Will Chicago become the next Detroit? (crime, buying a house, employment)

[Moving2017ab]

Will Chicago become the next Detroit with all his problems? I would hate to see my favorite city in the world go down so bad.

[Maintainschaos]

There's already a threat on this topic: //www.city-data.com/forum/gener...9-detroit.html

[chicagobear]

Try buying a house on the north side. Hint, bring lots of money.

[brodie734]

Chicago has in-built advantages that will ensure it will never be like Detroit. Namely, a diversified economy.

[BRU67]

No, and the proof is in the pudding. We already completely obliterated our manufacturing base via high taxes, pro-union laws and policies, and business unfriendly tort and workers compensation laws. Yet, we still are what we are - a vibrant Emerald City full of professionals who make a lot of money in the New Economy and a starkly contrasted south and west side with high unemployment and crime and bad schools. So no, we won't become Detroit.

[Scottiegal]

No, well not until the next tax increase.

[lepoisson]

Doubt it. We have a diverse economy. Detroit didn't.

That being said, the state, Chicagoland suburbs, and city will continue to lose population due to weather, increasing taxes, and people wanting a higher quality of life elsewhere.

[Northeasterner1970]

It's really doubtful. Though Chicago's population is stagnant for the most part, the population of Chicago isn't really declining. Also, Chicago's most struggling neighborhoods are still less decayed than many of Detroit's neighborhoods.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

Doubt it. We have a diverse economy. Detroit didn't.

That being said, the state, Chicagoland suburbs, and city will continue to lose population due to weather, increasing taxes, and people wanting a higher quality of life elsewhere.

Actually it's all about having a critical mass of skilled, professional jobs that turns your metropolitan area into an economic magnet. A diverse economy has nothing to do with it. Chicago started with finance and eventually brought other industries into the city and suburbs.

The climate can't be modified. But Millennials are moving to the city from the suburbs, the region, and sometimes from other parts of the U.S. It's still an immigrant magnet too.

The key selling point is the large conglomeration of employment in one place. Most other regions can't or won't create such a large conglomeration.

Also the infrastructure is still top notch compared to the underdeveloped Sunbelt. Texas has 3.5 major metros and can't even figure out that a commuter rail system similar to Metra is the correct solution to connect the suburbs to the city, much less connect the Texas Triangle together.

[Slats Grobnick]

If Chicago goes the way of Detroit then the entire Midwest goes down the tubes, and if that happens so does the USA.