Illinois - Staying or Moving? (Chicago, Jacksonville: amusement park, to buy, calculation)

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

So the economic analyst are wrong and you're right? Can you show me something similar to the link I provided that shows Florida's COL is lower and wages are higher than in Illinois? Your personal anecdote is great and all, but I'd be more inclined to believe trained professionals over a seemingly bitter individual who moved away and still returns to online forums to preach about how much money they're saving in Florida. There are obviously exceptions to the rule (you claim to be one), but it appears that the rule is many will make more money in Illinois AND have a lower COL - even if their individual tax burden is higher.

I wouldn't necessarily say a drop of 10-20k is "people moving out in droves" when your population is just shy of 13,000,000. Florida is a great place to be once you are rich (sounds like that Illinois money helped you get ahead), but most moving to Florida to get rich will likely be disappointed.

Frankly, Florida isn't much to write home about, anyway. High heat, higher humidity for six months of the year, bland to the extreme, no culture to speak of, alligators, sinkholes and the reputation of being "Heaven's Waiting Room". Illinois looks fantastic by comparison.

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by MassVt

Frankly, Florida isn't much to write home about, anyway. High heat, higher humidity for six months of the year, bland to the extreme, no culture to speak of, alligators, sinkholes and the reputation of being "Heaven's Waiting Room". Illinois looks fantastic by comparison.

Agreed - I could never live in Florida personally, but it can be a nice place to put the money you made elsewhere.

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

Agreed - I could never live in Florida personally, but it can be a nice place to put the money you made elsewhere.

I certainly understand that people have preferences and that their tastes might not be mine, but some of the posts in this forum border on internet evangelism.

If a person moved his or her family from Illinois and it worked out for them, great. I'm happy they're happy. However, I don't need someone to preach to me about how financially oppressed I am and how everyone where they live in East Cupcake, Texas/Florida/Mississippi (whatever) is so much happier and better off than all of us here in the poor, depressed, decrepit state of Illinois. I've lived in IL/TX/MA and WI, and I've never been more financially successful and better off in health and happiness than when I've lived here. However, I also don't feel the need to go back to WI forums or MA forums in an attempt to "edify" the people about how much better off I am here than I was there, or how my grass would be *so much greener* if I just moved to the other side. Everybody's personal circumstances are different, and what works for one person may not work nor be the preference/desire of another.

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by MassVt

Frankly, Florida isn't much to write home about, anyway. High heat, higher humidity for six months of the year, bland to the extreme, no culture to speak of, alligators, sinkholes and the reputation of being "Heaven's Waiting Room". Illinois looks fantastic by comparison.

I am sorry but Florida has so much more to do and see than Illinois and more to write home about than overall than Illinois. Illinois first of all doesn't have the amount natural/oceanic beauty that Florida has, Florida I believe has a longer coastline than California! Illinois has nothing like St. Augstin or Key West. Miami is not Chicago, but it's a pretty great city in it's own right with a bright future, strong international flair, and pretty damn unique compared to the rest of the US. Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando are nothing special, but it's more than what Illinois has. If you think Florida is bland then you probably haven't seen much of it. So Florida is bland but Illinois is not?!

Let's be honest here Chicago is an amazing city and also my favorite city in the country, but when you stack up Florida vs. Illinois as states overall, Florida has SO much more to do and is more interesting than Illinois IMO. From the abundance and variety of wildlife, number of beaches, various cities, Florida is lot more interesting.

I mean let's take anecotdal experience. Who the heck says "I am going to go vacation in Illinois"? NO ONE. People say Chicago, but Illinois holds a very limited appeal outside of Chicago. Florida on the other hand people vacation there all the time. From the beaches, amusement parks, to Miami, to the keys, to the everglades, to the other not so interesting cities, to the small beach underrated and very cool beach towns (like Delray Beach) there is a lot more going on in Florida than Illinois.

The homerism here is incredible and ridiculous.

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

I certainly understand that people have preferences and that their tastes might not be mine, but some of the posts in this forum border on internet evangelism.

If a person moved his or her family from Illinois and it worked out for them, great. I'm happy they're happy. However, I don't need someone to preach to me about how financially oppressed I am and how everyone where they live in East Cupcake, Texas/Florida/Mississippi (whatever) is so much happier and better off than all of us here in the poor, depressed, decrepit state of Illinois. I've lived in IL/TX/MA and WI, and I've never been more financially successful and better off in health and happiness than when I've lived here. However, I also don't feel the need to go back to WI forums or MA forums in an attempt to "edify" the people about how much better off I am here than I was there, or how my grass would be *so much greener* if I just moved to the other side. Everybody's personal circumstances are different, and what works for one person may not work nor be the preference/desire of another.

Totally agree with this. People have different goals in life and preferences. I want to work in Latin American Marketing, so guest what Miami is going to offer me 10x the amount of opportunity than Chicago will. This is my situation just like everyone has their own.

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

I am sorry but Florida has so much more to do and see than Illinois and more to write home about than overall than Illinois. Illinois first of all doesn't have the amount natural/oceanic beauty that Florida has, Florida I believe has a longer coastline than California! Illinois has nothing like St. Augstin or Key West. Miami is not Chicago, but it's a pretty great city in it's own right with a bright future, strong international flair, and pretty damn unique compared to the rest of the US. Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando are nothing special, but it's more than what Illinois has. If you think Florida is bland then you probably haven't seen much of it. So Florida is bland but Illinois is not?!

Let's be honest here Chicago is an amazing city and also my favorite city in the country, but when you stack up Florida vs. Illinois as states overall, Florida has SO much more to do and is more interesting than Illinois IMO. From the abundance and variety of wildlife, number of beaches, various cities, Florida is lot more interesting.

I mean let's take anecotdal experience. Who the heck says "I am going to go vacation in Illinois"? NO ONE. People say Chicago, but Illinois holds a very limited appeal outside of Chicago. Florida on the other hand people vacation there all the time. From the beaches, amusement parks, to Miami, to the keys, to the everglades, to the other not so interesting cities, to the small beach underrated and very cool beach towns (like Delray Beach) there is a lot more going on in Florida than Illinois.

The homerism here is incredible and ridiculous.

Funny how countering any argument here is considered homerism, but senseless trolling is totally okay . Misery loves company, I guess. What exactly have I or anyone else in this thread said that is blatantly false homerism?

I (and I'm sure many others) am tired of seeing the same posters post the same BS day in and day out when there's DATA to prove that things are NOWHERE NEAR as bad as the doom and gloom crowd indicates. It does nothing but distract from actual DISCUSSION that we could be having. As I and MANY OTHERS have stated - Chicago and Illinois have problem, but they also have a lot of strengths. Guess we can't talk about those around here though...can't have people thinking you're a homer!

[Vlajos]

Florida is mostly a dump. Miami is fine for a a day or two. Much rather go to Spain if I was seeking that type of thing.

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

Funny how countering any argument here is considered homerism, but senseless trolling is totally okay . Misery loves company, I guess. What exactly have I or anyone else in this thread said that is blatantly false homerism?

I (and I'm sure many others) am tired of seeing the same posters post the same BS day in and day out when there's DATA to prove that things are NOWHERE NEAR as bad as the doom and gloom crowd indicates. It does nothing but distract from actual DISCUSSION that we could be having. As I and MANY OTHERS have stated - Chicago and Illinois have problem, but they also have a lot of strengths. Guess we can't talk about those around here though...can't have people thinking you're a homer!

I am sorry but there is a lot of homerism here. I don't think anyone is denying the good qualities of Illinois and Chicago, as there are several, but outside of Chicago the state is pretty limited, let's be honest about that. There aren't any cities outside of Chicago that are significant or offer an abundance of culture or things to do. From and outdoors perspective that state is pretty lacking. Ok I can deal with that. But when someone tells me that Florida is bland with nothing to do and no culture, but Illinois is much better, I am sorry that is homerism as there is significantly a lot more to do and more varied things to do and see in Florida than Illinois.

I don't think this state is going to collapse but it's in trouble. My brother-in-law is now losing his job because of the state funding problems, his last day is in two weeks. My sister and him were planning on having a baby this year and want to buy property but now they might have to look outside of Illinois if they want to do that and can't find anything in the coming months. He works for a charter school system that partially gets its funding from the state. My mother works in public healthcare and they just let go of half her team because of the budge problems. So don't act like everything is fine too. I think it's warranted that people don't have the most optimistic view on the state of the state Illinois in and Chicago. No we are not collapsing, but we sure are struggling. People are leaving, there is no money to get the things we need, and taxes are going up, not a good combo.

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Florida is mostly a dump. Miami is fine for a a day or two.

Where have you been in Florida? You probably haven't even been outside of Miami Beach

Did you see Wynwood? Coconut Grove? Brickell? Coral Gables? North Beach?

I mean outside of Chicago city proper, Illinois IMO is way worse than Florida.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Florida is mostly a dump. Miami is fine for a a day or two. Much rather go to Spain if I was seeking that type of thing.

And if I was in search of a mild/warm climate, I'd MUCH rather visit California, which certainly has the diversity ( in all aspects) that Florida lacks....

If Mississippi represents the lowest cost-of-living, then why hasn't its population exploded? It's a bit more complicated than simply saying " my water bill is lower here"...