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Hey OP, Chicago is different and is on a different tier than ATL. Regarding the winter, you'll get use to it ( when you do, Atlanta summers will feel very foreign to you).
I'm a Black male who was born and raised in Chicago from 68 to 01. Moved to Atlanta at age 33, and lived there for 6 years.
Atlanta is a MUCH more diverse city. The excitement and electricity of Atlanta FAR surpasses most anything Chicago has to offer (other than downtown).
I can't explain it, but something about Atlanta (and the metro area) just lifts me up more than Chicago EVER has. (Chicago will always be home, though.)
I understand that Atlanta is a black Mecca, but Chicago is roughly a third black and nearly 3,000,000 people. It has every black experience one might want (aside from HBCU culture).
I'm a southerner (NC) who was looking for a job in Chicago or Boston when i was 30. I ended up in Boston area about 2.5 years ago. While my situation isn't identical I hopefully have some helpful insight.
A lot of the bad press Illinois gets about it's government is because it's not solvent. That's why they rank dead last in state pension funding. That's why taxes are having to go up. People leaving the state is only making it worse. That said, if you're only going up there for a few years and renting and aren't working in government it won't affect you as directly.
I've adjusted fairly well to New England winters as a southerner. It doesn't get quite as bad windchill as Chicago does here though. A few additional things to be aware of though... it's not just how cold it is but also how long winter feels. Spring isn't really a great season up north like it is in the south either. What most Southerners consider winter extends into April. Also, if you have sinus problems it'll be much worse in the winters than in the south because of the lack of humidity. I get sinus infections more often now. Humidifiers help but it's still a pain.
I waited till I was 30 to move away. I kind of wish i'd done it in my 20s and then moved back closer to home and settled there. I still plan to move back (likely to Atlanta actually) to be closer to friends and family. There's definitely cool, walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta. I think if you want to try living elsewhere you're 20s is a good time to do it though.
That's for that, Tarheel. Yeah it doesn't get as cold in Boston as Chicago, but it's good you were still able to adjust regardless. And good to know the govt isn't an all-around disaster.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 80s_kid
Hey OP, Chicago is different and is on a different tier than ATL. Regarding the winter, you'll get use to it ( when you do, Atlanta summers will feel very foreign to you).
Seriously - Chicago would be my favorite city in the country if it were not for its location and weather. I really, really hate cold weather and really, really love Chicago. *sigh*
Umm....Chicago CERTAINLY does not get colder than Boston. I go to Boston and or the northeast region at least once or twice a year for work and their Dec - mid March is either on par or certainly worse than Chicago! Additionally, I go to Atlanta 2 to 3 times a year for work and June - mid September can be horrendous! Either way, millions of inhabitants reside in all three of those regions. When you can pick a living location solely based off weather, you are generally in a different echelon (well-to-do/retired).
I'll chalk it up as a subjective memory, but the coldest I can ever remember being was walking across the Charles River in Boston in late Feb. about 8-10 years ago. I did not think I would make it across. Single digit temps plus 20 mph winds. Not sure what I was thinking. "Bone killing." For reference, I have lived in Chicago for nearly 30 years. (Sorry, this has nothing to do with Atlanta).
Umm....Chicago CERTAINLY does not get colder than Boston. I go to Boston and or the northeast region at least once or twice a year for work and their Dec - mid March is either on par or certainly worse than Chicago! Additionally, I go to Atlanta 2 to 3 times a year for work and June - mid September can be horrendous! Either way, millions of inhabitants reside in all three of those regions. When you can pick a living location solely based off weather, you are generally in a different echelon (well-to-do/retired).
I haven't noticed, but it doesn't matter anyway because I'm not looking at Boston. Atlanta summers can be horrible, but at least I'm used to it.
Applying to jobs in both cities, plus some others, and just taking it from there for now. Chicago will be much tougher as companies will probably be turned off by my address, but hopefully someone will give me a chance.
I haven't noticed, but it doesn't matter anyway because I'm not looking at Boston. Atlanta summers can be horrible, but at least I'm used to it.
Applying to jobs in both cities, plus some others, and just taking it from there for now. Chicago will be much tougher as companies will probably be turned off by my address, but hopefully someone will give me a chance.
Get a PO Box in Chicago if you're really serious. It can be hard to find something if you don't have a local address on your resume.
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