What's a better metro area? Chicago vs Detroit vs Atlanta vs Seattle (living, best)

[theasker379]

What would be a better metro area for yuppies?

I am looking for:
- good nightlife
- good amentities
- stuff to do
- cheap cost to live

[Pemgin]

For those things you listed:

Chicago>Atlanta>Seattle>Detroit

[steveklein]

When you factor in cost of living, Atlanta is probably the best. Chicago is a larger city, and some would argue Seattle is nicer... but I think both of those places are more expensive than Atlanta.

[arc-lang]

Atlanta is definitely going to be the cheapest metro. Even with Detroit's economic issues of the past, their suburbs are still going to be more expensive than Atlanta's. Nightlife and Amenities would go to Chicago. Stuff to do would probably be even for all cities. Having said all of that, if I ever move again, I have always said it was going to be somewhere in the Northwest, so Seattle would get my vote.

[Pemgin]

For cost of living, Detroit is by far the best. But it falls well short of the other three in the other categories. Seattle is great, but it's very expensive and I don't think it tops either Chicago or Atlanta in amenities, nightlife, and stuff to do. Atlanta is a relatively inexpensive city (and especially metro) in which to live for the amount of stuff the city has to offer. But Chicago is the tops among these four for nightlife, amenities, and stuff to do, and it's not as expensive as Seattle and only a bit more expensive than Atlanta.

[Trafalgar Law]

Single Family House Median Sales Price 2014:
1. Greater Seattle: $356,600
2. Greater Chicago: $205,900
3. Greater Atlanta: $159,500
4. Greater Detroit: Not Available

http://www.realtor.org/sites/default...2015-02-11.pdf

Median Sales Price for Condominium Units 2014:
1. Greater Seattle: Not available
2. Greater Chicago: $163,600
3. Greater Atlanta: $136,300
4. Greater Detroit: Not available

http://www.realtor.org/sites/default...2015-02-11.pdf

Studio apartment rent (monthly) 2015:
1. Greater Seattle: $972
2. Greater Chicago: $812
3. Greater Atlanta: $708
4. Greater Detroit: $510

One bedroom apartment rent (monthly) 2015:
1. Greater Seattle: $1,150
2. Greater Chicago: $922
3. Greater Atlanta: $773
4. Greater Detroit: $648

Two bedroom apartment rent (monthly) 2015:
1. Greater Seattle: $1,415
2. Greater Chicago: $1,093
3. Greater Atlanta: $916
4. Greater Detroit: $846

Three bedroom apartment rent (monthly) 2015:
1. Greater Seattle: $2,085
2. Greater Chicago: $1,393
3. Greater Atlanta: $1,213
4. Greater Detroit: $1,128

Four bedroom apartment rent (monthly) 2015:
1. Greater Seattle: $2,506
2. Greater Chicago: $1,624
3. Greater Atlanta: $1,474
4. Greater Detroit: $1,233

FY $fmrtype$ Fair Market Rents Documentation System — Select Geography

Under zero circumstances if cost of living is important to you should Seattle be a legit option. As for the other three, Chicago is the most affordable big city urban experience that you can have in the entire Western Hemisphere at-large. If you want a very big city with efficient use of infrastructure and modes of transport, as well as higher density accumulated in close spaces (makes walking to stores far easier) then Chicago is your city of choice. In addition to that, you get stellar restaurants and city amenities.

If you want more affordability where your dollar stretches the absolute furthest and don't mind living in a city where there are a lot of revitalization projects in the core albeit a depressed inner city beyond the core, then Detroit. The suburbs are more costly than the city but they are more or less more affordable than Seattle or Chicago and about on par with Atlanta's suburbs when all is said and done. You'll have plenty of choices there.

Finally, if you want to be in a city that has a very good job prospect, very affordable cost of living, a very nice collection of city amenities and relatively easy location to various points across America, then choose Atlanta.

If you don't like cold winters then don't do Chicago or Detroit, if you don't like hot summers then don't do Atlanta, if you don't like precipitation and gloomy cloud fixtures throughout the day then don't do Seattle.

Given these are all major cities with metropolitan areas that surpass 4 million and I have seen three out of four of them, I don't think nightlife, amenities, and things to do would be a problem in any of these four cities. Chicago, obviously with its mammoth size would have the most to offer but from there, there is a blurr in total offerings and lets just say they would be about par on entertainment, amenities, and nearby things to do (Seattle wins in outdoors but everything else is a wash).