Chicago jobs and lifestyle

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by mickey mouse is dead

Wow….thanks for all the responses…it seems like Chicagoans really love their city and are really welcoming (in the Atlanta and Austin forums all I got was "the traffic is horrendous" or "don't come here, is getting too crowded already")….thanks for the pictures, that was awesome, they were beautiful….I did not know that Chicago had beaches, that sure is a plus…About the economy, I read the press release and it looks like it is very diversified, and I guess that makes for good jobs opportunities. How about affordability? I have heard and read that Chicago is, for a world city, relatively not that expensive. What income should I have to afford maybe a 1500 square feet house, and still have money left for basic needs and social activities?

As a world city Chicago is definitely more lower in cost than many others. Are you looking to buy a condo or rent? Something close to the lake in the city, or are you fine being farther out? I would say live in the heart of the city, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Wicker Park. The option of having the trains and busses present opens up the city far more than relying on your car or the commuter system every time you want to do something "in the city".

Average rent for 1 bedroom is around $1,000 to $1,200 a month for a decent, no thrills, apartment in a very nice neighborhood. I know new 1-2 bedroom condos are in the 300's to 400's up on the north side.

I make roughly $65,000 a year and can easily afford my 1-bedroom apartment with heat/air conditioning/dishwasher/balcony. I don't find the city to be very expensive unless you lead an expensive lifestyle. That seems to be the key - a larger city with more activities = more things to spend your money on.

It's a massively large and diverse area though as far as the living conditions in different neighborhoods. You can find anything you want to fit any budget - it all depends on if it's what you personally want.

[pallas127]

I really appreciate the information provided to the member from Orlando. I am also seriously considering moving back to the midwest in the next month. The pictures were great, are these from post cards? Hopefully my story may help you Orlando.

I left Milwaukee for Atlanta in 1995. I thought it was nice for the first two years. I must say that I was impressed by the beautiful subdivisions, the cheap homes and number of black professionals that I saw (if you were a black child that grew up in 1970s Milwaukee you would understand).

I eventually grew tired of living in Atlanta and the South as a whole. I learned that many of these people were superficial, unfriendly or snobs. There were so many people that were just barely getting by. The majority of real friends that I made and still keep in touch with are not black.

That whole bible belt thing was also a bit too much for me. The intolerance of different beliefs and points of view left me wanting more. I really had to get my children out of there before they totally lost themselves in all of it. My BIGGEST complaint thou has to be the summer heat and humidity and the traffic, the heat/humidity seems to last as long as the winters in the Midwest and the traffic made any commute down 75 or around 285 a nightmare!!

I ended up leaving Atlanta for northern California in 2005. I was in search of a more diverse area. I needed to show my children that this country is not all blacks and whites, and yes some areas in California leave you thinking that you are in Mexico but up here there is some of everything. I could never live in southern California, too crowded and I don't like seeing the air(smog) and I absolutly love the weather up here, many micro-climates to choose from.

I know that I have gone on too long, but I just wanted to tell you that every place has its problems. I know people that love Atlanta. Many many of the black people that I talk to think it is the black utopia, I didn't. California is also nice (ocean, hills, mountains), but sometimes these people need to get over themselves. The ocean is freezing and many areas that are not super expensive are beginning to look rather run. Oh yea, you will find that the same can be said about those Texas sized egos (lived there in the mid 80s).

Good luck!