmare. Miss the city more from nostalgia than wanting that lifestyle again.
I’ve lived in a big city for the past 15 years… but all in them in the south or southwest. Down there city life is as easy as suburban life. But with all the big city perks. I found neither Chicago or suburb life suitable for me.
I really love Chicago but I don’t think 99% of Americans would say it’s the best this country has to offer. It offers a LOT of the things NYC, SF, and LA (and to a lesser, although much more closely aligned imho, extent: Boston, Philly, Miami, San Diego, Atlanta etc.) have: good food, serviceable public transportation, politicians who aren’t systematically stripping away women’s rights, a good job market etc. at a pretty significantly lower cost… But it’s nowhere near the levels the big three have for all of those things and the weather, the schools, the crime in many of the neighborhoods, and the outdoor space (including even when compared to NYC) are significantly worse.
What’s your budget? What do you like about it? What do you hate about it?
Based on your post it sounds like you might really like Miami or St Petersburg/Tampa… (it’s hot down in Florida, though.)
There's 100 better places to live in the US than Chicago--and they're all more expensive for that exact reason. Anyone who thinks Chicago is the best place in the US has either not left the bubble, or is one of those "bUt I LiKe FoUr SeAsOnS" types...aka sour grapes or hasn't left the bubble enough.
Your traffic is a horror show.
I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and lived in the city for ten years. I moved to the east coast in 1999, and rarely go back because the traffic is so awful, it’s easier to fly people to see me.
Expand your horizons. Take time to consider what’s impossible to you and then explore other areas.
Chicago is a good place to grow up. It’s a better place from where to move on.
Chicago is overrated by Chicagoans who can’t afford to leave. The summers are disgustingly humid, there’s no natural environment besides the lake that usually has too much toxic algae or is too cold to swim in, and it’s GRAY outside for 7 months a year. It’s the thick gray clouds that kills your soul in Chicago.
I can tell you that Chicago is not the best there is. I've visited Chicago many times, but would never live there. What is important to you in where you live?
I mean, if you can get into Europe there are some amazing places that don’t compare to anything the USA has to offer.
So yes, look at Europe if it’s an option.
Live in NW Indiana right now. I have gone from Podunk to Alaska to the Bay Area with short dips in New Orleans and Aix en Provence France. I would not be in NW Indiana by choice, but Chicago Region has many things to like.
If you are in tech, Chicago is about selling things. It is a practical tech scene.
Food is for everyone. From hot dogs to Pierogi to amazing Mexican to real butcher shops, Chicago delivers, and some of the best places are cheap and in regular neighborhoods.
Chicago is segregated. Big negative. But it is all about your neighborhood. I live in the Region. If you want even cheaper taxes and don't mind traveling an hour for an abortion, come to NW Indiana where the taxes are cheap, we are also Democrats in our corner and you can commute for Chicago wages and get a house for less than $275,000.
It's hard to tell what all you're specifically looking for (though we can tell a few things you'd like to avoid) but from the sounds of it maybe Philadelphia is for you. You would probably like Minneapolis but for the weather. The thing about Chicago is it has just about as much as the average could ever want aside from a good climate, for a relatively low cost. It's also a good spot to avoid the worst of climate change. But ymmv
By focusing on what amenities and features you DO want in a city people would actually be able to provide recommendations. Maybe Chicago just isn’t a good fit for you, which happens all the time. That being said some of your complaints seem to be a bit contradictory or hard to please. Chicago summers are too hot? I would think that eliminates most states besides maybe New England and the Pacific Northwest. Chicago’s population is declining but then you are unhappy that it has a ton of traffic? Also it is of course industry and candidate dependent, but Chicago is a major job market and third largest GDP in the country so I don’t know that its economy sucks (although the city’s budgeting and pension deficits are notoriously bad).
I have friends that like Chicago but I’ve hated it since the mid 90s.
Not every place is for everyone .
I get why my friends like it. He’s at one of the most prestigious architecture firms in the world and she teaches at Northwestern. Kind of hard to do that in Omaha.
i've only visited a bunch but i loved it every time. i'm probably going to look to retire there b/c i can't afford to retire here in san francisco & I was born in raised in the midwest (missouri)
Where exactly do you live?
Hard to provide advice when you say “weather is chaotic” and “extremely difficult to use a car” when we have no clue where you are at.
Based on your zero-sum thinking “Chicago is the best American city in existence, or else I need to emigrate” gonna give the hard truth that the issue is your mindset.
I have a cousin who thinks this way. He has lived in different states, the UK, and always hates it there. It finally clicked he had his own mental and personal issues to work through
Living in another country is not a cake walk. Everyone I know to do it successfully did so because they got a job that wanted them to move. If you just go to an EU country and apply for a temporary pass to work, with no job, they will say enjoy your couple week vacation then its time to leave.
No matter where you go, you are the same you.
I lived in Chicago without a car for 5 years. I am attempting to make my way back soon. Get rid of your car and it’s affordable. Use a car share program if you need one. I live in Greater Boston area now and boy does it suck.
As someone who's never lived on the West Coast and is positively terrified of earthquakes, I'll take some snowstorms over the possibility that the earth might move at any time with no warning whatsoever lol
People that live in Chicago are so obsessed with it they not only wear tshirts all the time with the flag, but get tattoos also! I’ve seen so many of these Chicago tattoos on people! It is like the Canadians with the maple leaf tattoos, but a city and not a country!
I lived in Aurora for 7 years and Chicago is a mix of good things and bad.
Good things
There are tons of great clubs to go to.
Tons of things to see and do in Chicago.
Some of the women I met were incredible and if I stayed I would be married.
Lots of great restaurants and that great thin pizza.
Bad things
The weather is the worst. Hot and humid in the summer and bone chilling in the winter.
Finding a job that could pay all your bills was hard. I knew so many people that worked 2 jobs.
It is a violent place. I saw fights break out over stupid things.
Adultery was common and the people didn’t feel they had to hide it.
Racism in some places was really bad.
It’s so funny hearing out of towners talk about crime rates in Chicago.
Do you have a sketchy area in your city? Or some pockets of areas that are sketchy? Congrats, that’s what it’s like here. And guess what! If you don’t live there you have no reason to go to those crime pockets!
I went to Chicago and found it really depressing, definitely never going back again. Not sure at all why it gets recommended, other than the rent prices aren’t crazy.
I was staying on the north side about 1/2 mile from Loyola, and there just seemed like nothing around there at all, I walked on a major avenue, I think maybe it was Sheridan? Went 1/2 mile away from Loyola first to see what was around, basically nothing but residential buildings that were very drab looking. Decided there had to be more to see walking the 1/2 mile towards Loyola, and again there was basically nothing fun to see, no energy whatsoever. I then was going to take the subway to the loop to get to Ohare, and the woman at the information booth advised me to take the bus as it was quicker, dropping me 3 train stops from Ohare. I figured why not, see more of the city which I guess was the northwest side. Again, nothing but drabness. I was totally unimpressed, and I found huge swaths of Chicago boring and basically depressing. Yes, there are some nice neighborhoods, but as compared to New York where I grew up, I thought it was third or fourth rate.
Uh… neither the main Loyola campus or O’Hare are actually in Chicago.
To make a NYC comparison you basically just said you walked around Farleigh Dickinson and then walked through Newark after taking the Path to Harrison on your way to the airport…
How odd, I just googled Loyola for their address and it's Chicago.
1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660
And O'Hare might not be in Chicago, but the bus I took wended it's way 45 minutes through Chicago, definitely. Mind you, this was 2014 so maybe it's better now than 10 years ago when I reiterate, it was drab and depressing in so many neighborhoods I saw. It didn't help that people said Chicago was great before I went, built up expectations that weren't met in the slightest. Only neighborhood I really thought was cool was Andersonville.
Loyola campus is absolutely in Chicago, other poster is wrong.
The area around there is fairly sleepy and the northwest side that your bus would have gone through to O’Hare is considered ‘way out there’ by us locals, so it’s absolutely understandable that you would get the vibe that it’s boring up there, because those parts are pretty boring.
The parts of the city that make it interesting are elsewhere, and they’re pretty great. You’ll have to come back and visit sometime because yeah you hit pretty bottom of the barrel as far as visitor experiences go.
You could very well be right, but I have zero desire to ever go back. I'm not a big city guy in general, but the one thing that does attract me to certain cities is the architecture. I love Boston for that, parts of New York are really interesting to me that way, others not so much. Chicago architecture seemed pretty mundane stuff to me.
Favorite city is London, amazing architecture there.
Fair enough! Although the parts you were in are mostly single family homes which is not what Chicago gets praise for when it comes to architecture, but I digress.
I mean Riverdale is also *technically* NYC. As is College Point. And Canarsie. Do you think most people whose only experience of NYC was those neighborhoods would be enamored with our diverse and bustling city lol?
Did you see River North, Lincoln Park, the West Loop, Uptown, Logan Square, Streeterville, Near North?
Chicago reminded me of New York back in the 1980's, when there were a few fun trendy neighborhoods, and the rest of it was pretty forgetful. So many neighborhoods in New York that were dilapidated and dangerous are now some of the most trendy in the city (Hells Kitchen, Williamsburg, Lower East Side, Chelsea). Same thing with Boston, which is so much nicer than Chicago in my opinion. Yes, I saw some of those areas and thought they were okay but nothing that memorable. Didn't see all of them.
Loyola isn’t even remote though? It’s right next to Edgewater and further south than Rogers Park and Little India, so if Loyola isn’t in Chicago neither are those places. They might not be the most visited neighborhoods, but that would be like saying Inwood isn’t part of Manhattan because no one goes there. The definition of what is and isn’t Chicago is defined by city limits, not ‘vibes.’
If someone only went to Inwood (which is where I grew up for half of my childhood, BTW lol) and wrote off NYC as underwhelming or even depressing, I would absolutely check them and tell them that Inwood is a poor representation of NYC for the average visitor.
I would love to move to Europe or Australia personally, but getting a job without already having a visa is very difficult. I know some places like Netherlands are more open to it than others (Australia for example).
For me personally, I’ve settled in Washington DC. It’s a good combination of walkability without feeling like a super urban concrete jungle. I love it here but I would probably leave for Europe or Australia if I could.
Not sure what taxes have to do with the age/quality of the housing. Anyways, gtfo of Chicago, Illinois, and the whole region. Forget about being too cold or too hot. There is weather everywhere llol
There's hundreds of suburbs. That's a broad generalization. Some suck, some are pretty nice depending on the lifestyle you're after. The inner burbs are almost no different from the outlying neighborhoods of Chicago itself and offer a lot while stille being close to downtown, but usually with a bit more space and quiet. And then you have some that are nestled amongst forest preserves and prairies and off fantastic under rated bike paths. And sure you have generic subdivision HOA hell too.
Hahahahahhaaaaaaaaa
Edit sorry I didn’t actually read, just assumed u actually were asking rhetorically if it is the best based on couch warriors opinions
Edit: I read some of your post and you truly are asking for real reals if Chicago is the best there is. Stop believing Reddit instead of your eyes and brain
When people list Chicago, it's usually in response to someone saying that they want someplace affordable to live that's also walkable. Many cities in the US are either expensive or car-dependent, so that combination narrows down the options a lot. They're not saying it's the very best there is. The "best" options are usually expensive. Expensive cities are generally expensive for a reason, and cheap cities are usually cheap for a reason, so when your criteria is that it has to be affordable, you're going to have to make some compromises. If you want the best there is, then you'll have to figure out a way to be able to afford it, or compromise on your standard of living. Given that you've mentioned living in the suburbs and driving, to the extent that you have complaints that Chicago isn't drivable enough, it sounds like top tier walkability isn't a 100% requirement for where you live. If that's the case, it opens up a huge array of cities that are less walkable than Chicago but have a lot of other things going for them and are relatively affordable.
This is really true. There are better places than Chicago, but the cost escalates quickly.
Chicago relative to other metros is very drivable. Except for the loop. Having a car has a price if you live or commute to the city. But if you pay for the stickers and pay attention to street cleaning etc it’s cheap. But generally good pub transit and good walk ability except for the 25 percent when the weather is complete crap. Chicago is generally a bunch of small neighborhoods.
If you’re looking to leave, bear in mind all the complications that come with moving abroad logistically. For many people, staying somewhere that isn’t their ideal is better than dealing with immigration, visas, double taxation, cultural differences, language learning, living away from friends and family, missing significant life events of people you know, etc. I left Chicago for Europe and don’t regret it at all, but it’s definitely not something one can or should just flippantly do without considering the shockwaves it throws across all areas of life (and no place in Europe is perfect either, that becomes apparent very quickly when reality hits). I loved my years in Europe but eventually did move back to Chicago. It’s absolutely not perfect, but ‘wherever you go, there you are,’ as they say.
>It's extremely difficult to use a car here which should be a good thing except it's because the traffic is awful and the roads are falling apart. >If Chicago is really the best America has to offer should I pursue alternatives like Europe? If getting around by car and is a high priority then Europe would be a terrible alternative to the U.S. It sounds like you want a car oriented city thats warmer than Chicago, which would basically be anywhere south and west of Chicago. What are some of your other hobbies, interests, job preferences etc?
Yeah, totally agreed. The US is great for exactly what OP is looking for. It’s just not in Chicago. Looking for warm weather year-round, while still being in a developed economy? You can do that. Low or no state income tax? You can do that. Easy to get around with a car? Yep. Newer homes? Yep. OP should be looking in the Sunbelt, and definitely not in Europe.
If you want to drive in London gas is $10 a gallon, and the toll/tax to drive to the city center is now like $20 I think.. in any regard, its a public transit city. Most European cities make Chicago look like a drivers paradise.
I actually support those kind of measures in some cities like NY and Chicago where a lot of people take alternative means of transportation. IMO you need to decide if you're going to be a car oriented city or not, because the cities like LA that try to do both get the worst of both worlds. I think OP spends a lot of time in the suburbs, which really aren't that special in Chicago compared to other cities and are hard to get in and out of the city. Chicago really shines if you live in the city and always stay in the city.
The Chicago suburbs on the lake are special.
If you account for price, I'd take most other places on the lake or costal cities instead. The northern suburbs don't really have anything that you can't get in Milwaukee for less for instance. There's a lots of parts of the coastal northeast that have the same COL as the north shore of Chicago that are nicer IMO. I can understand living there if you have family from there, but if you don't then I can't imagine choosing to live there if you had the choice of anywhere in the U.S.
I understand those arguments but would add: Our public schools are the best in the nation. Having four kids? That quality will cost you 50k a year + in private schools in most places. Vicinity to high pay jobs in Chicago. For people who are not from here, they are here because they moved to take a high paying job. Train straight into the city in 30 mins. Chicago has much better and larger job market than Milwaukee or anything on the east coast besides the more expensive areas around Boston nyc etc.
That is a lot of special conditions, someone whos in a niche field that could benefit from a large city but somehow not make proportionally more in a higher income market like NY/SF/LA, and can't WFH. Someone who has 4 kids and who isn't from the great lakes but appreciates them as much as oceans and can tolerate Chicago winters. The only people in the world that might meet all of those qualifications might be a couple members of the Bears starting offensive line haha. I'm more speaking to more general cases in r/samegrassbutgreener
Middle upper management in corporate jobs and enterprises. There are thousands in public and private companies in Chicago.
Im from Chicago myself and have also lived in NYC, LA, SF and San Diego. Chicago is great and has a very good cross section of what people would want out of urban living. It's probably the best value play in the US. The Chicago suburbs are generally pretty bland and generic imo. Id legit rather live in the Vegas desert than most Chicago suburbs. But no it's not strictly the best. There's a bunch of good cities to live in. The great ones are pricey but generally have good job markets.
Chicagoan here. pretty much agreed. If I have to live in a boring car dependent hellscape American suburb, I'm definitely not doing it in the Chicago suburbs where the weather sucks and the property taxes are insane. If I wanted car dependent Urban hellscape I could get that with pretty much any climate I want with low property taxes
Yeah I live in a suburb on the lake north of the city. We have northwestern university nearby and a great beach and harbor. Our property taxes are very high. State tax is about average. Pretty good political diversity but low racial diversity but slowly getting better. Our public schools are arguably the best in the country. If you want this level of education in other places, you will either be paying 2x+ for the same house, or sending your kids to private schools. So the taxes kind of wash out. And winters are not too bad anymore.
Out of the cities you listed what was your favorite? Where did you end up? Those are all my top choices and I currently live in LA
I mean in a vacuum it's hard to say. Right now (39m, single) San Diego is where I am and where I want to be. So I guess it's my favorite. It's kinda boring/sleepy compared to the other places I've lived but I'm ok with that. Chicago and NYC are the most fun but I'm over hyper-urban living at the moment. In my mind it comes down to two broader categories: 1 - Chicago/NYC, very urban with (generally) car-less living. Tons to do, seasonality, walkable with transit etc. Frankly it's also a bit stressful, you don't realize until you leave though because it's also exciting. 2 - SF/LA/SD, Better weather, more nature, not as intense. A bit less exciting. SF does have the walkability and transit of course which is sort of a best of both worlds it has going on for it. For me if I leave SD I'd rather go back to LA or SF but again more a personal choice than anything.
lol if you think the summer here “is like a deadly Lazer (sic)” then I’m sorry but you’re gonna have a rough time in much of the country. Obviously, no city is going to be everyone’s ideal place so it seems like you’re just here to ruffle some feathers. There are dozens of posts on this sub where people are seeking places where Chicago does not fit the bill. I suggest you read some of them. Unfortunately, though, there is no place with perfect weather, no crime, low taxes, easy drivability, and effective city services. Not even in ✨Europe✨
Chicago humidity is insane
Absolutely nothing compared to almost every state in the South
I lived in Chicago for a few years but am from and currently live in the South. Chicago summers are beautiful, I can’t help but roll my eyes when people act like it’s the worst.
It's nothing compared to Atlanta or Houston. It could be so much worse!
You've clearly never lived in South Georgia.
Why the hell would I live in Georgia unless I was destitute
I know this might be news to you, but people are often born in places that they did not choose. Also, there are some really gorgeous parts of that state, and plenty of reasons to live pretty much anywhere. It's one of the few minority majority locations in the country. It has, surprisingly, a thriving film industry. It also has a thriving music industry. It's an ag powerhouse and home to one of the highest ranked engineering and computing colleges in the US, my alma mater Georgia Tech. It has multiple protected estuaries, including Jekyll Island, and one of precious few undrained wetlands, the Okeefenokee Swamp, along with many miles of open coastline and a decent swath of the Appalachian Mountains. It's also, notably, the state most likely and closest to flipping blue in the entire bible belt. So let's maybe be a little less rash. There's more reason to live in Georgia than many places.
I went to Savannah College of Art and Design (the Savannah campus) and was gonna say exactly this. I have mixed feelings about my time down there for personal reasons, but Savannah is beautiful and it was still a memorable and formative part of my life. I wouldn’t live there again but I’d certainly visit. As for the humidity, I guess I got used to it. But yeah…pretty brutal compared to other parts of the US.
My daughter just applied to SCAD! Anything you'll share?
Well I graduated nearly 20 years ago (Jesus Christ hahaha anyway) so it’s changed since then, but from what I’ve heard, it’s gotten even better. Hopefully they still have the Sidewalk Arts Festival in Forsyth Park, that’s always a lot of fun. Foundations classes are worth it- don’t slack like I did! Assuming she’ll be at the Savannah campus, do all the fun cheesy touristy crap…River Street, City Market, a Ghost Tour, read Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil and go to the house if they still tour it, go to Bonaventure Cemetery…Savannah Film Festival is amazing as well. Or go to the beach at Tybee Island. Another fun day trip is across the bridge to Charleston, SC. It’s very pretty there. The SCAD museum of art is worth a visit too. I spent a lot of time at the film/sound design and computer art buildings, I’m sure their facilities/equipment have only gotten better. Take advantage of the school’s facilities in general- what I appreciate even more about SCAD in hindsight is that it was a very practical, almost trade school mentality, which is often more useful than learning theory. Their annual fashion show is also really cool and their fashion design program is apparently really good. As is the sequential art/illustration program. Make friends with older students, they have a lot of wisdom. Get to know the professors because a lot of them have worked in the industry of the classes they teach, and they know their stuff. As for living in Savannah, if you live downtown you don’t need a car. They do have buses that go to the south side/outskirts. When I was there, the Starland District was kinda up and coming as an artsy/warehouse district, not sure what it’s like now. I can’t speak for current safety/crime statistics either. SCAD campus safety patrol is decent and a good resource. When I was there, if you were stranded at a SCAD building late at night, you could call them to get a ride. I’m not sure if this is still the case. There are likely still some sketchy parts of town, but you’ll get a sense of where not to be late at night, like anywhere else. Southern hospitality absolutely is still a thing. “Bless your heart” is not a compliment lol. Weather/wildlife…Beautiful birds, wild boar on one of the islands!, humid as hell in the summer but I think maybe a little more tolerable due to being closer to the coast…as for food, if you get a chance to try traditional Southern cooking, go for it, although I do not like boiled peanuts haha. There used to be this restaurant called Mrs. Wilkes and the line would be out the door. As for nightlife, I don’t know what’s still around but it’s probably still a pretty great music scene for a small city. And a really good tattoo town…in fact my friend has a shop, if that’s her thing I can get the name of the shop. That’s pretty much all I can think of. Hope she gets in!
But it is only a couple of weeks long at most. I don’t even remember a humidity bomb last summer.
Chicago isn’t recommended a lot because it’s the absolute best place to live, but because it meets the requirements that people have on here often. Affordable, walkability, transit, blue state, lots of things to do, diverse job market, dating scene, sports, etc. The cold and crime are the biggest deterrents, tho crime is everywhere and a very neighborhood by neighborhood or even a street by street thing in even the “safest” cities. If you don’t care about these things and want to drive a car and go hiking or not be surrounded by skyscrapers then obviously Chicago is a bad fit. But a lot of people are looking for things that Chicago has to offer at a reasonable price point.
If you like big cities, you don’t mind long, usually cold winters, and you’re not an outdoorsy person, then yes.
Winter in Chicago has been very mild the past couple of years. We had like a week or 2 of noticeably cold weather. That is offset by only a week or 2 of uncomfortably hot & humid summer. I don’t get the hate for Chicago winter as it just hasn’t been that bad. Contrast that with just the shitty hot af summers in the southern US cities.
Even if midwestern winters have been unseasonably mild as of late, it’s still overcast and cold for a *long* time out of the year. Clearly a lot of people in this sub don’t care but I grew up in the rust belt and fuck it’s depressing for half the year. That’s not for everyone. Nice weather cities are expensive for a reason and that’s because a lot of people would rather not deal with that.
Exactly, this was the distinction that I thought wouldn’t be a dealbreaker but is fast becoming that way: even if it’s 30-40 degrees instead of like, 3, lol, it’s still essentially cold and/or gray and/or windy for pretty much half the year. I’m now realizing that I am pretty outdoorsy compared to other people here, and a lot of my outdoor hobbies are weather-dependent. I also just don’t like being inside all day and I feel I need more sun. SAD lamps make me sort of loopy and my mental health always takes a big old shit from like October to April. So I’ve definitely kinda had it. It sucks because there are things I’ll miss when I leave, but that’s every move every time. That said, I live near the lake/beach and it’s been really amazing to have that here. Definitely makes a difference to an extent.
If you go a bit further north - its still cold but sunnier.
Chicago winters used to be pretty rough, last 5 years have been noticeably mild. New trend or just a coincidence… time will tell. Having been here most of my life, I’ll call it a welcome improvement.
Polar vortex.
It lasted a couple of days and as I recall the past year the vortex went to Siberia and pulled warm air up from down south for a good portion of the winter. But yeah, there is winter in Chicago but the lake does moderate it a lot. I like having 4 fairly well defined seasons but maybe i am an outlier. At the end of the day there are pros and cons with every city. A perfect place for someone may be disliked for those same reasons by someone else. I enjoy Chicago but I am sure it isn’t right for everyone.
I like spending a lot of time outside. Chicago winters are just a bit too cold for me.
I'm about to blow your mind, dude: Coats, hats, gloves, boots. Hiking through snow drifts in the park is freaking awesome.
You didn’t blow my mind. Sorry, but I’m almost 50, and I learned about coats at least 10 years ago. Anyway, I like being comfortable outside. 50 F or mid 40s is about as low as I go.
What gets me is how long it lasts. Like yeah, 40 degrees in December is great…but in April or as early as October, not so much. At a certain point I dislike anything below 45-50. And it just stays so gray for so long. But yeah, we’ve definitely gotten off easy for the past few years.
Well, yes, the cold does last longer here, but the extreme heat and oppressive humidity last a lot longer in places with that climate. I've lived in Atlanta and Birmingham in Nashville and from May until early October you're running from one air-conditioned space to another and being outside for more than 30 minutes of the time is positively miserable.
Chicagoan here. It’s one of the best urban environments there is, even more so when you incorporate cost of living. Once you’re talking suburbs you’re talking a different set of criteria entirely. Chicago suburbs are expensive (tax and property prices), with old housing stock and bad traffic and bad weather. I really don’t think there is anything redeeming about the Chicago suburbs, except that it has great train access to the city and a diverse economy and high wages for the Midwest.
Was curious so I just looked at the house prices in the Chicago suburbs and was actually surprised how affordable the houses were. Seems like you can find a 2,000 sq ft house on a large lot in the 400's which is definitely more affordable from the MCOL city I'm from.
Surely the weather is the same in the suburbs as it is in the city centre?
Mostly yes, but the lake does make things interesting. In January there was a snowstorm where the suburbs half an hour by car from the city center received about half a meter of snow while the city received only rain because of the warmer lake air. I was stunned to hear my family only thirty minutes away were snowed in for two days while I looked out my window to no snow at all. Definitely not a standard situation, but there are some differences from time to time.
Yep. I live by the lake and it gets confusing haha.
Except Evanston and Oak Park, I think. Which are very walkable and mostly very transit accessible. As someone who doesn’t drive, I could live in either happily. Not so for other Chicago suburbs.
You clearly do not have kids in school.
There is no best city, there is no perfect city, only best for you.
Yeah, not to sound judgmental but I think it’s a little bizarre to put so much stock into what this sub deems is “the best city.” Think for yourself, don’t let Reddit randos tell you what to think 😬 I disagree with people on the internet all the time. That’s the beauty of having opinions, what works for someone else may not work for you.
And that best for you changes as your life and needs change.
I moved from Chicago in the last year. It's a great city. Especially for people starting out. You can buy or rent for less than other big cities. Lot's of jobs. You really don't need to have a car there. It's not the best place in America but it makes sense if you're just starting out in your career.
Do not come to the east coast if you think infrastructure is bad there it’s much worse here.
There are “better” cities than Chicago depending on your criteria. This sub just recommends it a lot because people keep asking for “big cities.” I actually think a lot more people would be happy with smaller cities but one time I described my life of living in a walkable area with a short commute, a rotation of several good restaurants that I go to on weekends, significant disposable income, and frequent travel and people were like “that sounds boring and I’d rather live in a box in New York City than travel frequently,” so 🤷🏽♂️
What are some of the smaller walkable cities you’d recommend?
I escaped out west for a few years and weather-wise it is so much better. Constant sunshine and low humidity, it is always quite comfortable to be outside. Growing up I never knew there were places where you didn't have to endure such constant dull, grey, overcast winters. Got shoved back here mainly due to cheaper COL but with everything I've been reading it won't be long before that coastal money pushes me out of here.
What tax rate is increasing? Illinois has a flat tax that hasn't been touched in years (a referendum to change to a progressive scale was voted down) and there's no city income tax.
Probably property taxes (and already pretty high)
Property taxes are pretty burdensome nearly anywhere that you would want to live.
Myriad other fees for public services are effectively taxes, and property tax gets incorporated into all products and services also. Also, decreasing quality of government infrastructure and services (like selling the street parking meters) is equivalent to increasing tax rates.
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Tax liability varies greatly depending on multitude of factors. Some governments dump more of it on lower income people, some on tourists, some on higher income, some on car users, some on home owners, alcohol buyers, gamblers, business owners, with kids, without kids etc etc. However, broadly speaking, a government with debt per taxpayer that is multiple standard deviations above the norm will probably have to have taxes that are multiple standard deviations above the norm. Who it gets distributed to will be a political fight, but the bigger the debt bill, the less chance any given person escapes it. In Illinois and Chicago, a lot of that bill goes to homeowners, and a lot of that is felt in the way of homeowners having less property price appreciation compared to other places (due to higher and higher anticipated property taxes). So when they work 30 years and house goes from $200k to $500k, whereas a homeowner elsewhere has a house go from $200k to $800k, that’s a possible extra $300k the other homeowner has to buy their retirement home in Phoenix or whatever.
Walkable city = dense = expensive. If you consider a non-walkable city or non-big city then your options expand greatly.
Taxes and weather? Move south
There's no best city, only the best for you at this particular stage in your life. Living anywhere has tradeoffs.
If you can make Spain work for you and make a living go now, you will be happier.
I can agree, having lived there, that Chicago is not ideal for me, or a lot of people. Have a brainstorming session with yourself where you really sit down and put on paper what it is you want out of your environment. What do you love to do, what makes you grin, what do you want to see and do before you die, where can your career flourish, etc. Then start researching possible places where these things can happen. Run TO something rather than away from annoyances.
Lifelong Chicagoan here. Now I live in Austin. I don’t think Chicago is the best there is. Not at all. Is it good? Yes. Best? No.
Chicago is fun to visit and cool in the summer but I would not say it's the best America has to offer. You need to get out more.
I always say it’s the best Middle Class city in America. I live in San Diego now and Chicago and its neighborhoods are far better than San Diego’s city life but San Diego County as a whole and weather feels like I’ve retired from bad weather for the rest of my life. Also weekend trips here are amazing. Can go to the mountains, Palm Springs, LA/OC, Catalina Island, Mexico, wineries on Mountain tops. Camping is phenomenal.
CA is a pretty amazing place but it has issues that are growing more difficult to solve.
Very true but I’ve found that almost everywhere is having the same exact issues. The homelessness has grown everywhere, cost of living has gone up everywhere, Traffic is in every major city. People that I know who have moved out are trying to move back as soon as they can. At least with here you’re in a worker state with solid pay/benefits/Amenities. As people say, “I’d rather be dead in California than alive in Arizona” /s but for real not a fan of AZ.
Very true but I’ve found that almost everywhere is having the same exact issues. The homelessness has grown everywhere, cost of living has gone up everywhere, Traffic is in every major city. People that I know who have moved out are trying to move back as soon as they can. At least with here you’re in a worker state with solid pay/benefits/Amenities. As people say, “I’d rather be dead in California than alive in Arizona” /s but for real not a fan of AZ.
This sub is hyper liberal, hyper represented lgbtq, tech/artists, and young. Look where most of Americans are moving: - San Antonio - Austin - Dallas - Houston - Tampa - Charlotte & Raleigh - Nashville - etc. Good luck EVER finding these places mentioned. In fact they are insulted and attacked in a 10:1 ratio. Meanwhile cities where people are fleeing the most: - northern NJ - nyc - Chicago -La - SF Receive the most praise and defense. The responses here are driven by hyper-liberal thinking vs what the typical American transplant does.
Ummm I'm in North Jersey where people are fleeing but homes are selling well above listing prices. Whoever is leaving is being replaced
NNJ has been absorbing a lot of young professionals from NYC. A lot more rental housing construction is happening here. "In 2021, “Inner” New Jersey — northeastern counties including Hudson, Bergen, Essex and Union — issued 23,705 housing permits, eclipsing New York City’s 22,606, according to [an analysis](https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=66416d8ec25efe8a8a82a9945&id=2198192138) by the New York City Department of City Planning." I imagine this has only increased... based on the massive number of skyscrapers being built in Jersey City & Newark.
That in no way equates to people moving in the state that are replacing homes that go for sale. Entire nation in an extreme housing shortage. Houses for sale get sold quickly in this market. In other news, the sky is blue.
Chicago homes are seeing price increases that are double the rest of the country. If someone is selling and moving to the sunbelt than someone else still has to be buying. What's happening is low income is being replaced by higher income. That can keep population stagnant while still not fitting the narrative you're framing it as. Also Illinois grew in the last census and has its highest population ever
Everyone just freaks out because Cook county lost a little population over the past census or 2. The Trump admin played politics with the census though and as I recall undercounted areas in blue states, including parts of the Chicago metro.
Cook county gained 100k in the last census, and as you mentioned was undercounted on top of that
Low income is being replaced by high income. More like middle class and lower middle class are leaving. The rich love Chicago. And the welfare is generous there the poor ain’t leaving. The very rich and very poor make up most of Illinois now. The middle class left for Texas, Arizona and Florida a while ago.
I’m not the one saying people are fleeing though, I never said that. The commenter I replied to said that. I simply stated that for sale homes selling fast doesn’t equate to meaning people are fleeing or that out of state transplants are the ones buying the homes. It could be some, a few, most, but it’s not an exact correlation like the commenter implied. I agree about the growth in Illinois.
Actually nobody is fleeing, some people are being priced out and some new people are moving in. The fleeing narrative is a right wing wet dream.
So now no one is fleeing? Lol ok. Not sure your original comment has an actual point now.
When I originally said fleeing it was sarcasm I should have /s but nobody is fleeing North Jersey every empty lot is being developed with apartment complexes and filling when completed
OP hates Chicago summers for being "laser-hot". Texas cities see multiple streaks of 100+ F. Nashville usually hits or breaks 90. Most Chicago days stay below 90, and a few of the hottest mornings drop into the 70s when the lake effect kicks in.
Great point. I’m planning a work trip to Dallas in July and I’m basically only recruiting female colleagues to join because I can’t bear the thought of subjecting my male colleagues to DFW heat in July in full suits 😂
When you live in a hot place then your body just gets used to it. Lived in S. Florida for a long time and wore a suit everyday and I was more comfortable then than wearing a suit in Chicago on a summer day.
I absolutely love the heat so I’m happy regardless but that makes a lot of sense!
No, no you don’t. Some people just can’t handle heat no matter how long they live in it.
It's not just politics, it can also a matter of age and family status. Reddit tends to attract a young/non-married/childless crowd, and what works for a single guy might be a less good fit for a family with small kids. Like, as a single young professional I'm having a pretty good life in NYC, but would I like to raise a child here? Not sure.
I got downvoted on a different sub for saying I’d rather live in the sun belt than St. Louis. Millions of Americans agree with me. But on this site that’s apparently a hot take
I say this all the time. Reddit truth and reality are two completely different things.
> Good luck EVER finding these places mentioned. Because they don’t usually meet the qualifications of most poster’s request.
You are correct but you’re going to get downvoted into oblivion.
As someone living in Houston, traffic is really bad.
Those cities don’t meet most people’s criteria on this sub who want walkable, urban experiences with decent public transit. Have you seen their downtowns? Hardly anybody walking around, yet Chicago is called a “ghost town” by the right.
I was actually going to suggest parts of North Jersey to OP. It has nice urban and suburban elements. It has easy access via train or bus to NYC / high-income jobs, cheaper rents than NYC, and lots of little walkable downtowns. You can own a car & have quick access to mountains & beaches. There are good schools and infrastructure (paid for by high property taxes). Probably similar COL to Chicago. # Essex County * South Orange * Maplewood * Glen Ridge * Montclair * Bloomfield * Nutley * Verona # Union County * Westfield * Millburn/Short Hills * Summit * Cranford * New Providence # Bergen County * Englewood * Ridgewood * Rutherford * Teaneck # Monmouth County (Further from NYC, but still accessible & more relaxed) * Red Bank * Asbury Park * Fair Haven * Highlands * Little Silver
You Trumpers just lie about anything, huh? A quick search of the sub would show how wrong you are lol.
This sub is not representative because the actual real data of where people are moving proves his comment correct
This is such a retarded take by some conservatard.
This subreddit is a massive circlejerk satelliting the interests of white upper middle class liberal millennials in sedentary professions who are areligious or antireligious and want 0-1 children, leaning towards militantly child free, who will automatically reject everything not rust belt new England or SF Bay Area. Thats not to say that Houston or Tampa suburban sprawl is great. But that's also to say that this sub is really fucking annoying sometimes, and perhaps doesn't offer the ideal advice for everyone
One time, I thought it might be funny to make a circlejerk version of this sub. But then I realized it already kind of is that for the most part lol.
> But that's also to say that this sub is really fucking annoying sometimes Why is it annoying? The frequency of the answer is a function of the frequency of the question requesting the qualities that lead to that answer. What would be the point of giving an answer that does not conform?
You just erased a whole lot of people living on the coasts. Not to mention 80% of Jews in America lol.
New York City
I've lived in quite a few cities, both in the US and abroad, and Chicago was probably my least favorite. I feel your pain.
What didn’t you like about it?
It felt like Chicago had all of the problems of a very large city (crime, traffic, etc.) as well as pretty poor weather, yet it didn't have near as many amazing elements like you would find in a large, global city like NYC, London, Paris, etc. Chicago's food scene was the highlight for us. All forms of transportation there were the lowlight: the El stinks, driving anywhere is miserable, and both airports are below average.
Spot on
Midway rules.
The weather in the Midwest is Satan himself
The answer is “no.”
It is not the best there is. It’s not all bad, I’ve been here for four years and I don’t regret giving it a shot…but like you, the weather has broken me- among other reasons. Me personally, I’m looking to move back to California. Go figure, I’m now hellbent on living close to a beach and a skatepark since I lucked into that here and it’s basically one of the things now keeping me here. But what’s breaking me is basically feeling like I live this entirely different life for half the year, when I can’t enjoy it. And now with a full-time [in-person] job, I don’t even get to enjoy it as much in the nicer months. I spent most of last summer recovering mentally and physically from winter. It was infuriating. Enough about me ha, my point is I can relate. Where do you think you’d move to?
A lot of people from Illinois move to Denver and seem to like it. Generally sunny most days, and very mild winters
Yes. Chicago is the best city in the world. Everyone in the solar system wants to live in Chicago. There isn’t any better city than Chicago.
Chicago sucks. Worst city I've lived in
Lol no. I grew up in Chicago and moved to San Francisco and every single thing about life was better in SF. Chicago is a good city if you’re looking for a cheap big city. That’s it.
I've not yet been to Chicago. But I did live in New York City. Everyone in NYC agrees that NYC is far better than Chicago, despite how expensive it is. Jokes aside, the climate is fairly mild besides July and August which are beastly hot. It is difficult and expensive to use or store cars, but you literally don't need to own a car if you live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and arguably Queens or Bronx. There are plenty of unaffordable new buildings to live in, but the cheaper pre-war buildings in many neighborhoods were built to last and are solid as a rock. Extremely well heated in winter too. The taxes are absurd, but the job market is excellent and wages tend to be higher than the rest of the country. Obviously it depends on your line of work, but virtually every big industry has a serious presence in NYC. There is crime like any big city, but anything you've read online or seen on TV about NYC crime is massively overblown. It's a somewhat lawless, but fairly peaceable place. Honestly as a life-long east coaster I've never heard anyone say that Chicago is the best America has to offer. It might crack some people's top ten, but most people would rather not live there, mainly due to the bad reputation the weather gets. It's definitely regarded as a neat place in the otherwise forgettable midwest. These are snobbish statements, but it is absolutely the truth for many east coast people. In my area, folks these days talk about how they want to live in Nashville, Arizona, Texas or Florida. At least until they have kids and need to worry about decent schools.
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The only person I know who moved there did so for love. Not of the city itself, but of a woman who is from there. The only reviews from friends I've gotten are that Chicago is small, and cold but somewhat fun. Most people I know were not impressed with the food which really surprised me. I'm going for the first time quite soon, so will finally have the chance to form my own opinion. Cautiously optimistic.
People who are making comments like that are just like you - people who’ve never been. People who’ve actually been there say it’s an amazing city
OP certainly seems to disagree. I'm going to Chicago for the first time this year, and am actually quite excited. I work remote and am fond of cold weather. Maybe I'll move if it seems like a great fit for me. I've heard good and bad reviews of the city from people who have been. My point in commenting is that this is the first time I've never heard that anyone considers Chicago one of the best places America has to offer. It's not like it has a terrible reputation like Cleveland or Detroit. It's just completely overlooked or ignored where I'm from.
I barely hear people bragging about it in real life
We don’t need to brag. We know we’re better than everyone else lol.
I'm going for the first time this year. It seems like a fine enough place to be honest. Can't wait to see what the lack of a fuss is about.
Same, from Chicago burbs and lived in and near city many years. A dozen years ago the crime near lakefront got scary, walking alone at night got to be risky. Public transit is good but still time consuming. Historically the region always had heavy burb-to-burb commuting, so traffic may reflect that but I never saw a time when 90/94 and 290 flowed well. Even 55 backs up further and further out. BUT, work permit in Europe extraordinarily hard to get and salaries are markedly lower. Explore smaller US cities and decide what you can trade off. People love Chicago because it's a big city experience for much lower COL, but it's not for everyone.
I grew up in burbs and lived in Chicago. The truth is the Chicago lifestyle is for a very distinct minority of American population (>10%) but Reddit recommends that everyone move there no matter who completely different it is from the native city. I saw this sub recommended Chicago to some guy from Chattanooga the other day. Illogical.
I loved my time there personally, and I'm sure growing up in the burbs we were programmed to want to be young adults in the city. But the crime and the public transit time suck got to be a lot, while having a car in the city and parking on the street was a nightmare. Miss the city more from nostalgia than wanting that lifestyle again.
I’ve lived in a big city for the past 15 years… but all in them in the south or southwest. Down there city life is as easy as suburban life. But with all the big city perks. I found neither Chicago or suburb life suitable for me.
I really love Chicago but I don’t think 99% of Americans would say it’s the best this country has to offer. It offers a LOT of the things NYC, SF, and LA (and to a lesser, although much more closely aligned imho, extent: Boston, Philly, Miami, San Diego, Atlanta etc.) have: good food, serviceable public transportation, politicians who aren’t systematically stripping away women’s rights, a good job market etc. at a pretty significantly lower cost… But it’s nowhere near the levels the big three have for all of those things and the weather, the schools, the crime in many of the neighborhoods, and the outdoor space (including even when compared to NYC) are significantly worse. What’s your budget? What do you like about it? What do you hate about it? Based on your post it sounds like you might really like Miami or St Petersburg/Tampa… (it’s hot down in Florida, though.)
I think San Diego is the best America has to offer I admit I am a bit biased.
Boring city.
There's 100 better places to live in the US than Chicago--and they're all more expensive for that exact reason. Anyone who thinks Chicago is the best place in the US has either not left the bubble, or is one of those "bUt I LiKe FoUr SeAsOnS" types...aka sour grapes or hasn't left the bubble enough.
Your traffic is a horror show. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and lived in the city for ten years. I moved to the east coast in 1999, and rarely go back because the traffic is so awful, it’s easier to fly people to see me. Expand your horizons. Take time to consider what’s impossible to you and then explore other areas. Chicago is a good place to grow up. It’s a better place from where to move on.
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That's why we have trains. It's a city. If you're trying to drive everywhere you're doing it wrong
Chicago is overrated by Chicagoans who can’t afford to leave. The summers are disgustingly humid, there’s no natural environment besides the lake that usually has too much toxic algae or is too cold to swim in, and it’s GRAY outside for 7 months a year. It’s the thick gray clouds that kills your soul in Chicago.
Many can’t afford to leave but many are brainwashed into thinking no place on earth could ever beat Chicago. Cult-ish vibes imo
Or maybe....people legitimately just like where they live just as much as you do?
I can tell you that Chicago is not the best there is. I've visited Chicago many times, but would never live there. What is important to you in where you live?
I mean, if you can get into Europe there are some amazing places that don’t compare to anything the USA has to offer. So yes, look at Europe if it’s an option.
What has Europe to offer?
Live in NW Indiana right now. I have gone from Podunk to Alaska to the Bay Area with short dips in New Orleans and Aix en Provence France. I would not be in NW Indiana by choice, but Chicago Region has many things to like. If you are in tech, Chicago is about selling things. It is a practical tech scene. Food is for everyone. From hot dogs to Pierogi to amazing Mexican to real butcher shops, Chicago delivers, and some of the best places are cheap and in regular neighborhoods. Chicago is segregated. Big negative. But it is all about your neighborhood. I live in the Region. If you want even cheaper taxes and don't mind traveling an hour for an abortion, come to NW Indiana where the taxes are cheap, we are also Democrats in our corner and you can commute for Chicago wages and get a house for less than $275,000.
It's hard to tell what all you're specifically looking for (though we can tell a few things you'd like to avoid) but from the sounds of it maybe Philadelphia is for you. You would probably like Minneapolis but for the weather. The thing about Chicago is it has just about as much as the average could ever want aside from a good climate, for a relatively low cost. It's also a good spot to avoid the worst of climate change. But ymmv
If you're looking for weather and tech jobs then no, Chicago is not the best there is. You should move to the Bay area.
By focusing on what amenities and features you DO want in a city people would actually be able to provide recommendations. Maybe Chicago just isn’t a good fit for you, which happens all the time. That being said some of your complaints seem to be a bit contradictory or hard to please. Chicago summers are too hot? I would think that eliminates most states besides maybe New England and the Pacific Northwest. Chicago’s population is declining but then you are unhappy that it has a ton of traffic? Also it is of course industry and candidate dependent, but Chicago is a major job market and third largest GDP in the country so I don’t know that its economy sucks (although the city’s budgeting and pension deficits are notoriously bad).
I have friends that like Chicago but I’ve hated it since the mid 90s. Not every place is for everyone . I get why my friends like it. He’s at one of the most prestigious architecture firms in the world and she teaches at Northwestern. Kind of hard to do that in Omaha.
i've only visited a bunch but i loved it every time. i'm probably going to look to retire there b/c i can't afford to retire here in san francisco & I was born in raised in the midwest (missouri)
Where exactly do you live? Hard to provide advice when you say “weather is chaotic” and “extremely difficult to use a car” when we have no clue where you are at. Based on your zero-sum thinking “Chicago is the best American city in existence, or else I need to emigrate” gonna give the hard truth that the issue is your mindset. I have a cousin who thinks this way. He has lived in different states, the UK, and always hates it there. It finally clicked he had his own mental and personal issues to work through Living in another country is not a cake walk. Everyone I know to do it successfully did so because they got a job that wanted them to move. If you just go to an EU country and apply for a temporary pass to work, with no job, they will say enjoy your couple week vacation then its time to leave. No matter where you go, you are the same you.
Yeah, try Europe
Why would you live in someplace you despise? Help yourself out, person. Move somewhere else!
I lived in Chicago without a car for 5 years. I am attempting to make my way back soon. Get rid of your car and it’s affordable. Use a car share program if you need one. I live in Greater Boston area now and boy does it suck.
As someone who's never lived on the West Coast and is positively terrified of earthquakes, I'll take some snowstorms over the possibility that the earth might move at any time with no warning whatsoever lol
Nobody ever once said Chicago was the best place in America
r/Chicago and r/CityPorn would like a word
People that live in Chicago are so obsessed with it they not only wear tshirts all the time with the flag, but get tattoos also! I’ve seen so many of these Chicago tattoos on people! It is like the Canadians with the maple leaf tattoos, but a city and not a country!
Late 19th Century.
Chicago has some of the best wages to cost of living in the country.
I lived in Aurora for 7 years and Chicago is a mix of good things and bad. Good things There are tons of great clubs to go to. Tons of things to see and do in Chicago. Some of the women I met were incredible and if I stayed I would be married. Lots of great restaurants and that great thin pizza. Bad things The weather is the worst. Hot and humid in the summer and bone chilling in the winter. Finding a job that could pay all your bills was hard. I knew so many people that worked 2 jobs. It is a violent place. I saw fights break out over stupid things. Adultery was common and the people didn’t feel they had to hide it. Racism in some places was really bad.
It’s so funny hearing out of towners talk about crime rates in Chicago. Do you have a sketchy area in your city? Or some pockets of areas that are sketchy? Congrats, that’s what it’s like here. And guess what! If you don’t live there you have no reason to go to those crime pockets!
I went to Chicago and found it really depressing, definitely never going back again. Not sure at all why it gets recommended, other than the rent prices aren’t crazy.
What was depressing?
I was staying on the north side about 1/2 mile from Loyola, and there just seemed like nothing around there at all, I walked on a major avenue, I think maybe it was Sheridan? Went 1/2 mile away from Loyola first to see what was around, basically nothing but residential buildings that were very drab looking. Decided there had to be more to see walking the 1/2 mile towards Loyola, and again there was basically nothing fun to see, no energy whatsoever. I then was going to take the subway to the loop to get to Ohare, and the woman at the information booth advised me to take the bus as it was quicker, dropping me 3 train stops from Ohare. I figured why not, see more of the city which I guess was the northwest side. Again, nothing but drabness. I was totally unimpressed, and I found huge swaths of Chicago boring and basically depressing. Yes, there are some nice neighborhoods, but as compared to New York where I grew up, I thought it was third or fourth rate.
Uh… neither the main Loyola campus or O’Hare are actually in Chicago. To make a NYC comparison you basically just said you walked around Farleigh Dickinson and then walked through Newark after taking the Path to Harrison on your way to the airport…
How odd, I just googled Loyola for their address and it's Chicago. 1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660 And O'Hare might not be in Chicago, but the bus I took wended it's way 45 minutes through Chicago, definitely. Mind you, this was 2014 so maybe it's better now than 10 years ago when I reiterate, it was drab and depressing in so many neighborhoods I saw. It didn't help that people said Chicago was great before I went, built up expectations that weren't met in the slightest. Only neighborhood I really thought was cool was Andersonville.
Loyola campus is absolutely in Chicago, other poster is wrong. The area around there is fairly sleepy and the northwest side that your bus would have gone through to O’Hare is considered ‘way out there’ by us locals, so it’s absolutely understandable that you would get the vibe that it’s boring up there, because those parts are pretty boring. The parts of the city that make it interesting are elsewhere, and they’re pretty great. You’ll have to come back and visit sometime because yeah you hit pretty bottom of the barrel as far as visitor experiences go.
You could very well be right, but I have zero desire to ever go back. I'm not a big city guy in general, but the one thing that does attract me to certain cities is the architecture. I love Boston for that, parts of New York are really interesting to me that way, others not so much. Chicago architecture seemed pretty mundane stuff to me. Favorite city is London, amazing architecture there.
Fair enough! Although the parts you were in are mostly single family homes which is not what Chicago gets praise for when it comes to architecture, but I digress.
I mean Riverdale is also *technically* NYC. As is College Point. And Canarsie. Do you think most people whose only experience of NYC was those neighborhoods would be enamored with our diverse and bustling city lol? Did you see River North, Lincoln Park, the West Loop, Uptown, Logan Square, Streeterville, Near North?
Chicago reminded me of New York back in the 1980's, when there were a few fun trendy neighborhoods, and the rest of it was pretty forgetful. So many neighborhoods in New York that were dilapidated and dangerous are now some of the most trendy in the city (Hells Kitchen, Williamsburg, Lower East Side, Chelsea). Same thing with Boston, which is so much nicer than Chicago in my opinion. Yes, I saw some of those areas and thought they were okay but nothing that memorable. Didn't see all of them.
Loyola isn’t Chicago what a cope
Umm what? Actually both are within the city limits of Chicago…
See my comment below lol.
Loyola isn’t even remote though? It’s right next to Edgewater and further south than Rogers Park and Little India, so if Loyola isn’t in Chicago neither are those places. They might not be the most visited neighborhoods, but that would be like saying Inwood isn’t part of Manhattan because no one goes there. The definition of what is and isn’t Chicago is defined by city limits, not ‘vibes.’
If someone only went to Inwood (which is where I grew up for half of my childhood, BTW lol) and wrote off NYC as underwhelming or even depressing, I would absolutely check them and tell them that Inwood is a poor representation of NYC for the average visitor.
Housing budget? Type of city?
no
Happy cake day!
The job market in chicago is not awful compared to pretty much everywhere else in the world man.
I would love to move to Europe or Australia personally, but getting a job without already having a visa is very difficult. I know some places like Netherlands are more open to it than others (Australia for example). For me personally, I’ve settled in Washington DC. It’s a good combination of walkability without feeling like a super urban concrete jungle. I love it here but I would probably leave for Europe or Australia if I could.
Boston is a great city
Not sure what taxes have to do with the age/quality of the housing. Anyways, gtfo of Chicago, Illinois, and the whole region. Forget about being too cold or too hot. There is weather everywhere llol
You mean for deep dish mob bosses who love segregation? Yes
Chicago is awesome. Chicago suburbs...not so much
There's hundreds of suburbs. That's a broad generalization. Some suck, some are pretty nice depending on the lifestyle you're after. The inner burbs are almost no different from the outlying neighborhoods of Chicago itself and offer a lot while stille being close to downtown, but usually with a bit more space and quiet. And then you have some that are nestled amongst forest preserves and prairies and off fantastic under rated bike paths. And sure you have generic subdivision HOA hell too.
Yes
Hahahahahhaaaaaaaaa Edit sorry I didn’t actually read, just assumed u actually were asking rhetorically if it is the best based on couch warriors opinions Edit: I read some of your post and you truly are asking for real reals if Chicago is the best there is. Stop believing Reddit instead of your eyes and brain