How happy are you guys in Chicagoland? (Aurora, Naperville: neighborhoods, purchases)

[G in MP]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I've been, Georgia is nowhere near being in the top 100 most beautiful places.

Well, if there's more than 100 beautiful places in the world, why stop the count at 100?
He did say "outdoor scenery", and Georgia has some of that covered bigtime up at its north end, just gorgeous up there.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by G in MP

Hi there. I could address your questions as you ask them, but I don't think they will much answer what you really want to know, as in, should you move here. The short answer is, you could do worse, at least for a few years.

Jobs wise, you've got a big job market here, so you'll most likely land something that will support you.

Getting into the city from the suburbs is fairly easy by car or train. And of course, the city has all the usual stuff people like about big cities: world-class museums, huge dining selection, bars galore, shows/events, Bears, Hawks, Bulls, Cubs...uhhh, that other team down there. Just a bunch of things to do if you're so inclined. And of course Chicago itself is a pretty one, at least in parts like downtown, areas near the lake...you'll figure it out.

You got your big airports, you got the rail or bus to anywhere if you prefer that. Lots of travel options.

Schools, whether you mean college for you, or you saying you have school-aged kids, either way you're good there. Suburban schools are generally fine. You've got the great uni's like U of I, NW, whatever. The jr. colleges are great too, generally.

As for the murder rate and political issues, you could relax because they will most likely have no bearing on your life whatsoever, being a suburbanite and all (I should say it depends on the suburban area, so do your research).

With all that said, we're aiming to get out of here eventually to someplace less busy, cheaper, and more naturally scenic, and with better weather. Because when the schools are no longer a priority, when the career is established and could be done from anywhere, and the museums/restaurants/events etc. are all enjoyed more often on vacations to different locales than into the city, staying here turns into, yeh, because of family, friends, familiarity and routine.

Hope all that helps you.

Damn fine post. Thanks for taking the time. Much obliged to you.



To whoever was complaining about the red light cameras, we have those here in Texas too. It's not a democrat thing. Not to go off on a tangent, but REpublicans are not true conservatives, but I digress.




Also, the Ann Arbor board is quite dead. I have never been there, but it seems like a great place to raise a family. Cost of living, schools, etc look good. My worry is jobs there? You guys are right by Michigan, do you guys think it'll rebound or is it not as bad as the media says?

[G in MP]

No worries at all, glad to help. Oh yeh, I hear ya about the republican thing, too.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by ChicagoGolfer

Happy as a clam. (Are clams happy?)

Moderator cut: image removed

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by chet everett

If you do have a geoduck in your pants it is not bad to be mistaken for AWFULLY happy --

I've had that before. It's awesome.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I've been, Georgia is nowhere near being in the top 100 most beautiful places.

I love the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountain region in terms of physical beauty. To me they are more beautiful than anything in Colorado. But the residents of the area are often a bit, uh, behind. I don't think I could live there.

[Aerio]

Originally Posted by Gaylord_Focker

Just want honest answers. Indulge me. Are you there because it's where you and your family is from, or do you love it there? What is your outlook on Chicago and it's future? From the outside, it looks so dynamic, but then obiviously you hear about the murder rate, political issues, etc.


Before anyone goes off on me, I am still looking to relocate and Chicago has been on my mind. I really hate where I live.

Chicago is in my final 2 or 3 (Ann Arbor, Seattle, Denver is now 4th). Because of the schools, I want to live in the burbs and maybe visit Chicago on the weekends.

Lived in the suburbs most of my life. Visit Chicago often, and work in it as well. I would like to move out of the area honestly -- either work abroad, or work/live in another part of the US that is quite distinct from Chicagoland and the Midwest. The only thing keeping me here is my job, family, and friends. I think Chicago is a good place to live for a while, especially if you aren't from here, but I am not interested right now in it. I have had enough and would like a change. If I had a family, I would say Chicagoland is a good place to raise children, but I am not at that stage now as well.

[RJ8089]

Not much talk about Seattle. The Seattle-Tacoma metro area offers the big city (13th largest metro in U.S.) and the great outdoors. It is also one of the prettiest cities in all of the U.S. The only two downsides are the weather and the city being so far away from everything else in America. If you look at Seattle on a real map, you'll find that it's higher on the globe than Portland, Maine or even Nova Scotia for that matter. I have lived in Chicagoland, it's a great city as well. But consider Seattle and don't let people scare you about the rain.

[pvande55]

Reasonably happy, but the job market could be stronger and the politicians less corrupt and more competent. Even the mayor of Chicago, raised in the suburbs, is not sucking up to unionized city workers since he took no money from them. We are blessed with one of the best rail systems in the country, where even commutes of 50 miles can be tolerated. Air travel convenient to the whole country. Weather very changeable, but we are spared the extremes. Terrain: there we have a problem. Flat as a pancake, though not the flattest in the country, makes for boring scenery.

[MSchemist80]

Truth be told I could tolerate the bad weather but the dysfunctional govt here is just killing me. It really does affect people and it seriously degrades the quality of life in Illinois. They are like a drowning man trying to pull you down with him. First the sales taxes hit 10%, then the income tax went to 5%, the tolls doubled, but the property taxes are killing us. My mother pay $8k a year which is almost a third of her retirement income. It is just totally out of control. They can raise it every year even when prices drop with little trouble and they have no reason to exercise any fiscal discipline.

Frankly I hate the govt here. They take all this money and the services are not great and they give us nothing but corruption and oppression. The roadways still suck, the facilities are significantly inferior to other counties and definitely other states. There is not one good dog park in my area and dogs are banned from all the regular parks. The forest preserves are run down. Try riding the Desplaines river trail from Cook into Lake county and see the difference.