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How would you compare these two cities, mostly in terms of social life for someone in their early thirties? I've lived in Chicago close to four years and am hoping for job offers in both Chicago and DC. I love Chicago, but I've also got the itch to try on a new city if the opportunity presents itself.
I've read a lot about DC being very "who you know" oriented and people make it sound like it's a constant d#$% measuring contest (not sure if these comments only apply specifically to the DC area, or the DMV area as a whole). I've also read about DC being "LA for ugly people," but in my brief visit I didn't necessarily get that impression, and of course you never know who is on the other side of the screen writing these things.
So far my pro/con list is:
Pros for Chicago:
Closer to home, easier and cheaper to visit family
More affordable unless a fairly substantial cost of living adjustment is offered for the DC job - this is a fairly big one for me as I am in my early thirties and want to be able to save for a home/condo and retirement
Social network there, albeit limited
Tons of good everything (food, bars, music, festivals, etc.)
Job is in the Loop, so I could take the L in and immerse myself in the city (previously I have been reverse commuting to the western suburbs)
Cons for Chicago:
Chicago winters
I've already lived there and wouldn't mind a new city
Isolated from other cities
Pros for DC:
New city experience
Tons of history and free museums to explore
Better weather
Closer to other cool cities
Closer to nature for hiking, camping, etc.
Cons for DC:
More expensive
Job is in Tyson's Corner, so I would either have to live in NoVa and miss out on the "urban experience" that I love, or would have to live in the District and deal with 45+ minute commutes and a high rent
Further from home
Unknowns:
How do the people in general compare?
How the women in DC compare to Chicago in terms of looks, personalities, and diversity? How would dating for an early thirties male be in DC as compared to Chicago?
How do the lifestyles compare? For instance, weekends in Chicago I see a lot of day-drinking, shopping, and of course festivals when they are in season.
How do the dining scenes compare? I know Chicago is hard to compete with, but can DC even attempt to keep up? For instance, I know I can get a solid, non-chain restaurant lunch for under $15 and often closer to $10 in Chicago, but not sure how easy this is to find in DC. When I was visiting DC, albeit briefly, most of the lower-end options appeared to be chains, with most of the one-off/local restaurants targeting the higher end of the spectrum.
In terms of myself, I'm early thirties, male, and lean much more towards dive bars, comedy clubs, and music events than I do towards expensive clubs with bottle service. Don't really care about sports or shopping. And I prefer hole-in-the wall ethnic restaurants to fancy restaurants more concerned with atmosphere and "dining experience" rather than just serving up good food at a reasonable price.
How would you compare these two cities, mostly in terms of social life for someone in their early thirties? I've lived in Chicago close to four years and am hoping for job offers in both Chicago and DC. I love Chicago, but I've also got the itch to try on a new city if the opportunity presents itself.
I've read a lot about DC being very "who you know" oriented and people make it sound like it's a constant d#$% measuring contest (not sure if these comments only apply specifically to the DC area, or the DMV area as a whole). I've also read about DC being "LA for ugly people," but in my brief visit I didn't necessarily get that impression, and of course you never know who is on the other side of the screen writing these things.
So far my pro/con list is:
Pros for Chicago:
Closer to home, easier and cheaper to visit family
More affordable unless a fairly substantial cost of living adjustment is offered for the DC job - this is a fairly big one for me as I am in my early thirties and want to be able to save for a home/condo and retirement
Social network there, albeit limited
Tons of good everything (food, bars, music, festivals, etc.)
Job is in the Loop, so I could take the L in and immerse myself in the city (previously I have been reverse commuting to the western suburbs)
Cons for Chicago:
Chicago winters
I've already lived there and wouldn't mind a new city
Isolated from other cities
Pros for DC:
New city experience
Tons of history and free museums to explore
Better weather
Closer to other cool cities
Closer to nature for hiking, camping, etc.
Cons for DC:
More expensive
Job is in Tyson's Corner, so I would either have to live in NoVa and miss out on the "urban experience" that I love, or would have to live in the District and deal with 45+ minute commutes and a high rent
Further from home
Unknowns:
How do the people in general compare?
How the women in DC compare to Chicago in terms of looks, personalities, and diversity? How would dating for an early thirties male be in DC as compared to Chicago?
How do the lifestyles compare? For instance, weekends in Chicago I see a lot of day-drinking, shopping, and of course festivals when they are in season.
How do the dining scenes compare? I know Chicago is hard to compete with, but can DC even attempt to keep up? For instance, I know I can get a solid, non-chain restaurant lunch for under $15 and often closer to $10 in Chicago, but not sure how easy this is to find in DC. When I was visiting DC, albeit briefly, most of the lower-end options appeared to be chains, with most of the one-off/local restaurants targeting the higher end of the spectrum.
In terms of myself, I'm early thirties, male, and lean much more towards dive bars, comedy clubs, and music events than I do towards expensive clubs with bottle service. Don't really care about sports or shopping. And I prefer hole-in-the wall ethnic restaurants to fancy restaurants more concerned with atmosphere and "dining experience" rather than just serving up good food at a reasonable price.
I personally prefer Chicago (surprise!) and it sounds like you do too. Winter in Chicago is colder and snowier than DC, but not significantly so (IME). Like you said, Chicago is significantly more affordable and offers everything (and more of it IMO) than DC does. From a nightlife perspective, I'd again give the edge to Chicago. Women are single everywhere and I don't think there's going to be a real difference between women in DC and women in Chicago. There are more single women in Chicago, so take that FWIW.
How would you compare these two cities, mostly in terms of social life for someone in their early thirties? I've lived in Chicago close to four years and am hoping for job offers in both Chicago and DC. I love Chicago, but I've also got the itch to try on a new city if the opportunity presents itself.
DC is a city for educationally qualified, career-oriented people. If that's you, then everything else will fall into place. There is no lack of things to see and do, women to meet, and all that good stuff.
If not, then it's going to feel like a drag living in the area.
Chicago is a friendlier more laid back city and honestly I like it WAY more than DC. Youll be more likely to find a woman with a great personality there.
That said, I found the women that live in Chicago the least attractive of all the cities Ive lived in (LA, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and DC). DC is also more diverse and its populace is more international. But Chicago is those things too so its not like its a crazy difference.
DC is a city for educationally qualified, career-oriented people. If that's you, then everything else will fall into place. There is no lack of things to see and do, women to meet, and all that good stuff.
If not, then it's going to feel like a drag living in the area.
This is why people hate DC residents; the assumption they if you don't like living there, you must not be driven, successful or educated.
This is why people hate DC residents; the assumption they if you don't like living there, you must not be driven, successful or educated.
Also some posters have a habit of claiming Baltimore as part of the DC Metro only to then bash Baltimore and spend dozens of pages arguing about how people from Baltimore have an inferiority complex .
Also some posters have a habit of claiming Baltimore as part of the DC Metro only to then bash Baltimore and spend dozens of pages arguing about how people from Baltimore have an inferiority complex .
And how they have no use for Baltimore
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