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Im really looking to get out of Florida after I graduate. Just looking for a change of pace, where I'll be around a ton of young working singles like myself. I've heard only fantastic things about Chicago... except the weather. Just how bad is it in the winter? Is it really significantly more brutal than Northeast winters?
The other cities that I'm considering are Denver, Boston, Austin, Houston, and San Diego. Chicago would be the clear front runner, but I'm a little nervous about the weather. I'm getting sick of the perpetual Florida heat and humidity, but I dont know if I could handle perpetual winter either.
Just how bad is it in the winter? Is it really significantly more brutal than Northeast winters?
For someone coming from a southern state or country, the winters would be cold, but compared to the northeast, it's the same if not better. For example, Buffalo, NY on average is not only colder in the winter but gets way more snow than Chicago.
Chicago winters are kind of like NYC, but maybe 8-10 degrees colder than NYC. It can get windy here when you're near the lake, but it's not actually called "The Windy City" because it's realllly windy. It's called that because of political reasons.
Chicago's not even in the top 101 windiest cities of the US, but NYC, Boston, etc areas are. Near the lake can be windy of course (like any big body of water almost) and between skyscrapers sometimes but outside of that it's not that bad at all.
Honestly, yeah it can get a little cold, but compared to other places even in the US it's not terrible. People here exaggerate quite a bit how bad it can be. For someone like you, it will take a little to get used to it, but eh. There are people living here from all over the world who came from hotter climates who've been here for years without a problem. I have friends from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, etc who have been here and are completely fine. All those countries are pretty much hotter than most anything in the US on average. My dad is from Los Angeles, and has been in Minnesota for a long, long time and has had no problem either (Minnesota is a lot worse in the winter as Chicago). I have friends here from Florida too who got used to it.
My tip would be to move here if you really want to (and can support yourself here). Buy appropriate clothing, layer, and get used to it. It could be much worse than Chicago. Trust me.
Chicago winters are kind of like NYC, but maybe 8-10 degrees colder than NYC. It can get windy here when you're near the lake, but it's not actually called "The Windy City" because it's realllly windy. It's called that because of political reasons.
Chicago's not even in the top 101 windiest cities of the US, but NYC, Boston, etc areas are. Near the lake can be windy of course (like any big body of water almost) and between skyscrapers sometimes but outside of that it's not that bad at all.
Huh. Well thats certainly interesting. I always thought it was really windy. Guess I'm probably not the only one to make that mistake lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by marothisu
My tip would be to move here if you really want to (and can support yourself here). Buy appropriate clothing, layer, and get used to it. It could be much worse than Chicago. Trust me.
On to the point about being able to support yourself, how is the CoL there? I found an online calculator, and it stated that a 50k salary in FL would be equal to a 58k salary in Chicago. I was pleasantly surprised at that, because cities like NYC were obviously way higher, with Brooklyn being around 82k and Manhattan about 90k. It seems strange that Chicago would be THAT much cheaper.
Huh. Well thats certainly interesting. I always thought it was really windy. Guess I'm probably not the only one to make that mistake lol
Don't get me wrong, it can be windy here. I'm guessing Chicago is still in the top 150 or 200 cities of 50,000+, but yeah it's nowhere close to the top position, but it's probably off by 3-4 MPH average. Downtown near the lake though can certainly be windier than other areas that are further away from the lake. But yeah, most people think it's called the windy city because it's really windy, without realizing it's because of politics. Well, nothing is 100% verified, but it's believed to be about that or something similar.
On to the point about being able to support yourself, how is the CoL there? I found an online calculator, and it stated that a 50k salary in FL would be equal to a 58k salary in Chicago. I was pleasantly surprised at that, because cities like NYC were obviously way higher, with Brooklyn being around 82k and Manhattan about 90k. It seems strange that Chicago would be THAT much cheaper.
Chicago is way cheaper than NYC, Boston, DC, Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco and arguably offers much of the same as any of those cities (depending on what you're talking about..not everything is here, but there's a ton).
My place downtown in a high rise costs me just over $1300/month. My Manhattan friends were surprised and said my place would be $4000/month in certain areas of Manhattan. This is downtown though which is one of the most expensive. If you wanted a brand new building down here, 1 bedroom, with in-unit Washer/Dryer, huge gym, pools, hot tubs, 40th floor views of the lake or something, etc you'd probably pay $1600-$2000/month for it.
You could easily get a 1 bedroom apartment in another "hot" area for $1000/month or even less. My girlfriend's 2 bedroom apartment before she moved was $1200/month in an area that's a 30 minute train ride from the Central Business District (Loop) which had a good number of bars, restaurants, stores, etc in the area. That area the average was maybe a little higher at $1400-$1500/month for a 2 bedroom, but that's way cheap compared to the other big cities here. She moved about a half mile from Wrigley Field and she's paying like $1600/month for a 2 bedroom there. Tons of restaurants, bars, etc around that area too. Hell, there are old studios near Wrigley Field available for around $700/month and some even less. This isn't luxury living as you'd be in a vintage building or house, but that's not necessarily always a bad thing. Actually, funny thing is that my friend lives in a studio downtown for like $750 or $775/month in a real vintage building. Cheap for the area, but it's still possible...
Also depending on where you live and where you travel to, work at, etc you don't necessarily need a car. Many people don't own a car (including me) and make out just fine. After NYC, Chicago has the 2nd most extensive public transit system in the US (Washington DC is 3rd I believe). Saves some $$ not having a car. When I need to make a weekend trip somewhere out of the state let's say, I just rent a car. Even if it costs me $250 including gas and rental for this (driving 6-7 hours each way for example), that's probably equivalent to 3 months of owning a car just for insurance. Not counting gas or parking costs, and initial registration costs either. An unlimited CTA pass is $86/month here and there's cabs everywhere too, and there's also services like ZipCar and iGo if you need a car for just a few hours.
That's the thing. If you like NYC but don't want to pay the ridiculous prices, then Chicago is a great alternative. It's way, way cheaper here in that regard on average.
Last edited by marothisu; 09-26-2012 at 12:27 AM..
I should add that sales tax here is 9.75%, which is one of the highest in the US (I believe it's 3rd and the same as Seattle) and some politicians here can be shady. I think it's gotten better, but still there. A lot of union stuff too.
There are a lot of gangs here too, but they are centered in certain areas. Like any big city, you have to watch your back, but don't let the media scare you. Outside of a handful of neighborhoods, Chicago is pretty damn safe. 75% of the homicide here happens in only 25% of the neighborhoods for example. These neighborhoods are pretty much next to each other (except a few) in a few areas on the West Sides and South Sides. Outside of a few of those neighborhoods, there's not much reason to head into them. I know a few good eateries in each of those neighborhoods, but they aren't somewhere you'd want to hang out in apart from eating there. I've been in a few bad neighborhoods before and nobody bothered me. Your chances of being involved in a violent crime go way down if you aren't involved in drugs or gangs. You can still be targeted even if you aren't of course, but your chances do go down quite a bit. I think the police chief here in another article said that basically 70% of all violent crime in this city is gang related (i.e. gang on gang).
My two cents? Get a big effing coat, dress in layers and see what happens. You might find it exhausting after a winter or two or you might end up actually liking it. Regardless, you're not tied to Chicago forever once you move, and it sounds to me like you'd always wonder if you don't. If you hate it, you can start looking in Houston!
Don't get me wrong, it can be windy here. I'm guessing Chicago is still in the top 150 or 200 cities of 50,000+, but yeah it's nowhere close to the top position, but it's probably off by 3-4 MPH average. Downtown near the lake though can certainly be windier than other areas that are further away from the lake. But yeah, most people think it's called the windy city because it's really windy, without realizing it's because of politics. Well, nothing is 100% verified, but it's believed to be about that or something similar.
Chicago is way cheaper than NYC, Boston, DC, Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco and arguably offers much of the same as any of those cities (depending on what you're talking about..not everything is here, but there's a ton).
My place downtown in a high rise costs me just over $1300/month. My Manhattan friends were surprised and said my place would be $4000/month in certain areas of Manhattan. This is downtown though which is one of the most expensive. If you wanted a brand new building down here, 1 bedroom, with in-unit Washer/Dryer, huge gym, pools, hot tubs, 40th floor views of the lake or something, etc you'd probably pay $1600-$2000/month for it.
You could easily get a 1 bedroom apartment in another "hot" area for $1000/month or even less. My girlfriend's 2 bedroom apartment before she moved was $1200/month in an area that's a 30 minute train ride from the Central Business District (Loop) which had a good number of bars, restaurants, stores, etc in the area. That area the average was maybe a little higher at $1400-$1500/month for a 2 bedroom, but that's way cheap compared to the other big cities here. She moved about a half mile from Wrigley Field and she's paying like $1600/month for a 2 bedroom there. Tons of restaurants, bars, etc around that area too. Hell, there are old studios near Wrigley Field available for around $700/month and some even less. This isn't luxury living as you'd be in a vintage building or house, but that's not necessarily always a bad thing. Actually, funny thing is that my friend lives in a studio downtown for like $750 or $775/month in a real vintage building. Cheap for the area, but it's still possible...
Also depending on where you live and where you travel to, work at, etc you don't necessarily need a car. Many people don't own a car (including me) and make out just fine. After NYC, Chicago has the 2nd most extensive public transit system in the US (Washington DC is 3rd I believe). Saves some $$ not having a car. When I need to make a weekend trip somewhere out of the state let's say, I just rent a car. Even if it costs me $250 including gas and rental for this (driving 6-7 hours each way for example), that's probably equivalent to 3 months of owning a car just for insurance. Not counting gas or parking costs, and initial registration costs either. An unlimited CTA pass is $86/month here and there's cabs everywhere too, and there's also services like ZipCar and iGo if you need a car for just a few hours.
That's the thing. If you like NYC but don't want to pay the ridiculous prices, then Chicago is a great alternative. It's way, way cheaper here in that regard on average.
That was my understanding, that a great little high rise in a decent area in chicago would be the same as a rundown studio in NYC for price, and that really got me interested. And as far as a car, I'd probably just either keep mine that is already paid off, or sell it and pay off my student debt a bit
Quote:
Originally Posted by aragx6
My two cents? Get a big effing coat, dress in layers and see what happens. You might find it exhausting after a winter or two or you might end up actually liking it. Regardless, you're not tied to Chicago forever once you move, and it sounds to me like you'd always wonder if you don't. If you hate it, you can start looking in Houston!
This is how I've been trying to think lately. I tend to overthink things a lot, so sometimes I just have to say to myself "you can always move, you can always move, its not permanent, you can always change your mind." It will certainly be way different, both in the fact that its a big city, and the weather. I was just drenched in sweat going to a career fair in a suit, and thought to myself "man, Chicago is looking nice right now." Everyone thinks the Florida sun is great, but the perpetual heat and humidity can wear you down, where as, like you said, you can always throw on a big coat to beat the cold.
Plus, I just want to be surrounded by people my age, as I'll be looking for a potential wife. Unless you're around the colleges, Florida doesnt have many young people.
Im really looking to get out of Florida after I graduate. Just looking for a change of pace, where I'll be around a ton of young working singles like myself. I've heard only fantastic things about Chicago... except the weather. Just how bad is it in the winter? Is it really significantly more brutal than Northeast winters?
The other cities that I'm considering are Denver, Boston, Austin, Houston, and San Diego. Chicago would be the clear front runner, but I'm a little nervous about the weather. I'm getting sick of the perpetual Florida heat and humidity, but I dont know if I could handle perpetual winter either.
Any tips?
Thanks
Why not fly up for a weekend this winter?
Either way, I say go for it!
You're young. See it as an adventure, if you don't like it, you can always leave.
Either way, as you know, Florida's known for low wages, and the friendliness of the people of the midwest will be a nice "culture shock" from what we have in Florida.
Best of luck!
That was my understanding, that a great little high rise in a decent area in chicago would be the same as a rundown studio in NYC for price, and that really got me interested. And as far as a car, I'd probably just either keep mine that is already paid off, or sell it and pay off my student debt a bit
This is how I've been trying to think lately. I tend to overthink things a lot, so sometimes I just have to say to myself "you can always move, you can always move, its not permanent, you can always change your mind." It will certainly be way different, both in the fact that its a big city, and the weather. I was just drenched in sweat going to a career fair in a suit, and thought to myself "man, Chicago is looking nice right now." Everyone thinks the Florida sun is great, but the perpetual heat and humidity can wear you down, where as, like you said, you can always throw on a big coat to beat the cold.
Plus, I just want to be surrounded by people my age, as I'll be looking for a potential wife. Unless you're around the colleges, Florida doesnt have many young people.
Haha, you're preachin to the choir! But you know what? My (now) husband and I decided to move to Chicago without ever having visited first and it was an awesome, amazing adventure. Life took us in a different direction and I'm not sure we'll ever live there again, but I had an awesome 2 years and learned an absolute ton about who I am and what I want out of a place. Formative years, those were.
Even if it's the most epic horrible disaster of all time, you'll be a stronger person for it who has a better sense of what will make you happy going forward. That's the sort of thing a big move can really do for someone, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
Best of luck -- and whatever you decide to do, come back and give us an update. We (or at least I) love that!
Have you looked at other communities close to Chicago? such as the Quad Cities, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal?? all are within a 3 hour drive to the Chicagoland area.
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