Do you love Chicago? (Atlanta: rent, buying a home, find job)

[pvande55]

I love the city but hate a lot of the politicians.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

The biggest group in Chicago will probably be the $60-200K W2'ers working a 9-5, many of whom will rent. Hardly what most would call "rich".

Like renting is not big in NYC? Really Chicago has a nice mix. High-end Skyscraper living to Lofts, new Town housing even in the core and still single homes in great near the core neighborhoods tree-lined with lush greens with Lake Michigan to play, jog, bike, boat and beach ..... Oh and you don't have to settle for a sardine apartment in a tenement.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by HelterSkelter

Except none of this is true, you know nothing about Detroit. The auto industry is doing better than ever currently and there is plenty diversification in southeast Michigan.

Suburban sprawl, racism and bad urban planning made inner city Detroit look the way it does (happened to every other city in America as well), NOT economy. Metro Detroit is extremely wealthy.

Metro Detroit sees steady gains in population and outpaces the country in GDP growth, Chicagoland is slowly losing population as a whole.

You are misunderstanding my post. I was speaking in a historical context. Detroit crashed way more dramatically than Chicago did. This is just a fact. Even as many areas became blighted, Chicago still hung onto a lot of economic power because it had and has a far more diverse economy. When people say Chicago is going to be the next Detroit I take it to mean they think it's going to crash like how Detroit crashed starting in the 60s. Not like Detroit of today.

In terms of today, Detroit's future looks good I think. It's definitely getting its act together and what happened in decades past likely will not happen again.

[prhill]

Originally Posted by pvande55

I love the city but hate a lot of the politicians.

Many people feel that way

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by DavePa

Like renting is not big in NYC? Really Chicago has a nice mix. High-end Skyscraper living to Lofts, new Town housing even in the core and still single homes in great near the core neighborhoods tree-lined with lush greens with Lake Michigan to play, jog, bike, boat and beach ..... Oh and you don't have to settle for a sardine apartment in a tenement.

I'm not sure what this nonsense is supposed to mean. Sorry.

[Vinny Lugo]

Originally Posted by Bluefox

Detroit was a one trick pony in many ways. It relied too heavily on the auto industry. Chicago has the most diversified economy of any major US city. It would take many industries across the spectrum to pack up and move to turn Chicago into Detroit.

Illinois has some major issues no doubt but I really don't see the worst case scenario resulting in Chicago becoming Detroit.

There are many companies that have their eye on moving out of Chicago. Check out this article...


Illinois companies eyeing an exit - Chicago Tribune

Originally Posted by personone

Absolutely love Chicago! If you've lived here, how could you not? So many diverse people, places, foods, things to do.

I do get sick of seeing the shocking weekend crime totals every week, which leads to endless media coverage, which leads to people thinking about violence and crime as the first things they think about when they hear Chicago; which overshadows all the great aspects of the city.

The reality is that I once read a book and he called Chicago, "A Tale of Two Cities", which it really is. If you have money here, it's great; plenty to do, lots of culture, great singles life, great bars and clubs, etc. However if you are poor here, your life is absolutely horrible and you can think of nothing but escaping the city.

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Lower wages and higher rents is the reality for ALL American cities. As I have said before I have lived in cities in the South that were supposed to offer a cheaper cost of living and I found it to just not be true. The wages in southern states is even lower than here and the cost of housing is just as high and even higher than Chicago's.

I make more money in Chicago since moving back here than any other job that I ever worked when I lived in the South. And I worked in government and for major organizations when I live in the south. And for all intents and purposes, my current job in Chicago would be considered blue collar. With that being the case, I still make more money in Chicago than I ever made in the south.

I love Chicago and I plan to stay here, unless I move out of the country altogether. I have been there and done that. I have lived in other cities besides Chicago that are supposed to be cheaper that people also automatically assume are safer and they really are no better than here. They also have lots of violent crime. To me Chicago is a bargain compared to these places and what you get there versus what I get here. Other cities pale in comparison to Chicago outside of maybe New York, LA and San Francisco.

There is no magical place. You have to make the best of wherever you are.

If you hate Chicago so much, just leave already! I absolutely hated living in the South and I finally decided to stop complaining about it and leave. So I did. I am much happier here in Chicago. Hopefully you will find happiness when you move back to Florida.

1) I am moving back to Florida.


2) I only make a dollar more an hour more in Chicago.


3) With taxes, so high, you make a lot less here than you would in Florida.


4) Chicago is not a bargain, it's a nightmare.

[Vinny Lugo]

Originally Posted by Manterro

Chicago's becoming a two-tiered society where the mayor and the politicians cater to the rich while ignoring the needs of the middle class and the poor. It's becoming a “Luxury City” where a small contingent of super rich are accompanied by a large, struggling servant class. The high taxes, regulations and high cost of living are driving out the middle class in droves.

THIS...THIS...THIS....AND SO MUCH THIS.


I could not agree more. Chicago is basically becoming like the movie Elysium. The poor struggle to survive and find nearly impossible to live, while the wealthy can't get enough of the city.


There basically is no middle class here, there are just really poor people and really wealthy people, and the poor serve the rich.

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

The biggest group in Chicago will probably be the $60-200K W2'ers working a 9-5, many of whom will rent. Hardly what most would call "rich".

But it's so difficult to actually make those wages in this city, it's ridiculous. The only way you could make that kind of money in this city these days is one of two ways:


1) You have rich parents that funded you all the way through school.


2) You do crime.


3) You worked your way up in a city with a much lower cost of living, got career experience, and picked up a degree or two in another cheaper city. Then, you took that and moved to Chicago and got a better job. Working your way up from the ground up in Chicago these days is just about an impossibility.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

TBideon, your comment is indisputable. And very unfortunate that the crime does exist in parts of the city! That said, there exists in Chicago ALSO areas that are very safe, clean, welcoming, and enjoyable.

Perhaps this is one of those "is the glass half full OR half empty?" situations... But i certainly see the beauty of the city and do not let the crime statistics stop me from visiting. I certainly have been in areas of Little Village, Pilsen, and Albany Park that have been mentioned in a negative light. However, these areas also have hard working families with positive values, great restaurants, and a sense of pride.

Great restaurants? Have you been to Austin, South Lawndale, Garfield Park, Englewood, Auburn-Gresham or Roseland? They don't have restaurants, unless you count fast food joints with bulletproof serving windows. They have a lot of crime, rotten schools, and hopelessness.

We need more jobs. High-paying manufacturing jobs, not crappy service jobs that are just going to get scaled back when the city raises the minimum wage. We have to stop burying our heads in the sand and saying "oh the Emerald City is doing great!" That's not going to cut it anymore.

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by Vinny Lugo

THIS...THIS...THIS....AND SO MUCH THIS.


I could not agree more. Chicago is basically becoming like the movie Elysium. The poor struggle to survive and find nearly impossible to live, while the wealthy can't get enough of the city.


There basically is no middle class here, there are just really poor people and really wealthy people, and the poor serve the rich.

I don't understand how anyone can say there is no middle class here. The tens of thousands of 20 and 30 somethings moving to the city are all middle class, the vast majority of the office workers in the loop who live in the city are middle class, all of the city employees living in the city are middle class....I think people on this site set the bar really low for what they consider rich.

Originally Posted by Vinny Lugo

But it's so difficult to actually make those wages in this city, it's ridiculous. The only way you could make that kind of money in this city these days is one of two ways:


1) You have rich parents that funded you all the way through school.


2) You do crime.


3) You worked your way up in a city with a much lower cost of living, got career experience, and picked up a degree or two in another cheaper city. Then, you took that and moved to Chicago and got a better job. Working your way up from the ground up in Chicago these days is just about an impossibility.

Oh please; It's no more difficult to make $60K in Chicago than anywhere else, granted $60K isn't all that much money, and your dollar will go further in many other places; but to claim having rich parents or being a criminal are the only two ways to make money, is beyond ridiculous.

I know this goes against the Millennial narrative (I'm a Millennial) that there are no jobs, life isn't fair, etc. but I don't think it's all that hard to earn close to six figures, as long as you're smart, understand what an asset is, and are willing to work hard and hustle.

[Master Jay]

BRU67, actually there are some great restaurants on Harlem Avenue in the Galewood section of Austin. You named 6 community areas of Chicago that I have never had extensive contact with (I come from Milwaukee and do not usually spend time south of 35th Street, as driving is ling enough once I get to the north side of the city). But I am curious of a comment you made. I mentioned that Chicago, one of the most populous cities in the United States, has some great restaurants and then I named several areas where I have been. I wonder why you chose to focus on several of the 77 community areas that you report that are not pleasant? For me to say that Chicago has some great restaurants is not disputable. I chose to focus on the positive aspects of the city... Again, some people focus on the glass being half full, while other choose to focus on the glass being half empty. I wish you all well! Jay