For those of you who've fled Illinois, where did you go? (apartment, homes)

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

I will never understand in a million years why people pick Florida of all states to move to, though.

Lots of people like me love the sun, especially in winter when much of the country is suffering

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Lots of people like me love the sun, especially in winter when much of the country is suffering

I could see doing the snowbird thing someday, but to live in Florida year round? uhhh, No thanks!

[Papillons2]

I was an Illinois resident from birth through age 25 -- grew up in the northwest suburbs, graduated from SIU-Carbondale, then lived and worked in Moline for three years. Left for good 32 years ago. It's not really accurate to say I "fled" because the career opportunity out of state was too good to pass up (although the Quad-Cities region was very depressing because of the awful winter weather and 20 percent unemployment rate at the time, and it wasn't the best area for a young, single person in any case). After a few years in Dallas, another excellent career opportunity opened up in Fort Lauderdale. I've been there since '87.

There is still much I miss after all these years about Chicago -- an actual spring and fall, downtown with its skyscrapers and older architectural masterpieces such as the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, the museums and cultural opportunities, the sports teams (was pleasantly surprised at how many fellow White Sox fans turned out when they played in Miami last month), and the pizza (former New Yorkers rule the pizza world in South Florida, and the few deep-dish/stuffed pizza places that have opened haven't lasted long).

On the other hand ... weather from approximately Halloween through May 1 is outstanding, and I've gotten used to the summers (I won't sugarcoat the heat, humidity and thunderstorms, but you don't have to shovel rain, and the chances of a direct hit from a hurricane aren't as high as alarmists would have you believe). I look out at the front yard in the morning and see majestic royal palm trees. Out back, the view is of a pool that's usable year-round and a bird feeder that has attracted a colony of feral parrots. What else do I like? World-class getaways within three or four hours of here (Disney, Key West and Sanibel by car; the Bahamas by plane or even boat). The state is relatively stable financially, and the local economy generally has been robust except for about three years after real-estate crash in 2008. The schools aren't the best, but we've never had kids, so it's not a big deal for us.

All that said ... it's highly unlikely, but if my wife (who grew up three blocks away from our current home) ever says she's interested in a summer place in the Chicago area, count me in.

Great thread, by the way. Only thing surprising is that I figured a lot of people from Arizona would check in, and that hasn't happened (my mom and dad retired to Tucson, and almost all their neighbors are from the Chicago area -- I tell them their housing development should be renamed Little Chicago).

[frostopsy]

Originally Posted by ngrome

I think living in the midwest is better. I'm glad I'm back up north.

Welcome back! Glad I'm not the only person who moved out for a while and came back.

[chicagodude84]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

Welcome back!

Thanks, haven't moved back yet lol Plan on moving next month (OCT)


C.D 84

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by helena101

Atlanta, GA. Lower housing costs, lower overall tax burden, excellent schools in the northern suburbs, booming job market, no looming budget/pension crisis, filled with transplants which makes it easier to meet people, love the natural beauty of the area (rolling hills/forests), winters are short and there's no expectation that you come in to work when the weather is nasty.

Alot of people from Illinois are turning up in the Atlanta area. I know because of the large presence of drivers with Illinois license plates.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Lots of people like me love the sun, especially in winter when much of the country is suffering

My ideal location would be along and north of 43-45N latitude at the minimum. I've had enough heat and humidity to last me a lifetime.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by Papillons2

Great thread, by the way. Only thing surprising is that I figured a lot of people from Arizona would check in, and that hasn't happened (my mom and dad retired to Tucson, and almost all their neighbors are from the Chicago area -- I tell them their housing development should be renamed Little Chicago).

Good post! Ill check in from AZ... we left IL due to the wife's health. She was recommended a warmer, drier climate, and AZ was her second home anyways since childbirth (she came down a few times a year almost her entire childhood). Add the fact that she has family here and, well, here we are. It hasnt been the easiest transition, but overall I enjoy it here. The heat is intense and lasts forever. Winter days are mild, nights are cold (no, you cant swim here in the winter). The food is good if you like Mexican, and most "Chicago-style" restuarants are rather nasty, spare Portillos and Lou Malnati's that we recently acquired. I miss the Fall and even occasionally miss the snow, but love that I dont have to wash salt off my car. Here the sun and heat destroy paint, too, but at least theres no rust. Other cons? Schools are rather bad, most suburbs are bland and boring, and good architecture is hard to find. Pros? Most of the roads are impeccable, the highways are nice, and we're a short 2 hour drive from Sedona, Tombstone, and the Grand Canyon, which are nice weekend getaways.

Sorry for rambling on there.... basically we left IL for the wife, but I dont miss the taxes, corrupt Democrats, and the flat farmlands outside of Chicago.

[Windycityrn]

Originally Posted by 4122

What are the differences between your new home and Illinois? Do you like it better or no?

Moved to San Diego this summer..

Pros:
When people ask if we moved cause of the weather, I always say it's the things we can do because of the weather, being able to hike, bike, jog outside everyday.
We feel healthier here.
It does not feel as crowded.
The traffic moves (maybe it's the six-lane highway vs 3-4 in Chicago)
The beaches.


Cons:
No Lou Malnatis, we miss our pizza!
Most of our family still in Chicago.
Houses are double the price.

Everything else evens out. Gas is about the same or a little more expensive, Our gas/electric is lower, we open our windows most of the time and it is comfortable.
Every place has its pros and cons, we are still adjusting and we like it so far. We'll see in a year or two.

[BearBull&Cub]

My husband and I left to explore new places. We first moved to the Palm Springs, California area, which proved to be too small for us having come from a larger area such as the Chicagoland area. It was also seasonal and had crime we weren't used to. So, our bad.

Then we moved to Lake Forest, California (Orange County), which was fun, but too expensive. I think it's gotten more expensive since we've left. We realized we were priced out and potentially staring at apartment living for the remainder of our lives. So, we chose a place we could buy in- Austin, Texas.

Austin is not really our place. Some people love it, some people do not love it. Crime is more than we are used to in the NW suburbs of Chicago. We realized just how lucky we were growing up and not having to worry about leaving our garages open and unattended, for example. We get to keep more of our income because we don't have income tax here. However, property tax is seemingly high. We paid $3500 a year, I think, on a $153K home in Austin. I know, however, Illinois property taxes are absurd in some areas.

Lessons learned: Pros and cons exist everywhere. Prioritize your wants while understanding your losses.

Chicago is always with us. We try to visit many times a year. As many have said, we miss so many things like food, its cultural aspects, the architecture, and our fellow Midwesterners. No matter where we go, we are proud to cite where we are from. And, we truly do miss the Midwest work ethic, general kindness, and vibe.