Chicago for single black professionals, or nah? What say you? (offices, commute)

[kxr203]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I have always said that people who put Atlanta on par with Chicago, NYC or DC surely can't have traveled much or have never lived outside of the south. There are some things that I appreciate about Atlanta now that I'm living in Texas for sure (as I've previously stated, I don't recommend Texas either), but still, I don't think I'd live there again. I'm just not a fan of the south and once I leave Texas, I'm done with southern living for good.

Once you're done Southern living, where would you go...Chicago, NYC, DC?...

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by kxr203

Once you're done Southern living, where would you go...Chicago, NYC, DC?...

Most likely Chicago. Actually entertaining leaving the county all together.

[TheSunshineKid]

I just want to say what a difference the responses here compared to the thread asking about meeting Christian women. Then again I'm not really surprised.

[kxr203]

Originally Posted by TheSunshineKid

I just want to say what a difference the responses here compared to the thread asking about meeting Christian women. Then again I'm not really surprised.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?...

[pajones3]

Originally Posted by kxr203

Hi everyone,

I have to admit, it's been a couple years since I last visited friends in the Chicago area. The times I came through, I liked it and I didn't have any problems with anybody. Now I know that a lot of the craziness and violence is happening in a select few neighborhoods that I probably won't even need to be in. But I'm just trying to get an idea on the pulse of the city in general these days.

One poster in this forum said that they would not recommend Chicago to a black male professional who isn't from Chicago already. Do they think it would be rough for an "outsider" to adjust and fit in? I always considered Chicago as a possible relocation spot in the future, if the opportunity was right. Everything remains to be seen, but which particular areas you would recommend for a single black male professional in his mid-30's? I know I hear South Loop, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Rogers Park, and Uptown a lot. What about other spots?

Hi: I have lived in the South Loop for 26 years. I am a Black female professional. My daughter is a Judge who tried to live in the Brownsville area on the south side. It looks great with the renovations, but some areas are not safe. The police chief lived across from her and her upstairs neighbor was still mugged outside the bldg while another neighbor was at home unknown to the neighbors across the street from her who broke in on her. My daughter and a Black professional male had moved in on a rent to buy basis and had to look out for each other until they could get out of there. I tried to advise my daughter, but she did not hear me. She purchased a town house bordering Hyde Park and her younger brother had to be careful not to ride his bike in the wrong part of Hyde park while here from Arkansas during the summers. The neighborhoods to avoid are mainly the south side and the west side of Chicago, and some parts of the north side. Unfortunately, after all of the projects were torn down and efforts were made to run many of the inhabitants into the suburbs failed they intermixed in neighborhoods of the working blacks. Some of them also worked, but many are gang bangers living within a two block radius of each other and as a police said when you hear about the shootings in many cases one gang's members has crossed over the two block radius. The majority of the crime was more or less contained in the projects; Robert Taylor had its own police station within the complex. All of these gangs are now interspersed across the city. HUD says it does not rent to people with records, but these people live with other people, men with women who have apartments, etc and continue to committ crimes against the innocent. Chicago is a great city with the above problem.

[EddieOlSkool]

While Chicago is not an ATL or a DC, for a Northern city you do find a decent level of success in the Black population. If you want to look for Black areas, from downtown to Hyde Park is good. Stay away from the West Side. Uptown is hit or miss. If you don't really care about ethnic makeup, I am sure good choices have been discussed ad nauseaum

Be prepared to think that your Chicago counterparts of color appear to be hicks out of the Delta when they open their mouth

[southkakkatlantan]

I'm a single AA mid-thirties (ok who am I kidding...LATE thirties) female who has lived in Chicago for 5 years. I lived in Atlanta most of my adult life.

I haven't read most of the posts But I recommend South Loop as I think it's fairly diverse.

After being here 5 years I don't like to compare ATL to CHI as I think they both have their pros and cons and comparing them would be somewhat like comparing apples to oranges; they're not even in the same region of the country.

Anyways, here are the pros to Chi "I" personally like:

Much much better public transit system
More culture/diversity
Lakefront
Summer festivals (city is just so 'alive' in the summer with many many different options of things to do)

That said I'll also be leaving Chicago soon but the above items are things I will definitely miss.

[kxr203]

Originally Posted by southkakkatlantan

I'm a single AA mid-thirties (ok who am I kidding...LATE thirties) female who has lived in Chicago for 5 years. I lived in Atlanta most of my adult life.

I haven't read most of the posts But I recommend South Loop as I think it's fairly diverse.

After being here 5 years I don't like to compare ATL to CHI as I think they both have their pros and cons and comparing them would be somewhat like comparing apples to oranges; they're not even in the same region of the country.

Anyways, here are the pros to Chi "I" personally like:

Much much better public transit system
More culture/diversity
Lakefront
Summer festivals (city is just so 'alive' in the summer with many many different options of things to do)

That said I'll also be leaving Chicago soon but the above items are things I will definitely miss.

Thanks for the 2 cents. Why are you leaving Chicago, and where are you going?...

[southkakkatlantan]

Originally Posted by kxr203

Thanks for the 2 cents. Why are you leaving Chicago, and where are you going?...

Back to Atlanta.


I'm leaving to be closer to my friends and family in Atlanta. And because if I leave if I get to work from home. If I stay in Chicago I have to go into the office a certain number of days per week. I commute 4 hours roundtrip here so working from home will hopefully give me a better work/life balance for now.

[beaniemac]

Originally Posted by southkakkatlantan

Back to Atlanta.


I'm leaving to be closer to my friends and family in Atlanta. And because if I leave if I get to work from home. If I stay in Chicago I have to go into the office a certain number of days per week. I commute 4 hours roundtrip here so working from home will hopefully give me a better work/life balance for now.

I was working in des plaines a few years ago, and my total commute was 3 hours a day. that job lasted only 1 1/2 years due to this. and I got to work home 1 day a week. but since that job refused to be more flexible with where I could work from (the company had offices within 20 min of my house), I found a job where I work at home 100% of the time. that kind of commute is really draining after a while.