Does Chicago "feel" Midwestern? (Lincoln, Avon: transplants, houses, neighborhoods)

[Jakeg1]

In terms of people, culture, pace and an overall aesthetic does Chicago feel like a Midwestern city? I'm particaliealy curious about the architecture as well. Does the city's look seem more on par with places like Cleveland, Milwuakee, etc. in my experiences areas by the lake front resemble a more New York look. And even smaller scale neighborhoods still seem too dense to be compared with the rest of the Midwest. What do you think?

[marothisu]

Some parts yes, some parts not as much.

[chicagobear]

It's always felt more like an east coast city to me.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

It feels like Chicago to me

[ASOT]

For Midwestern feel, the bungalow houses in some neighborhoods comes to mind.

[UrbanCheetah]

No, not particularly. Chicago very much feels like a hybrid East Coast and Midwest city. So in some aspects it feels Midwestern, but nothing too crazy. I actually would say in terms of lifestyle, pace of city and overall vibe, Chicago could easily be confused as being an East Coast city. To me the only real Midwest thing Chicago has going on are the neighborhoods that have a high percentage of residents from other Midwest states (I am looking at you Lincoln Park and Lakeview). There you feel the Midwest vibe a little more because most people you bump into are from Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, etc. Go visit Albany Park, Avondale or Pilsen and you will get ZERO Midwest vibe, and I would say that is true for nearly half if not more, of the Chicago neighborhoods.

[raleightransplant]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

No, not particularly. Chicago very much feels like a hybrid East Coast and Midwest city. So in some aspects it feels Midwestern, but nothing too crazy. I actually would say in terms of lifestyle, pace of city and overall vibe, Chicago could easily be confused as being an East Coast city. To me the only real Midwest thing Chicago has going on are the neighborhoods that have a high percentage of residents from other Midwest states (I am looking at you Lincoln Park and Lakeview). There you feel the Midwest vibe a little more because most people you bump into are from Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, etc. Go visit Albany Park, Avondale or Pilsen and you will get ZERO Midwest vibe, and I would say that is true for nearly half if not more, of the Chicago neighborhoods.

This is accurate.

[ToriaT]

Well it sure does not look like Milwaukee where the houses are mostly wood.

[VA All Day]

In any part of the city where white people live, very much so.

[BOSORD93]

I grew up on the east coast and went to college in Indiana. Chicago definitely feels more like an east coast city. It feels like a true, big, proper "city" with lots of diversity and culture. However, the large number of Midwest tourists and transplants in certain areas kinda give that Midwest vibe at times. But overall, it feels like its own thing, leaning more east coast vibe.

If you're in the loop, River North, or go to the northern neighborhoods like Albany Park or Devon Ave area, you feel like you're in a big, diverse, world class city.