From Chicago: Seattle vs. Denver, San Francisco, Boston, Austin-Which places are nice to visit and which place is the... (living, best)

[maruto]

From Chicago: Seattle vs. Denver, San Francisco, Boston, Austin-Which places are nice to visit and which place is the best to live?

Hi, if you don’t want to read all of this my main concerns are below. Any help or advice that you could give me on any issue would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hello and thank you for replying to this question in advance. I’m a high school senior about to move away from home. I have posted my top concerns below as well as my impressions on each of the cities I’m thinking of moving to: Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Austin and Boston. Any help or advice that you could give me on any issue would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully, this information can become a useful tool to anyone using city-data.com.

Snakes, Spiders, Killer Bees, Mice, Rats, locusts, frogs (other Poisonous animals or pests)
Crime (Is it mostly violent crime?)
Fun/Things to do
Public transportation
How clean is the city?
Urban decay/vast amounts of ghettoes
How friendly are the people there?
What are the people like there?
Times New Roman]Amount of Young People vs. Older people or People with families
Gang violence/presence
Racism/Prejudice
Which city is most liberal and in what way? (Social, Political, or Fiscal)
How similar is it to Chicago?
Night Life/Social Scene
Cost of Living (Compared to Chicago?)
Prevalence of soft drugs/hard drugs
Police Presence (Are they helpful or intimidating?)
Politics (Are there any especially crazy lawmakers, mayors, governors or people in charge of taxes?)

Alright, so here's my story if you're willing to read. I’m a high school senior and I have lived in Chicago and want a completely different experience. Chicago has really great things going on for it. There’s the Lake, fun things to do, nice shopping, can be scenic in some places. But also has some challenges that it has yet to address. For example, Chicago has such a high cost of living because our lawmakers keep mismanaging funds and just plain swindling the public. (That’s the real reason there are only two seasons in Chicago: Winter and Construction. The City hires incompetent workers who use inferior materials to ‘fix’ roads and of course they have to ‘re-fix’ the streets next year while politicians make profit.) And, like sheep Chicagoans keep reelecting these people.

As a native Chicagoan, I am a liberal. Not an extreme liberal, though not a moderate liberal either. I live in a city that’s for the most part violet, more blue than red but the red is quite noticeable. Therefore, I’ve come into contact with, tolerated and made friends with a range of people. However, I prefer to live in a much bluer city. Also, next year will be the first year I’ll be able to vote and it would be nice to go to the polls with friends.

Also, Chicago is very violent. Murders are very prevalent and assaults of every sort are always happening near college campuses. In addition to this the police are becoming more and more violent. They can also be quite unfriendly and intimidating at times. Some more trivia, ever wonder why you’ve never seen Chicago on cops, now you know why. Chicago can also be slightly racist and at times one will observe that unspoken displeasure of residents of color (That would be me! ) entering places they ‘don’t belong’. Though of course, this comes primarily from the older people here. Gangs are also too prevalent in Chicago.

So, basically I’ve taken all my positive and negative experiences with Chicago and the south and used them for my college city search. (That’s why I have poisonous animals on here which is often forgotten about.) These are cities that hopefully have more of the good then the bad as opposed to Chicago, which is still a great city. These are just my impressions and I’m bound to have made a mistake so please voice your opinions or observations. You might even think I should stay in Chicago!

So here are my impressions of each place. Please explain or help me see where I may be wrong.

Boston
Pros: Rich Culture and History, Plenty of sights to see, fun things to do
Cons: Some say it’s a smaller version of Chicago, very high crime, not as liberal as other cities, slightly racist, urban decay, gangs[/font][/SIZE]

San Francisco
Pros: Liberal, Lots of things to do, near natural attraction, somewhat safe, most integrated city, progressive city
Cons: Very Expensive, Homeless Problem, Not as Safe as Seattle or Denver, gangs

Austin
Pros: SXSW (other live music venues and festivals), other fun things to do
Cons: Not as liberal as people often say it is, slightly racist, higher crime rate than other cities on this list, snakes, gangs,

Denver
Pros: somewhat safe, many things to do, somewhat liberal, clean, many natural attractions,
Cons: difficulty acclimatizing, landlocked, not close to other cities, very reserved, can’t buy liquor on Sundays and can only buy from liquor stores any other day, difficult to get good seafood and it’s expensive, can be dangerous at times in terms of crime,

Seattle

Pros: Safe, good seafood, liberal, clean, cosmopolitan, very scenic

Cons: not as much to do as in the other cities, earthquake prone, higher cost of living, poor transportation, problems with property theft,

I have a friend who’s a military kid and has been to all of these cities except Austin. He says that Denver is the best in terms of things to do, like San Francisco, but at a much lower cost. I was somewhat reluctant about Denver because I hear it has a lot of crime. However it does seem like a really nice city.

Racism is also a concern for me as I am a minority student. However, I don't feel that will necessarily be a problem in these specific cities.

So basically the cities I'm most interested in are Seattle, Denver and San Francisco. However, the other cities also seem like they would be okay. Any help on this subject would be most appreciated.

[KittyGlitter]

hey I like you! lol Looks like you have done a lot of research too. Cool..
ok...here's my input on Seattle:

Snakes, Spiders, Killer Bees, Mice, Rats, locusts, frogs (other Poisonous animals or pests)

snakes will not be an issue here, nor will killer bees or frogs or anything else really except spiders. We have a ton of spiders, some poisonous but they mostly stay out of your way. Mice and rats can get in your attic/garage like anywhere else I guess.

Crime (Is it mostly violent crime?)

I'd say Seattle is generally safe, not a huge problem with gangs or violent crime here. Of course like any big city there is crime but you just stay out of the bad areas which are honestly few and far between.

Fun/Things to do

What is your idea of fun? We don't have any true theme parks or anything like that. There is a fairly good nightlife I guess in the city and maybe in Tacoma and Kirkland, but I've heard its lame compared to some other cities. There are many outdoor recreational opportunities here though...biking, hiking, boating etc etc. There's the aquarium and science center, Seattle center, pike place, lots of shopping, and many dining experiences.

Public transportation

meh.

How clean is the city?

Its OK, Pretty clean I guess. I found Portland cleaner but I've definitely seen worse.

Urban decay/vast amounts of ghettoes

You won't find ghettos like you would in Chicago, NY or California. Nor will you find tons of dilapidated buildings etc.

How friendly are the people there?

It depends what you mean by friendly. People here in general, are mild mannered, and not outright rude, but many people are very reserved, keep to themselves. Most likely if you had a flat on the highway nobody would stop to help you but they wouldn't run you off the road either Some say its difficult to make friends, but I'm sure as a college person you won't have trouble making friends.

What are the people like there?

hehe. I posted this the other day. www.werealotlikeyou.com this will give you a good look at the people here.

Amount of Young People vs. Older people or People with families

uhmm... I don't know, I see people of all ages but I tend to see "older families" more than young families...meaning people tend to start their families later. I am 26 and a Mom and I find it hard to meet other moms my age. Depending on where you live also, the demographics change.

Gang violence/presence

not a huge deal

Racism/Prejudice

not really an issue but it is *mostly* white here. Of course there are minorities but most likely less than you might find in Chicago or other area of the country. That being said, there is a little bit of just about everyone here! So its diverse in that sense..

Which city is most liberal and in what way? (Social, Political, or Fiscal)
Seattle is pretty liberal and Washington is a blue state BUT there are still a lot of conservative people too.

How similar is it to Chicago?
We were considering a move to Chicago a few months ago...I think its very different in a lot of ways. Its the west coast rather than the midwest, the people are different personality wise for the same reason. The weather will be different--not as cold and snowy/hot and humid but more rainy drizzly grey/mild. Etc....

Night Life/Social Scene

Adequate enough
Cost of Living (Compared to Chicago?)
More expensive than CHicago, even though Chicago is getting up there. A bit less than San Francisco. I don't know what you'd be looking for though..Apartment? Where in the city? etc..
Prevalence of soft drugs/hard drugs

As much as anywhere else I guess. I'm not an expert on drugs I think there's a lot of MJ and some meth issues but nothing hugely in your face.
Police Presence (Are they helpful or intimidating?)
It depends who you ask..
Politics (Are there any especially crazy lawmakers, mayors, governors or people in charge of taxes?)
lol again depends who you ask and what your priorities are. I know that the Alaskan Way viaduct has been an issue that has NOT been handled in many many years even though they keep TALKING about it...no decision.

Well I hope that helps at least a bit.

[Minnehahapolitan]

I think you are a little too fearful of crime. You just listed four of the safest cities in the country. Politically. Boston just votes Democratic, San Francisco thinks it is 1968. Austin wishes it were San Francisco (and prob. not in Texas, politically speaking. Maybe why there is a liberal perception: the difference between Austin and Texas. End thought). Denver isn't as liberal as you prob. think it is (on a metropolitan scale, at least). I wouldn't call Boston a small Chicago. In order, I would go San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Austin. They are all great, though, which made that hard.

[vegaspilgrim]

Cheese louise! You are asking a ton of lot of questions here, maruto. Narrow it down to one question, please!

Let me just say, Denver is my favorite city on that list. It's a great place to live, but I don't think there's any particular reason to "visit" Denver just to see Denver. It's a nice city, but there's nothing there you can't get in Chicago. The Rocky Mountains, sure, but not Denver itself. I'm not sure where you've heard that Denver is a dangerous city. It's actually one of the safer cities in America given its size. As to the liquor laws, give me a break! Ok, so you can't buy on Sunday-- oh, what a tragedy! You stock up the night before. If you say you're a high school senior... why are you even worrying about liquor laws? You are underage.

Also, worrying about the "isolation" thing makes no sense, especially now that we're in the 21st century. DIA is a major hub airport, it will take you anywhere you want to go in North America, and many direct flights to Europe as well. The "isolation" is what living in the West is all about! It's something to be embraced, not to run away from. Denver is a great location if you love taking road trips exploring the American West.

[pwright1]

All I can say is your pros and cons are way off.

[gallacus]

All I can say is your pros and cons are way off.

I would have to agree. Seems like the pros and cons are addressing merely stereotypes about each city.

I can speak specifically of Denver, since I have lived there:

The city itself is not that great, the only real reason to live there (in my opinion) is the Rocky Mountains. When everyone found out that the weather in Denver isn't as bad as everyone thought, they all moved there. Now its turning into the next Los Angeles -- urban sprawl, pollution, suburbs as far as the eye can see -- which in my opinion is a very bad thing. Although, as much as I'd like to keep someone from moving there, I have to say that putting the liquor laws (which are quite lax in my opinion living in Pennsylvania) and the altitude (which you will be acclimated to in a few weeks) as your cons are unfounded. Neither of which will cause you a problem.

I would put Denver at the end of the list.

[j33]

Also, Chicago is very violent. Murders are very prevalent and assaults of every sort are always happening near college campuses. In addition to this the police are becoming more and more violent. They can also be quite unfriendly and intimidating at times. Some more trivia, ever wonder why you’ve never seen Chicago on cops, now you know why. Chicago can also be slightly racist and at times one will observe that unspoken displeasure of residents of color (That would be me! ) entering places they ‘don’t belong’. Though of course, this comes primarily from the older people here. Gangs are also too prevalent in Chicago.

A lifetime of living in Chicago myself makes me question some of these statements.

No, the police are not becoming more violent, there has always been a small undercurrent of corrupt cops that occasional finds its way into the spotlight, but no more than any other large city like LA or NY

Murders and crime have gone down, not up over the past 20 years. I remember chicago in the 80's, you probably don't, it is a completely different place, and for the better.

The 'bridgeport racist' is mostly a thing of the past and an outdated stereotype.

.... but you are right on the gangs, they are too prevalent here, but they are too prevalent in any large city in the US.


Good luck in your search, I hope you find a city that makes you happy and it more to your liking, but I also hope you look at actual facts about the place you currently live, and the places you intend to move, least you find yourself sorely disappointed because either you discovered you were looking at your destination through rose colored glasses or dismissing your hometown based on information that isn't quite accurate as well.

Making a bit move is something that shouldn't be done out of haste and fuzzy logic.

Personally, if you are looking to go away to college and want the experience of a completely different city, I would recommend Seattle or San Fransisco. It is bound to be a good experience to live for awhile in a new part of the country, and who knows, you might even appreciate home a bit more

[Txstar]

Also, you have the crime rate of Austin backward, It probably has the lowest crime out of all those cities. Last years murder rate was 25 for a city of 700,000.

[danco]

There are some great college towns within a tank of gas from Chicago.
ie: Madison, Iowa City or Champagne. Excellent for young progressive folk.
( some education with your party )

Good luck dude.

[Stagger Lee]

Originally Posted by gallacus

I would have to agree. Seems like the pros and cons are addressing merely stereotypes about each city.

I can speak specifically of Denver, since I have lived there:

The city itself is not that great, the only real reason to live there (in my opinion) is the Rocky Mountains. When everyone found out that the weather in Denver isn't as bad as everyone thought, they all moved there. Now its turning into the next Los Angeles -- urban sprawl, pollution, suburbs as far as the eye can see -- which in my opinion is a very bad thing. Although, as much as I'd like to keep someone from moving there, I have to say that putting the liquor laws (which are quite lax in my opinion living in Pennsylvania) and the altitude (which you will be acclimated to in a few weeks) as your cons are unfounded. Neither of which will cause you a problem.

I would put Denver at the end of the list.

I too lived in Denver, and I fully agree with your description of it. They want it to be a little LA. it is just one giant urban sprawled suburb near the mountains. I liked Capitol Hill and that was just about it when it came to the city. The rockies were great to travel too, but expensive to live in.