LA to Chicago - relocation questions (Lincoln, Oregon: apartments, to rent, crime rate)

[enggrelo]

Hi,

I am from Los Angeles and looking to relocate to Chicago in November(actually New York is also in the options).

About Me
I am straight, single man,born in south east asia and in my 30s. Reasonably outgoing - but might become less so in Chicago (or New York) as I am looking for admission in a business major.

Accommodation preference
I am looking to rent an apartment around the Gold Coast or Lincoln Park in around 1250/mo.

Questions
This is one city in USA I havent even visited before, yet I can be moving in winter. Please throw some light

Life in The Chicago City
- how is the crime rate in those areas - can I walk back from gym to home at 11:00 PM on weekdays, and from night spots to home much later on weekends ?

- is there any late night public transport on weekends?

- which places are good for active nightlife in Chicago - if one lives in Gold Coast or Lincoln Park ?


Winter For a transplant

- is the winter really harsh from halloween to easter as some say?

- do people deliver food from restaurants to home in winter, or in snow you just stack up food and hibernate ?

- are their chilly winds all year, or the windy city is just for the political climate?

- are employers lenient about WFH during late November to January at least ?

Places to Visit
- is the lakeside like a fun beach as the pictures show, or is it more like the beaches we see in San Francisco, cold and gloomy 8 months a year?
- what are good attractions within 10 miles radius of those areas?
- any advise specific to Chicago if one wants to have a car in the place? I haven't lived in a snowy place - so may miss something very obvious.

thanks,

[Nafster]

I have lived in both cities, and while it takes a long time to do a really good comparison, I'll do my best to briefly pack a lot in.

Accommodations - What are you looking for in terms of an apartment? A studio? One bedroom? Open to having a roommate or two? If you're willing to live with another person, you most likely WILL be able to stay well within your price range in Lincoln Park or The Gold Coast. You also will likely be able to find a studio in both neighborhoods for around that price. One bedroom - most likely not. In all situations, you will likely be living in older apartments, but you might be able to find ones in Lincoln Park that are a bit larger for the same price than in the Gold Coast.

Crime - As in all cities - always be aware. Most of Chicago's crime is concentrated on clustered South and West Side neighborhoods. Still - you have to be careful. I always walked alone around 11PM at night in these areas when I lived there and I was fine. In terms of leaving bars, I'd take a train, bus, or Uber it. I did the same in New York, and do the same in LA. In pretty much all cities - I'd say try not to walk home past 2AM at night alone for long distances. Never was a victim of a crime in Chicago, and never knew anyone who was.

Nightlife - I loved the night life in Chicago! There are plenty of 4AM bars (5AM on weekends) and the city was very vibrant at night. Gold Coast, Lakeview, River North, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Bucktown, to name a few, are the top nightlife hubs serving many different cliques.

Transportation - It's MUCH better in Chicago than LA, and overall, the city of Chicago is simply much more easy to live in without a car and navigate, mostly because it is a much more centralized city than LA. Getting from point A to point B and then to point C is much more doable. The red and blue lines (Red will serve your area) run 24 hours 7 days a week, and nearly all major streets have 24 hour buses that also connect trains. Most other trains run 22+ hours, stopping a bit after 2 AM and resuming right before or after 4 AM. You will be able to take trains and buses home or to bars 24 hours in Chicago.

Winters - They suck, and you will struggle. But you'll live. I did, you will, and you will miss LA in this regard, I promise! It is NOT winter like or chilly on Halloween. Winters usually don't start until right after December, but lately the've been starting around Thanksgiving and ending in early April!

Too many questions, but I hope this is a good start.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by enggrelo

Winter For a transplant

- is the winter really harsh from halloween to easter as some say?

It's all relative. For you coming from SoCal, it will be harsh. For me moving here from Wisconsin, it is mild.

Originally Posted by enggrelo

- do people deliver food from restaurants to home in winter, or in snow you just stack up food and hibernate ?

Life goes on in the winter just as it does the rest of the year. People go to work, go out to bars, go out to eat, and live their lives. The real hearty types still recreate outside (though most people tend to shift to more indoor activities). It is only the most extreme snow/cold events that stop things in their tracks, and these may happen a couple of days per year, if at all. Last winter was particularly bad.

Originally Posted by enggrelo

- are their chilly winds all year, or the windy city is just for the political climate?

The "Windy City" thing is total B.S., and was based on the boastfulness of Chicago's boosters in the late 19th Century. Chicago is not more or less windy than average, though you can get some "wind tunnel effect" between skyscrapers downtown.

Originally Posted by enggrelo

- are employers lenient about WFH during late November to January at least ?

See comment above about life going on normally in the winter. Everyone is expected to be at work unless there is a major snow/cold emergency. I think I have been excused from work exactly one day over the last 12 years, and that was the big blizzard of 2011. You may find that your employer is understanding about being a bit late during weather events, however.

[Steve-o]

I think Nafster said it really well.

[Drover]

[Bellamouse]

I disagree that winter starts in late December. It is, in fact, COLD on most Halloweens (and it usually rains, too). Most kids wear coats over their costumes. Only very occasionally is it mild enough to go without a coat. Or, because of the rain, there is no trick or treating at all... So while you might not get "winter" (i.e., snow, below zero) until later, it will be cold and wet and generally unpleasant from Halloween until May. This year, our "summer" has been anything but. Today is cold yet again. The only upside is we save on our A/C bill. But I would rather have a nice hot summer to offset the misery that is inflicted upon us for the rest of the 8 months here...

The Windy City was named that because of politics, but I do think we have lots of biting wind during the cold months (anyone with a dog who is forced to go out and walk said dog all year long will agree with me). And downtown between the buildings can be a nightmare.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZvmHs3Q-H8

I agree about the safety - have lived here my whole life and it's very safe. I would walk in those neighborhoods at night and not worry one bit.

I think you will find it nice here on many levels - great people, great restaurants and nightlife, but for me, the weather, traffic, taxes and corrupt government/unions far outweigh whatever positives Chicago has. I think because you are coming from somewhere really nice, those negatives may be more pronounced. If you were coming from say Wisconsin (as someone else mentioned), you might think it was great here.

Just my opinion.

[probablyimnotsure]

Is the extreme weather worth living in Chicago, especially if it's not your hometown? Is the city so great that it overrides brutal winters and humid summers? I guess I will have to find out for myself.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by probablyimnotsure

Is the extreme weather worth living in Chicago, especially if it's not your hometown? Is the city so great that it overrides brutal winters and humid summers? I guess I will have to find out for myself.

I grew up near Portland, Oregon but have lived in Chicago now for most of the past 20 years. I love it, even if winters do occasionally test that love.

[probablyimnotsure]

Originally Posted by emathias

I grew up near Portland, Oregon but have lived in Chicago now for most of the past 20 years. I love it, even if winters do occasionally test that love.

That's good to hear. I'm from Southern California and I have always wanted to live in a more compact, clean, not flashy, world class city. And it seems Chicago fits that bill. I've heard it also has a great american feel to it which is a bonus. Emathias, do they keep the L somewhat clean? I have a little bit of OCD as you can tell.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by probablyimnotsure

That's good to hear. I'm from Southern California and I have always wanted to live in a more compact, clean, not flashy, world class city. And it seems Chicago fits that bill. I've heard it also has a great american feel to it which is a bonus. Emathias, do they keep the L somewhat clean? I have a little bit of OCD as you can tell.

The lines that run 24-7 (Blue and Red) tend to be dirtier than the lines that shut down for a few hours every night. And in the winter the snow makes everything where outside shoes go dirtier.