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Old 12-12-2012, 11:03 AM
 
5 posts, read 20,244 times
Reputation: 10

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There is always a word war about this topic. But I need opinion for my situation. We lived in Michigan for 10 years before we moved to Chicagoland for my spouses' college. We like the NW suburbs so far. We have 2 young kids (3 &6) Having worked in automotive industry for 10 years, I feel that I have better opportunity in Michigan. In Chicago, my only concern at this point is travel time to and from work. Plus, I hear the taxes are going to go up and worst state of finances for Illinois. What is your opinion, especially to raise family? We don't do too much outdoor activities... in Michigan we travelled to Mackinaw and thats about it. About museums and other activities that chicago has to offer. in the past 3 years, we only did musuem once or twice. Couldn't we do it drivingfrom michigan? Plus Michigan has low cost of living....
I appreciate your opinion in this matter.
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Old 12-17-2012, 01:27 PM
 
1,648 posts, read 3,271,575 times
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You state - Michigan has better opportunities for you. Michigan has a lower cost of living. I'm not sure what there is to debate. Michigan welcomes you back =)
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Old 01-19-2013, 09:58 AM
 
7 posts, read 26,959 times
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Personally, I think the Detroit suburbs are great. There are so many different ones that could fit any of your needs.There is a lot of great shopping in the Detroit area as well as the Detroit Zoo, Henry Ford Museum, and the DIA. Going downtown to a Detroit Tiger's game is a great thing to do with your family, and there are many great restaurants downtown too. Another great thing that you get from living in Michigan is Northern Michigan. You are a good 2-3 hour drive from it's beauty if you live in the Detroit suburbs.
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Old 01-19-2013, 10:57 AM
 
Location: Chisago Lakes, Minnesota
3,816 posts, read 6,441,822 times
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The only reason I would pick the Chicago 'burbs over Detroit's would be if you spend a LOT of time downtown for entertainment purposes. Chicago's downtown and lakefront simply cannot be beat, and if it's a big part of your life then Detroit's will not measure up, even though it is underrated in itself.

Based on your OP, though, it doesn't sound like you fit the above description, and so this one is a no brainer. A large percentage of the Detroit suburbs are fantastic places to live, they're cheaper, and they're part of a state that blows Illinois away in terms of natural beauty. We live up north MI and love it, but if we ever had to move to the suburbs of Detroit I would be more than happy to raise my family there, epsecially since I'm originally from Detroit to begin with.
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Old 08-11-2014, 02:56 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,587 times
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Detroit suburbs are way better! Detroit suburbs offer more opportunities and more entertainment. My favorite part of Detroit suburbs is that they all have nice downtown areas.
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Old 08-12-2014, 06:20 AM
 
Location: Grand Rapids Metro
8,882 posts, read 19,847,179 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by calvinsims View Post
Detroit suburbs are way better! Detroit suburbs offer more opportunities and more entertainment. My favorite part of Detroit suburbs is that they all have nice downtown areas.
Many of Chicago's suburbs have nice downtown areas, and a lot of them have train stations with actual METRA trains that serve downtown Chicago (so you don't have to drive your car into downtown). Detroit got rid of their interurban rail network. The Chicago metro area and Cook County was also planned with large urban parks that stretch for miles and almost a hundred thousand acres of forest preserves in a ring around the metro area. There are a few scattered metro parks in the Detroit area but they pale in comparison.

I still wouldn't live in the Chicago metro area, but just setting the record straight.
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Old 08-12-2014, 08:23 PM
 
4,792 posts, read 6,049,648 times
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None of that is worth Michigan's lower cost of living, reduced commute times, and more diverse suburbs.

The Chicago suburbs aren't very diverse. Skokie is full of different ethnic groups, but it is the exception. Some of DuPage county is rather diverse, but not by much. The parts of the Chicago suburbs that have non-Whites tend to be poorer and rather dangerous (South Suburbs). Oakland County has more minorities that don't live in poverty (like I noticed that Blacks in Oakland County seem to be doing well). Blacks in the suburbs of Chicago are only slightly better off than the ones in the city, but not by much.
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Old 08-15-2014, 10:29 AM
 
Location: Chicago
6,359 posts, read 8,825,324 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Northerner View Post
The only reason I would pick the Chicago 'burbs over Detroit's would be if you spend a LOT of time downtown for entertainment purposes. Chicago's downtown and lakefront simply cannot be beat, and if it's a big part of your life then Detroit's will not measure up, even though it is underrated in itself.

Based on your OP, though, it doesn't sound like you fit the above description, and so this one is a no brainer. A large percentage of the Detroit suburbs are fantastic places to live, they're cheaper, and they're part of a state that blows Illinois away in terms of natural beauty. We live up north MI and love it, but if we ever had to move to the suburbs of Detroit I would be more than happy to raise my family there, epsecially since I'm originally from Detroit to begin with.
true. Michigan does blow away Illinois when it comes to beauty. But for the typical Chicagoan, when we get outside of the metro area, we don't find Illinois to be our state. What we relate to a place where we spend far more time and enjoyment and know so much better than our own state, a place that rivals Michigan in beauty. Of course I mean Wisconsin and there is no place outside Chicagoland that we are more attached to.
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Old 08-15-2014, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Louisville
5,293 posts, read 6,054,135 times
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I'm sure there are more Chicago-landers heading to WI than MI. It's a little easier to get to. However there is a fairly substantial contingent of them that are in MI on the weekend as well. I believe the lake shore residents have a nickname for them. FIPs F***ing Illinois People
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Old 08-15-2014, 04:03 PM
 
Location: Grand Rapids Metro
8,882 posts, read 19,847,179 times
Reputation: 3920
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjlo View Post
I'm sure there are more Chicago-landers heading to WI than MI. It's a little easier to get to. However there is a fairly substantial contingent of them that are in MI on the weekend as well. I believe the lake shore residents have a nickname for them. FIPs F***ing Illinois People
We call them "Illinoi-ing." Only because they tend to drive like maniacs and/or travel slowly in the left lane on the highways up north.
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