Chicago is a great city! (Naperville, Arlington Heights: middle-class, section 8, best neighborhoods)

[GAisGreat]

I just have to tell all of you how lucky you are to live in/near Chicago. It is truely a great city! I visited for the first time in a long time and I was shocked how nice, clean, and safe your downtown is. All I can say is I absolutely love Chicago. Just realize what a great city you have there! If you ever start to think it sucks there, just come down to Atlanta, or Charlotte, or Phoenix for a day, then you'll realize how truely special Chicago is!

[ChampWSox05]

Thanks for the nice comments you made about Chicago. I know it is a great place to live and/or visit. I've been to some other cities and being born and raised here I don't know realisticly if I would be able to live anywhere else. The great food in Chicago isn't comparable to ANYWHERE (especially the pizza). I think native Chicagoans are spoiled when it comes to this. Also, if you can't tell by my screen name, I'm a die hard White Sox fan and I attend anywhere from 20-30 games a season. I can't live without them and I would miss them dearly if I lived anywhere else.

Anyway, I do like Phoenix and all of AZ, though. Dry heat is something I wish we had here. I was there last March and drove down to Tucson from the Phoenix area (grandpa now lives there) to see the Sox in spring training. I guess if I was going to move away it would surely have to be the Southwest. I love the weather and the only thing I would miss about Chicago is the brutally cold winters and snowstorms.

[batman]

i live in chicago and chicago (as well as the entire state of illinois) feels like a supermaximum security prison!!! all because of that horrible former governor, george ryan. from my point of view, chicago USED TO BE a very nice place to live, and then george ryan came along and, with his cutting of jobs, scamming, and much more, just totally turned chicago (and illinois) completely upside down, technically by chasing many millions of nice people out like scared wild rabbits, and causing all rude people to move in like a tsunami.

[danco]

Chicago is a hot fling.
If your young, single, and have some wild oats to sow..
ie: student, short term job assignment, starting over single..
it's a very cool place to experience. When it comes to raising
a family, there are so many other better places to do it.
The stress of traffic, crime, and all other big city maladies
( the public school system is really bad) make this city
a bad wife.

[j33]

Thanks! I grew up here (suburbs and city) and live here now (I'm in my mid-thirties and have been in the city proper for over 10 years). I think it is a very nice place (and improving) and for the most part I really like it (except in February, but I think that is when everyone hates it here).

I've visited many other parts of the country and I keep wanting to come back home, so that ought to tell you something.

However, the comments about the school system are sadly accurate. In order to truly be a livable city for all people (I do not have children, if I did, I'd have to make some hard decisions), the city must fix its school system, however, that can be said of any large city in the US, but that is another thread entirely.

[batman]

for those who are single; if you are rich and top notch popular, then chicago may be for you. but if you are not so popular or have a disability, forget chicago; in fact forget illinois!!!

[jasmine3407]

Like above posts, Chicago is sadly not a place to raise a family, due to schooling and lack of recreation options for kids. Better go to the burbs for that.

But from somebody who was born and raised in San Francisco, and has spent significant time living in other U.S. cities, I can say that Chicago tops them all in terms of cleanliness, architecture, beauty, nightlife, food, sports, recreation...and I can go on forever. I lived in Chicago for 5 years and absolutely loved it. I didn't care if Daley spent our taxes beautifying the city because what you have now is a beautiful city that is not full of crime and homeless people, like San Francisco or NYC. It's a city you want to walk around in and explore. Chicago natives certainly don't see this, and I've had to open many native's eyes to this. Now, I am back in San Fran due to a new job, and I'm really having a hard time with it. I never took Chicago for granted when I lived there, but now that I'm back in my own hometown, I am realizing even more how much of a rare gem Chicago is. And it's still relatively affordable, compared to places like SF! Buy while you can.

[reppin_the_847]

Yeah I agree for the most part. But there is the lone exception though. Basically that is if you're loaded (read: high income level or just have a ton of cash), parents can send their kids to very expensive private schools such as the Latin School or Francis Parker. The tuition at these places is probably higher than the tuition at some universities. But for the typical middle-class and upper-middle class family this is probably out of reach unless they receive a ton of financial aid and/or scholarship money. Just thought I'd add this little spin on things. Some families do live in the city and decide not to flee to the suburbs. By the way, I grew up in the northern suburbs.

Originally Posted by jasmine3407

Like above posts, Chicago is sadly not a place to raise a family, due to schooling and lack of recreation options for kids. Better go to the burbs for that.

But from somebody who was born and raised in San Francisco, and has spent significant time living in other U.S. cities, I can say that Chicago tops them all in terms of cleanliness, architecture, beauty, nightlife, food, sports, recreation...and I can go on forever. I lived in Chicago for 5 years and absolutely loved it. I didn't care if Daley spent our taxes beautifying the city because what you have now is a beautiful city that is not full of crime and homeless people, like San Francisco or NYC. It's a city you want to walk around in and explore. Chicago natives certainly don't see this, and I've had to open many native's eyes to this. Now, I am back in San Fran due to a new job, and I'm really having a hard time with it. I never took Chicago for granted when I lived there, but now that I'm back in my own hometown, I am realizing even more how much of a rare gem Chicago is. And it's still relatively affordable, compared to places like SF! Buy while you can.

[cdrobert]

I gew up in chicago and hate everything about it.

First off I hate the chicago weather.

Second I hate the curruption. It seems like in Illinois they seem to have a tax for everything. Now I can support this to some degree when Illinois schools perform very well compared to places like Ca (until ofcourse at the college level), but when their is a tax for everything from cigarrettes to city stickers, give me a break. What the hell is the point of a city sticker?? Where does this money go? What about the Highways (not FREEWAYS), if all these people pay all this money why dont they just do like the french and germans and make their highways a few feet deep in concrete to prevent the frost wedging in the highways? Oh wait because its easier to pay lazy Polish workers who do nothing. Why is it they would put the construction barriers up in March but wont start working until october right before the snow hits. Need I say anything about former governor ryan? Or the imfamous daly dynasty?

I don'nt know whats more disturbing the curruption or chicagolanders seemingly suttle exception and indifference to it.

Oh and dont even get me started on the chronyism. Everyones always trying to kiss someones ass to get to the top. These same people will take horribly behind their backs and would do anything to steal that top position away. Everyone trys to know someone so they can get by in their silly little worlds. With out connections you wont go to far in Chicago, atleast thats how the people act.

The people in Chicago are down right rude. For being realitively less afluent than the coasts, Chicagoans can be pretty ego centric. Never in all the cities have i visited to have i seen such classes. i cant recall how many times some lame Chicagoan has asked "Oh where are you from where did you go to school?" As if that some how defines somebody. (by the way i live in santa cruz and graduated from UCSC, when i tell them this than the start showing slight signs of being humble.)

chicagons have this false sense of wealth . People on the gold coast think they are the richest people in america. No contray to popular belief it is actually Marin County in the SanFran bay area that is the most afluent county. But North shore folk will immedialty dismiss you and tell you you are wrong even though the north shore is no more affluent than your run of the mill, white suburb in california. Even people out in the sticks in places like barrington and naperville think they have somthing to brag about..give me a break.

Sometimes i think chicagoans have an inferiority complex. why are they always comparing themselves to New York. Back during the turn of the 20th century chicago was called the second city by new yorkers. and chicagoans have never shaken this off. They always argue over silly things like who makes a better hot dog and such. But notice they never rival their sports teams with the mighty wealth of new york. No instead they pick on smaller, poorer, more working class cities for rivialries. That is why their teams rival the greenbay packers, and the st louis cards. Doesnt suprise me though, chicago is all about picking on the little guy. definatly not a city that roots for the under dog.

And the most important issue to me, the racism. Now i know there is racism in california, i see it everyday. But atleast we are clean cut and politically correct most of the time. Keep that in your small social circles and behind closed doors. Oh but not in chicago, people are much more in your face white trash about racism. exrtremley tacky. were else in the country can you automatically know someones nationality just by what street they live on?? i think chicago is somthing like the second or third largest segretated city in the country. everyone sticks to their own kind in chicago. But chicagoans wont admitt that even though the city has a history of racism. Need i remind people that during the mid 1960's when martin luther king was still marching, Chicago was the one city that the demonstraters could not get through because it was to dangerous do the to voilent whites? Now remember this guy marched all the way from the south to DC with dogs and hoses spraying them and they still made it. But he could not get through CHICAGO. Deep down somthing like this makes chicagoans proud otherwise the racism would not be so prevelant in their society today.

Now i know comming from the santa cruz, what gentrification is. If you are in SF, Manhattan, berkeley or santa cruz you are in an epicenter of gentrification. chicago is different.. like most other rust belt cities chicago actually has more people leaving the city than moving in. why? because instead of natural gentriciation, the city tears down housing projects and slapps up prefab town homes and condo's. leaving the working poor to find section 8 housing else where in the city or out in the suburbs.

And oddley enough chicagoans swear by it that their city is tops.

[Steve-o]

Chicago has great food, the best skyline, the best neighborhoods, the best lakefront, the best nightlife (besides NYC IMO), the best arts/museum scene, and one of the best public transport Ive ever seen. Most who live downtown dont even need cars. Its a great city, sorry you all feel otherwise.

As for Chicagoans not being wealthy and playing second fiddle to NYC? As a whole Id have to say Chicagoans are very educated and very wealthy. And New Yorkers like to play the same games as we do too (regarding food etc...).

Chicagoland consistently ranks as some of the wealthiest areas in the world. Naperville and Barrington are great towns, with Naperville consistently ranked in the top 5 places to live in the country. Barrington is extremely wealthy, more so than LOTS of "wealthy" areas in the country. Ive seen homes sell for 15 million and up in that area, so yeah, they DO have bragging rights. Same goes for Hinsdale, Lake Forest, Winnetka, Oak Brook, Naperville, St. Charles, Geneva, Barrington Hills, Arlington Heights, Long Grove. VERY wealthy and upper class.

And the reason we never rival teams with NY is because we dont need to. Our teams are just as fabled as New York's. You should do a little research before you state this. Cubs? They suck, but are also very old and play in the 2nd oldest stadium in the MLB. Same goes for the Sox, who prior to tearing down Comiskey also played in teh OLDEST stadium in teh major leagues. All NY has is the Yankees, who are famous for days gone past and a history of WS victories based solely on their massive spending habits. Thats not history IMO. The Mets? Who are they? Our Bulls are probaly the most storied team (besides the Celtics and Lakers) with arguably the best team ever put together. The Bears? 2nd oldest team in the NFL, New York is BEHIND us in terms of longevity. And no NY football team will EVER have the history and pride that the Bears carry, even though 90% of the time we suck. You dont have to have a winning record all the time to be fabled and storied. The Blackhawks? One of the ORIGINAL 6 hockey teams. Whats more historical than that? The Packers are owned by shareholders and the city, theyre the oldest team and our bitter rivals. We dont "pick on them" or whatever you think. THeyre an NFL team, just like us. They just happen to be our long time rival, and its been like that for 100 years. The Pack fans FAR more pick on us than we do of them. The Pack are very unique and have a HUGE fan base because of that reason. Our other rivals are the Vikings, Lions, BOTH are major cities, we dont pick on them. As for St. Louis, theyve NEVER been a rival of ours, dont even know where youre dreaming that stuff up. Heck, we have a bigger rivalry with Tampa than we do St. Louis.

And CHicago does NOT have more people leaving than coming. Its stayed steady and is re-growing and re-inventing itself. In fact, LOTS of people are relocating back to the city for a short commute. Theres a reason for all the fancy condos, apartments, etc that are being built. Everywhere you look in Chicago is another crane putting up another building. Areas like the south loop and Wrigleyville, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast are all expanding and making room for more folks. Heck, even Trump himself is building a new super-lux place. Why? To meet demand. There are a couple new skyscrapers being built that will be taller than the Sears Tower (Fordham Spire being one of them). Chicago is world class. Dont believe me? Spend time in Miami, or Dallas, or LA, or Phoenix or Portland or Seattle or Newark (you catch my drift). Youll be BEGGING to come back. Only NYC is better IMO. Be glad to live in Chicago. Trust me on that, Im a avid traveler and have been to every corner of this country, many times. Chicago rocks.