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I need help making this decision! Currently a resident in cesspool Las Vegas. I'm originally from the suburbs of IL. (Haven't lived there since I was a teen.) I've also lived in Dallas. There's a medical procedure I need only offered in select states: TX, CA, IL, MA, NM, IN and GA.
I'm basing this relocation on where I can receive the best medical care, specific for my situation and best economy. Work: white collar, project management.
Like I stated, I used to live in Dallas. Hated it. However, after four years in cesspool Las Vegas, makes Dallas look like paradise. In the past year I've been back to TX twice; I've visited Austin and the evening weather there is BEAUTIFUL compared to the dangerous desert heat. (However, Dallas is still better than Austin in my opinion.) There would be jobs and doctors there. My sister lives in Houston, so I'd have family there.
Chicagoland/IL is experiencing a max exodus of the population. Heavy taxation on everything. This concerns me as well as the crappy weather. However, Chicago burbs would offer excellent medical care (already spoken to two doctors who say I'm candidate for the procedure and are accepting new patients.) I have family there who are willing to assist in the relocation process. Unsure of the economy. Currently trying to find more info.
I have zero desire to live in CA, GA, MA or IN. Out of these two, with my personal situation, which city would you vote for?
For your situation, Chicago sounds much better. Always nice to have family close by and one sister in Houston is too few too far (almost a four hour drive). Also, if you hated Dallas before, you will probably hate it again once you get over the glow of no longer being in Las Vegas. Though, if you could go into details on why you hated living in Dallas, and whether you lived in Dallas or its suburbs, it would better help us make suggestions.
Why are you so opposed to living in Indiana? It is is a cultural desire and a wish to be in a major city, perhaps you could live in an Indiana suburb of Chicago to avoid some of the heavy taxation.
Chicago is going through an interesting transition right now. While there IS a mass exodus of sorts, it is clouding the positives that ARE happening in Chicago right now. Downtown Chicago itself continues to be a top spot for corporate investments, relocation, expansions. While the south and west sides are losing some lower to middle class residents that is driving the population loss, downtown continues to be in the top 5 for population growth in central business districts in the country.
The city also continues to get more educated and add more white color jobs (which is what you said that you would be looking for). I think you would be easily able to find a job and you would have the care of multiple family members.
There are definitely higher property taxes to consider, but the area is so cheap compared to coastal counterparts that it ends up being a wash. Plus with the better medical care and your family nearby - probably makes it the better option.
For your situation, Chicago sounds much better. Always nice to have family close by and one sister in Houston is too few too far (almost a four hour drive). Also, if you hated Dallas before, you will probably hate it again once you get over the glow of no longer being in Las Vegas. Though, if you could go into details on why you hated living in Dallas, and whether you lived in Dallas or its suburbs, it would better help us make suggestions.
Why are you so opposed to living in Indiana? It is is a cultural desire and a wish to be in a major city, perhaps you could live in an Indiana suburb of Chicago to avoid some of the heavy taxation.
Thanks for the comment. Dallas: although I'm a libertarian/atheist who voted conservative in the last election, I hated the ubiquitous bible thumpery from dating to doctors telling me to pray away my problems. The people weren't friendly in TX, I hated the dysfunctional airport and the horrible traffic if I didn't live near work, the landscape was ugly and there wasn't much to do except eat and work.
Indiana seems podunk. I've looked into NW IN and come on, who really wants to live in the cornfields?
Chicago is going through an interesting transition right now. While there IS a mass exodus of sorts, it is clouding the positives that ARE happening in Chicago right now. Downtown Chicago itself continues to be a top spot for corporate investments, relocation, expansions. While the south and west sides are losing some lower to middle class residents that is driving the population loss, downtown continues to be in the top 5 for population growth in central business districts in the country.
The city also continues to get more educated and add more white color jobs (which is what you said that you would be looking for). I think you would be easily able to find a job and you would have the care of multiple family members.
There are definitely higher property taxes to consider, but the area is so cheap compared to coastal counterparts that it ends up being a wash. Plus with the better medical care and your family nearby - probably makes it the better option.
Thank you for your comment. However, I noticed several of those links are three years old. Most of my family wants out of IL. My uncle is definitely leaving in three years when my cousins finish high school. I've read unemployment is pretty bad in the Chicago Tribune. Not sure who to believe. However, your post is optimistic.
Thank you for your comment. However, I noticed several of those links are three years old. Most of my family wants out of IL. My uncle is definitely leaving in three years when my cousins finish high school. I've read unemployment is pretty bad in the Chicago Tribune. Not sure who to believe. However, your post is optimistic.
Chicago is a tale of two cities. I think it depends on where you live in the area and what type of job you are looking for.
Here's another article from 2019 listing these positives:
"Chicago's overall economic health is strong. Unemployment is at an all-time low of 4.4 percent, and last year we achieved the biggest drop in unemployment of the ten largest cities in the country. There are more jobs here per capita today than there have been for five decades. Our poverty rate has declined faster than the nation, state and region, while median household income increased 26.7 percent. And we have become the best-educated big city in the country."
Even with these positives there is an exodus in the south and west sides because a lot of blue collar work is being lost to new white collar jobs. Families who aren't able to fill those jobs (and pay those increased taxes) are fleeing the state, while people that CAN fill those jobs are moving to the city. The city/state DOES need to do more to keep those lower-to-mid-income families from fleeing...
BUT Based your situation, I would say that you could move here and get a white collar job fairly easily.
FWIW - I just put an offer on a house to move my family to the burbs (Evanston; that has some of the highest property taxes in the area) so I'm feeling confident to stick around - but I also have a white collar job in education, so again it depends on where you will live and what jobs you have access to.
Last edited by spaceboyzero; 03-18-2019 at 01:34 PM..
Chicago is a tale of two cities. I think it depends on where you live in the area and what type of job you are looking for.
Here's another article from 2019 listing these positives:
"Chicago's overall economic health is strong. Unemployment is at an all-time low of 4.4 percent, and last year we achieved the biggest drop in unemployment of the ten largest cities in the country. There are more jobs here per capita today than there have been for five decades. Our poverty rate has declined faster than the nation, state and region, while median household income increased 26.7 percent. And we have become the best-educated big city in the country."
Even with these positives there is an exodus in the south and west sides is because a lot of blue collar work is being lost to new white collar jobs. Families who aren't able to fill those jobs (and pay those increased taxes) are fleeing the state, while people that CAN fill those jobs are moving to the city. The city/state DOES need to do more to keep those lower-to-mid-income families from fleeing...
BUT Based your situation, I would say that you could move here and get a white collar job fairly easily.
FWIW - I just put an offer on a house to move my family to the burbs (Evanston; that has some of the highest property taxes in the area) so I'm feeling confident to stick around - but I also have a white collar job in education, so again it depends on where you will live and what jobs you have access to.
Agreed. Chicago is definitely a tale of two cities. What we are losing is mostly middle to lower class. Half the city is becoming more like SF the other half a little more like Detroit.
Meh, I call it a wash for the most part: for every Plano there's a Naperville (often also rated one of the most desirable suburbs in the country), for every Highland Park there's, well, Highland Park. I'd rather be in a boring suburb close to Chicago than a boring suburb close to Dallas, if it were me. You'll find lots of white collar jobs in abundance in either location.
In my opinion, I couple of the stand-out Chicago suburbs that Dallas doesn't have an answer to: Evanston and Oak Park.
Meh, I call it a wash for the most part: for every Plano there's a Naperville, for every Highland Park there's, well, Highland Park. I'd rather be in a boring suburb close to Chicago than a boring suburb close to Dallas, if it were me. You'll find lots of white collar jobs in abundance in either location.
In my opinion, I couple of the stand-out Chicago suburbs that Dallas doesn't have an answer to: Evanston and Oak Park.
Chicago also has some relatively 'urban' suburbs too outside of Evanston an OP like Berwyn, Skokie or Cicero (although not the greatest suburb) that you feel like you are living in the city, yet you are in a suburb.
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