What city should I move to Madison, Wi or chicago? (Evanston: insurance, crime)
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I've moved from the twin cities to Hampton, Va and absolutely hate it. I've decided that I can appreciate the Midwest now after living in the Southeast for 4 months..lol So can my 12 year old. I am considering Chicago, Ill or Madison, WI. Madison because safety and education is better or Chicago because culture, diversity, and job opportunities (may be) better. I am so confused.What I do know is that I gotta get the Heck out of Virginia! I have no desire to explore the upper east coast to live or even visit. Can anyone offer a good perspective?
Depends what you want. Do you want a very urban setting or a small city atmosphere? Both are beautiful cities so you can't go wrong there. Chicago does offer a variety of styles of living. You can live in dense urban areas or areas that will be more like Madison ( I am thinking of Chicago's neighbrohoods like Edison Park, Sagunash, Irving Park, etc).
Personally, I grew up in Chicago. In a dense urban area. Your kid will be more diverse, appreciate more cultures, and be cultured himself if he grew up in Chicago. You can honestly tell the difference from someone who grew up in the city of Chicago compared to someone who grew up in the outer suburbs. People that move from the suburbs to Chicago mostly go to Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, etc. All of their friends are white, and never dare to venture to neighborhoods like Humboldt Park, Hyde Park, Avondale, etc. They pretty much live in their own world. I knew someone who lived in Barrington who had only been to downtown, Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Wicker Park, but ouside of those neighborhoods they had never ever been anywhere else. She had already been living in Chicago for 5 years!
People who have been raised in the city are so different, much more diverse friends, willing to live in a variety of areas and more in tune with Chicago culture as whole. Sorry I know I kind of rambled.
If your kid grows up in the city, he will be exposed to a lot which in my opinion is a good thing. Everytime people find out that I was raised in Chicago they always say "That must have been so cool!" and yup it was. It all depends what you are looking for.
I've moved from the twin cities to Hampton, Va and absolutely hate it. I've decided that I can appreciate the Midwest now after living in the Southeast for 4 months..lol So can my 12 year old. I am considering Chicago, Ill or Madison, WI. Madison because safety and education is better or Chicago because culture, diversity, and job opportunities (may be) better. I am so confused.What I do know is that I gotta get the Heck out of Virginia! I have no desire to explore the upper east coast to live or even visit. Can anyone offer a good perspective?
Thanks
ISH! The Cities themselves are personal paradise for anyone who doesn't mind living in the Midwest! In general, being a transplant originally from the Twin Cities - you will feel right at home (maybe slightly confused about directions at first) in the urban mega-region that is Chicagoland. In many ways, Minneapolis-St. Paul are like a condensed soup version of Chicago. Like you said, Madison is a safer place to live in terms of the amount of crime and the type of crime that takes place, but I would still pick Chicago for a myriad of reasons. In my opinion, what your daughter "lacks" in education going to a public school in Chicago can be made up for by all of the world class institutions fostering independent higher learning - museums, art galleries, and universities in and around Chicago when she's graduated high school if she decides to remain there. As she gets older, Chicago will hold more opportunity for fun as well as there point blank is more to do than there would be in Madison (music, theatre, Lake Michigan in the summer, parks, the museums mentioned above, great shopping, gorgeous and vibrant architecture, food and countless other things I haven't even began to touch on). Not only that, but the public transportation setup in Chicago is one of the best in the nation, meaning you and your daughter would both be able to get almost anywhere you need to be in the city without having to own a car. Commute times are a little longer, but that's a small trade for no car payment, insurance or maintenance costs in my opinion. Madison is a nice, beautiful city. But in my opinion, it really isn't a place you should move to unless you have family there or want to retire. Sometimes, less is not more. There's just no "draw" to the area if that makes sense? Hope this helps! Good luck with your relocation!
Here is what I would say are the main differences between the Chicago and the Madison experience.
1. The size/population. Chicago is a major urban center, crowded, a lot of people. Madison is MUCH smaller. In Madison, you can up and drive from one end of town to the other without giving it too much thought. Whereas, in Chicago you will have to plan for traffic at certain times of day and such. However, in Chicago, you get more to do, a wider variety of interesting neighborhoods, pro-sports, the convenience of trains/airports, etc. It creates a different lifestyle, and is something to be considered.
2. At least when I was there (at the University), Madison was much more politically charged than Chicago. I knew a lot of people that were constantly talking about politics, and even got angry/aggressive about it. Most of the people I've met since moving to Chicago spend a lot more time talking about other topics. I found that to be more pleasant.
3. Outdoor activities: More are available near Madison than Chicago.
I don't think that's true. The lake, plus all of the city parks definitely win over any parks Madison has to offer.
Seriously??
Chicagos parks are very nice. But it is pancake-flat artificial landscaping. When people think outdoor recreation, they are usually thinking natural forest and hills. There is actually plenty of this in the Cook and collar county forest preserves, but its nothing close to driftless area hill country, with state parks to the west and the Baraboo Hills/Devils Lake, and ski hills to the north of Madison.
Sorry, but if you want real nature, the lakefront ain't it. There are a couple nice forest preserves in the city limits by Edgebrook/Sauganaush and Dan Ryan Woods in Beverly.
^^^ The Cook County Forest Preserves are much closer to downtown Chicago than Madison is to Baraboo/Devil's Lake. Chicago in the core, yes it is flat. But in the outer parts no it is not. Beverly is super hilly, along with the North Shore. If you are going to include Baraboo/Devil's Lake then I think it is only fair to include the North Shore of Chicago as well.
Personally, I think Madison is better for outdoor activties in terms of variety. However, I disagree that the Chicago area is completely and totally flat.
Chicagos parks are very nice. But it is pancake-flat artificial landscaping. When people think outdoor recreation, they are usually thinking natural forest and hills. There is actually plenty of this in the Cook and collar county forest preserves, but its nothing close to driftless area hill country, with state parks to the west and the Baraboo Hills/Devils Lake, and ski hills to the north of Madison.
Sorry, but if you want real nature, the lakefront ain't it. There are a couple nice forest preserves in the city limits by Edgebrook/Sauganaush and Dan Ryan Woods in Beverly.
There may be slight differences, but the commute time from Madison to areas you're describe are similar to the commute times from Chicago to ski areas as well as areas like the Indiana Dunes, and Lake Geneva if Lake Michigan bores you. It depends on the person and their general interests in terms of exactly what type of nature they want to experience. I'm much more of the mentality that the area north of Madison is definitely pretty. But I wouldn't want to go adventuring around there when there's a perfectly good number of parks, the lake and other recreational areas situated around Chicago that will keep me more than happy. chikid makes excellent points.
ISH! The Cities themselves are personal paradise for anyone who doesn't mind living in the Midwest! In general, being a transplant originally from the Twin Cities - you will feel right at home (maybe slightly confused about directions at first) in the urban mega-region that is Chicagoland. In many ways, Minneapolis-St. Paul are like a condensed soup version of Chicago. Like you said, Madison is a safer place to live in terms of the amount of crime and the type of crime that takes place, but I would still pick Chicago for a myriad of reasons. In my opinion, what your daughter "lacks" in education going to a public school in Chicago can be made up for by all of the world class institutions fostering independent higher learning - museums, art galleries, and universities in and around Chicago when she's graduated high school if she decides to remain there. As she gets older, Chicago will hold more opportunity for fun as well as there point blank is more to do than there would be in Madison (music, theatre, Lake Michigan in the summer, parks, the museums mentioned above, great shopping, gorgeous and vibrant architecture, food and countless other things I haven't even began to touch on). Not only that, but the public transportation setup in Chicago is one of the best in the nation, meaning you and your daughter would both be able to get almost anywhere you need to be in the city without having to own a car. Commute times are a little longer, but that's a small trade for no car payment, insurance or maintenance costs in my opinion. Madison is a nice, beautiful city. But in my opinion, it really isn't a place you should move to unless you have family there or want to retire. Sometimes, less is not more. There's just no "draw" to the area if that makes sense? Hope this helps! Good luck with your relocation!
I'm not here to start an argument, rather simply a civilized educated debate, to help the OP make his/her decision. Both are great cities: while "less is not necessarily more" I have to debate your reasoning.
Madison is NOT just a place to retire or move to if you have family. That is just nonesense. Its not some small town of 10,000! It is home to a major research university that brings people in, both students and faculty from all over the world.
And the university has museums both associated with the state capitol and the unversity as well as cultural insitutions, performing arts, etc. associated with the university.
Its similar to Ann Arbor, MI too. In fact, Chicago is fortunate to have all these big Ten universities to feed its white collared demand, because outside the midwest, Chicago is under stiff competition with opportunities of the cities of California and the east coast, and the boomtown nature of the cities of the "New South" (ATL, HOU, etc.) And Chicago proper is not very effective in educated its own to supply the white collared needs of the city itself. It depends on the good schools of the suburbs of Chicago and ALL midwestern cities with kids to be sent to the great midwestern universities. I think Chicago owes more to the Madisons, Ann Arbors, Colombus's, and Champaigns than it realizes.
This is no slap in the face to the struggling working poor who are unfortunate to live in the vast swaths of the downtrodden, rustbelt crime-ridden, impoverised neighborhoods but Chicago can lose 2/3 of its population and not have its cultural amenities compromised. Chicago just barely edges out what San Francisco, Boston, and D.C. have to offer with less than 1/3 the population of around 700,000 each. Meanwhile Madison, having a huge university of 30,000 + students offer what most cities have that are twice Madisons size (200,000).
The student population of the university of Wisconsin Madison is probably about the same as Depaul, Loyala, and Northwestern put together. I would have to comfirm this.
No, going to Chicago public schools is absolutely not made up for by its museums and art galleries, the only thing that would make up for it, is intensive coaching and spending time with parents. If she wants her daughter to have access to culture and diversity, while still getting a quality eudcation, without breaking the bank, she should move to Oak Park or Evanston.
There are plenty of areas also that are just about as safe as Madison too. Chicago is very segregated between safe, nice areas, and rundown, depressing areas. That won't be a problem.
Also downtown Madison is situated between two great lakes. It may not have the shopping, but if they want really high end retail they can go to Chicago in two hours, and be back later that day.
And in terms of diversity and food, you would be suprised by what you can find in Madison. I ate at an Indonesian restaurant in Madison, and I can not find an Indonesian restaurant in Chicago. Also, I was suprised to find an Afghani restaurant there too.
To summarize: both are great cities, but honestly the competition is a bit closer than people think. And Oak Park and Evanston are the ideal choices for family-oriented areas, yet with access to culture. (Both within those communities as well as access to the city.
Chicago has more than anywhere else in the midwest, but any midwest city with a metro population of 1.5 million or a college town, with a students pop of 30,000 + students are going to have similar attraction as Chicago, just downsized to a smaller scale, and whatever Chicago has that those places don't its either a 2 hour drive (day trip doable) or a 1-2 hour flight for $50 bucks and $5.00 on the blue line from O'Hare
Chicagos parks are very nice. But it is pancake-flat artificial landscaping. When people think outdoor recreation, they are usually thinking natural forest and hills. There is actually plenty of this in the Cook and collar county forest preserves, but its nothing close to driftless area hill country, with state parks to the west and the Baraboo Hills/Devils Lake, and ski hills to the north of Madison.
Sorry, but if you want real nature, the lakefront ain't it. There are a couple nice forest preserves in the city limits by Edgebrook/Sauganaush and Dan Ryan Woods in Beverly.
This is one of the issues I have had with it... The city parks are okay (at least Lincoln Park) but that isn't nature. The Cook county preserves at least the ones around foster ave in NW Chicago aren't even worth going to IMO. I have been to some others that were recommended and I was like meh... I'd rather drive an hour or two out than to bother with it as they have grafitti in them, litter, highways close by, etc. Chicago is pretty weak when it comes to nature, probably it's weakest point. Wisconsin is much better, so is Michigan, or NW IL, or far down state... but not really around Chicago. It's "nature", but pretty blah and just "a section of woods"
Also getting out of Chicago will take much longer in traffic than getting out of Madison.
As far as schools you could live in many areas connected to the city served by Metra. I wouldn't purposely advise going to most of CPS schools.
Not everything about Chicago is good, I agree with your post. I would still pick Chicago though for the city itself, as Madison would be underwhelming to me for my current needs, just as the nature is underwhelming in and around Chicago.
You are right that plenty of people move to Madison just to go there...
Last edited by grapico; 02-05-2011 at 04:06 PM..
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