CHICAGO population grows 2%, remains 3rd largest city (Worth, Manhattan: 2015, attorney)

[NYEddy]

Originally Posted by Don Cuccino

Big reason why Houston has grown is because it keeps annexing land into their city. Chicago's population would undoubtedly grow if it did the same thing. Houston is almost 3 times the size of Chicago. If it annexed just Evanston, Cicero, and Skokie our population would be almost 3 million, and that's just 3 suburbs.

Yes, amen! I've also been saying this for years. Houston continues to annex land/suburbs; they even maintain a website dedicated to annex requests.

If Barry Bonds has an asterisk next to his name in the Hall of Fame, Houston should have an asterisk next to its name in these ranking tables.

I lived in Houston for 2 years. You couldn't pay me to move back. Most of my friends were fellow transplants from NY, Chicago, Boston etc. Out of my transplant community of 15 or so, only 1 guy is still there. It doesn't feel like a place to put down roots. Early-to-mid career oil & gas professionals go there to make some bucks, but when the pay isn't good or the bonuses don't come (or worse: layoffs), there's not a lot else to keep one sticking around.

It is a HIGHLY transient city. Most of the expats that come through on short-ish rotations and don't stick around long. Other northern transplants come their seeking greener pastures, but then realize that poor construction quality, lack of public transportation, mostly chain-based dining, excessive summer rains and oppressive humidity, really don't offer a high quality of life.

Here's another caveat: Texas is actually raising property taxes! State level is 1.69% and Harris county is running at 2.09% Shoddier housing (Building codes/zoning are joke in TX) with rising taxes doesn't seem like a winning trade to me.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by G in MP

Yeh the woke thing is anti-liberal, if anything.

Exactly

[chicagogeorge]

Originally Posted by Don Cuccino

Big reason why Houston has grown is because it keeps annexing land into their city. Chicago's population would undoubtedly grow if it did the same thing. Houston is almost 3 times the size of Chicago. If it annexed just Evanston, Cicero, and Skokie our population would be almost 3 million, and that's just 3 suburbs.

True Houston is huge (so is Phoenix and LA as well) but when's the last time it annexed land? Chicago wouldnt even be able to annex those suburbs. Why would they want to join the city? Houston is growing because more people are moving there and fewer people are moving out. It's that simple. Their population increased by about 10% over 200000 people. They will continue to and people as long as the cost of living is affordable and their economy remains strong. As of right now I don't see anything that will deter Houston from eventually overtaking Chicago. Even their metropolitan area will likely surpass Chicago in the not so distant future already estimated to be at 7.3 million. In 2010 it was just 6.1 million.

Originally Posted by coldwine

I don't know that Houston will be habitable in 2050.

If it is, and it continues to grow, great. Go for #1.

Maybe we can work on our infrastructure by repairing what is needed and investing further.

The idea of living through another explosive growth in real estate is unbearable. Keep that crap in Texas, their politicians don't seem to mind what happens to their citizens.

I don't know what you mean but I have a house in San Antonio and the city is gorgeous. It's also booming. My house there which I rent out sits on at least twice the lot size compared to my house here. I pay just about 11000 in property taxes here but only 5500 there. There is no way I will be able to. continue to live in Chicago once I retire which will be in about 10-12 years. It makes little economic sense. I have 3 choices, the Phoenix area which I have a house in Surprise that I bought 2 years ago (renting it out as well, property taxes are under 1600). San Antonio or somewhere along the West Coast of Florida between Naples and Tampa. I was there for a month in June looking to invest but the real estate values are through the roof right now so do decided to wait it out until the market cools off.

[Don Cuccino]

Originally Posted by chicagogeorge

True Houston is huge (so is Phoenix and LA as well) but when's the last time it annexed land? Chicago wouldnt even be able to annex those suburbs. Why would they want to join the city? Houston is growing because more people are moving there and fewer people are moving out. It's that simple. Their population increased by about 10% over 200000 people. They will continue to and people as long as the cost of living is affordable and their economy remains strong. As of right now I don't see anything that will deter Houston from eventually overtaking Chicago. Even their metropolitan area will likely surpass Chicago in the not so distant future already estimated to be at 7.3 million. In 2010 it was just 6.1 million.

.

LA and Phoenix are both smaller than Houston. Houston had massive annexation as recent as the 90s. Point isnt whether Chicago can or will annex, point is that incorporating new land will undoubtedly increase population in almost any city. If San Francisco were to Annex just one suburb, Oakland, it's population would increase by 50%. If Dallas were to annex just Ft Worth it would have almost the same population as Houston.

Originally Posted by coldwine

I don't know that Houston will be habitable in 2050.

If it is, and it continues to grow, great. Go for #1.

Maybe we can work on our infrastructure by repairing what is needed and investing further.

The idea of living through another explosive growth in real estate is unbearable. Keep that crap in Texas, their politicians don't seem to mind what happens to their citizens.

Weather forecast for Houston for the next 10 days is low to mid 90s every day and very humid. That sounds like a nightmare.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by NYEddy

Here's another caveat: Texas is actually raising property taxes! State level is 1.69% and Harris county is running at 2.09% Shoddier housing (Building codes/zoning are joke in TX) with rising taxes doesn't seem like a winning trade to me.

With an increased population comes an increased appetite for taxes. That's what the righties who moved to so called "low-tax heavens" like TX seem to often neglect to realize. Also, TX is getting more blue as folks from the east and west coasts flock there. The whole state isn't blue, and may not be for awhile, but the major urban centers certainly are, And there is no reason to believe that they will not vote in politicians who will enact policies that raise taxes significantly. You can never run from it!

[chicagogeorge]

Originally Posted by Don Cuccino

LA and Phoenix are both smaller than Houston. Houston had massive annexation as recent as the 90s. Point isnt whether Chicago can or will annex, point is that incorporating new land will undoubtedly increase population in almost any city. If San Francisco were to Annex just one suburb, Oakland, it's population would increase by 50%. If Dallas were to annex just Ft Worth it would have almost the same population as Houston.

Houston had 1.6 million people in 1990, almost 2 million in 2000 and 2.1 million in 2010. Now over 2.3 million. Their overall growth wasn't a result of annexing areas surrounding the city. It was because more people are moving in and less moving out.

Weather forecast for Houston for the next 10 days is low to mid 90s every day and very humid. That sounds like a nightmare.

Most people don't consider it a nightmare since the fastest growing areas of the US are all in places like this.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by chicagogeorge

Houston had 1.6 million people in 1990, almost 2 million in 2000 and 2.1 million in 2010. Now over 2.3 million. Their overall growth wasn't a result of annexing areas surrounding the city. It was because more people are moving in and less moving out.





Most people don't consider it a nightmare since the fastest growing areas of the US are all in places like this.

I don’t think we need to ignore the very real problems places like Houston face when it comes to infrastructure. The severe cold weather and resulting power crisis as well as Harvey have proven that Texas’ infrastructure is overall inadequate. I get that it hasn’t been much of a deterrent for some people, but I have serious misgivings about how the next few decades are going to be if events such as these continue to occur, even if infrequently. It’s enough for me to scratch most areas of Texas off my list of places I would consider moving to.

[kwr]

Originally Posted by Don Cuccino

LA and Phoenix are both smaller than Houston. Houston had massive annexation as recent as the 90s. Point isnt whether Chicago can or will annex, point is that incorporating new land will undoubtedly increase population in almost any city. If San Francisco were to Annex just one suburb, Oakland, it's population would increase by 50%. If Dallas were to annex just Ft Worth it would have almost the same population as Houston.

Weather forecast for Houston for the next 10 days is low to mid 90s every day and very humid. That sounds like a nightmare.

Clearly, you do not understand the concept of a metro area. Oakland IS already included in the San Francisco metro area. Ft Worth IS already included in the Dallas metro area. The entire Houston metro area continues to grow. Highlighting annexations that happened thirty years ago in the city proper that is by the way included in the metro is a distraction.

Both the Houston and Dallas Ft Worth metros are forested to pass the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA this decade by 2030. There is nothing wrong with that. If the projections hold, they don’t take anything away from Chicago. Chicago would still be an awesome city to visit.

The real nightmare is having to wear snow boots and a coat when it is <=20 degrees with gray skies for several months out of the year in Chicago, and then having to deal with hot and humid summer days occasionally. Almost 1 1/2 times more people live in Texas (29mm) than Illinois (12mm). Seems many more people like warm than cold weather as TX is the 2nd most populated state in the US behind California.

[wase4711]

news flash...

Unless you are retiring, NO ONE moves to or from a city only because of the weather

[chicagogeorge]

Originally Posted by Bluefox

I don’t think we need to ignore the very real problems places like Houston face when it comes to infrastructure. The severe cold weather and resulting power crisis as well as Harvey have proven that Texas’ infrastructure is overall inadequate. I get that it hasn’t been much of a deterrent for some people, but I have serious misgivings about how the next few decades are going to be if events such as these continue to occur, even if infrequently. It’s enough for me to scratch most areas of Texas off my list of places I would consider moving to.

They can invest in upgrading infrastructure if need be. As you said storms and freak cold spells or whatever haven't been a deterrent for people moving to cities such as Houston Dallas Phoenix Miami.... That's why they are the fastest growing areas in the country. It's not like we aren't prone to weather disasters. People don't move to Chicago for the climate that's for sure, but the climate here is a contributing factor as to why many have moved.