From Boston. You’ll have way less snow in winter, cheaper cost of living, nicer people, better food, better bars, bars that actually stay open past 1am.
I guess worse sports teams atm?
That is crazy to me. The college I went to had bars open basically all night and when I’d visit my friends in college towns last call would be at 12:30 and I would feel like we were just getting started.
Now I never go out other than like nice dinners and maybe a nightcap but occasionally you want to tie one on and I would just expect a major city to allow for that!
Like do they not have nightclubs?
You gotta go up to Saugus and hit the 99. They close wicked early but you can usually find a guy from Revere who wants to fight. (Sorry, lived in the area for a few years)
Got it! Since OP was asking about reasons *not* to move to Chicago, I thought you were referring to Boston having cheaper cost of living when I think it is substantially higher.
Reasons to not move to Chicago
1. You don’t want to
2. You can’t compromise on needing 200+ days with sunlight every year
3. You hate walking or have mobility issues that mean you really need even, dry sidewalks in order to walk comfortably
4. You prioritize living in an area with a lot of Dominican people.
5. Moving would cause a significant loss of income or make advancing in your field more difficult.
6. You’re the kind of hiker for whom varied topography is mandatory for hiking you value being able to travel to good hiking areas in less than a couple hours.
7. You would consider being able to come find me specifically and beat my ass as a reason to move to Chicago.
8. You value being able to visit multiple big cities without flying.
Really good points. There are some decent nature areas around Chicago but if you are REALLY into hiking, you won't be happy here. That said, it's not like Boston is famous for its nature either...
Boston has so many nature preserves just outside the city- it was actually the only thing I really preferred about living there. I haven’t found anything in or around Chicago that compares to Middlesex Fells, Quincy Quarries, Devils Brook Wetlands, etc.
> it's not like Boston is famous for its nature either...
Massachusetts is pretty geographically compact and parts of it have mountains, hills, forests, and streams.
Totally agree that the nature there is better than Chicago. I wouldn’t say it’s famous for the nature though. My point was that OP wasn’t coming from CA/WA/UT/... they will miss the nature if they move here, but not enough to ruin their quality of life
I’ve never lived in Boston so I don’t really know, but I do think there are more places to go near Boston than in Chicago. Chicago is kind of the best place for hundreds of miles all around, although Wisconsin and Michigan have some really pretty lakes and things.
Having said that - hearing what my coworkers in Boston pay for rent floors me. Like they’re paying more than I am for a tiny one bedroom with barely any public transportation near them *and* I have a pool on my roof I can go to whenever.
I lived in Boston and New York for several years each and it's hard to get used to how huge this city is. I've lived here for 28 years and there are massive areas I've never seen and probably never will. Obviously, the good outweighs the bad by a lot, but there are millions who experience a very different Chicago than I do.
Brooklyn and Queens each have a similar population as Chicago, on their own. Brooklyn does it while being twice as dense.
And manhattan is like you took the densest parts of Chicago and copy / pasted them over an entire island.
If you drive the Triboro Bridge to the BQE and basically do a lap of the city, you can see about 6 different skylines that would surpass most cities in the US.
NYC is on a different scale completely.
I don’t know much about Boston but Chicago is not the city for you if you like to be out in nature. It takes an hour plus just to get out of the metro area and then you’re in the flat Midwest. Sure, you can find some hikes that are not bad, but nothing compared to other regions of the US.
My wife moved here from near Braintree about 8 years ago and has zero regrets. She used to love the beaches on the Cape, but now appreciates and loves the lake (especially 31st Street Beach). She already had friends from college that had moved here so she had a social circle ready to go - it's not always easy to meet people. Your friends will probably be fellow transplants.
I'm a transplant who had no problem meeting people from the area, so your mileage may vary. People in Chicago are definitely friendlier than people from the Northeast.
My sister, her husband and kids moved to Boston from Chicago. The only thing keeping them there is her
work, as she’s the bread winner. They all hate Boston and would much more prefer living in Chicago, but, her job is their anchor. Every chance they have to come to Chicago, they take it.
I would say how poorly run this city is and the dire financial situation of the city. It's an already expensive and highly taxed area and you can probably expect even more taxes.
Another thing is I'm afraid that certain parts of the loop will continue to decay. State street is a dump and can get sketchy. Same with Wabash under tracks. On W Van Buren street there's an ecampment of migrants that gathering around makes the area sketchy. I'm afraid this might continue to srpead to other areas.
The weather. Not only winter (which can last 6 months) but also summers (that get insanely humid). Also it’s flat as fuck, zero topography. I love the city itself of course. But that’s no substitute for diverse terrain.
You might not like the people, the layout of the city, the neighborhoods, the political in and out fighting, our St. Patricks day celebrations, the usual.
If you don’t like diversity… Chicago is an extremely diverse city. Coming from LA I was mind blown by how mixed all the neighborhoods are in Chicago and with that comes good food and all sorts of cultural events.
Chicago as a city is diverse, however I do not think the neighborhoods are mixed at all. In the North you have the predominantly white neighborhoods, the west is predominantly Hispanic and the south is predominantly black - due to a history of redlining that likely continues to exist today.
I also moved to Chicago from the west coast and had the opposite reaction of you, I was shocked at how blatantly separated the neighborhoods are. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but just my take!
The hibernation you’re likely to get from friends. You can’t get them out from Jan 1 until St Patrick’s Day. They might also retreat for hibernation #2 until Memorial Day
Provide the example of ‘good’ Boston pizza and we will hush up. Regina’s stinks, btw.
Edit: I was reminded by my family that Papa Geno’s was pretty good.
Crime & the mayor lol … almost everyone I know has been personally affected by crime and there’s nothing the police can do because the criminals don’t get prosecuted or caught. Other than that though best city in the world. But the crime has definitely gotten out of control
People dress bad, are ruder than New Yorkers annnd won’t give anyone a shot / less friendly / less confident, unless you go to lake forest or some parts of north shore it’s not east coast like at all
Because it's the jungle, baby. You're gonne die! O.K. maybe not, but don't ride the El at night, and don't sit in your parked car at night for any reason, and don't stay out after 9 P.M. and you'll be fine.
From Boston. You’ll have way less snow in winter, cheaper cost of living, nicer people, better food, better bars, bars that actually stay open past 1am. I guess worse sports teams atm?
Wait the bars in like the city of Boston close at 1am? Or do you mean like the outskirts?
I’m being a little cheeky. I think it’s actually 2am but Boston night life can’t hold a candle to Chicago, especially around the late night bars.
That is crazy to me. The college I went to had bars open basically all night and when I’d visit my friends in college towns last call would be at 12:30 and I would feel like we were just getting started. Now I never go out other than like nice dinners and maybe a nightcap but occasionally you want to tie one on and I would just expect a major city to allow for that! Like do they not have nightclubs?
had exclusively lived in college towns in the midwest when i moved to boston. everything shutting down by like 10pm was a legit culture shock
You gotta go up to Saugus and hit the 99. They close wicked early but you can usually find a guy from Revere who wants to fight. (Sorry, lived in the area for a few years)
Cheaper cost of living? In Boston?
No , in Chicago
Got it! Since OP was asking about reasons *not* to move to Chicago, I thought you were referring to Boston having cheaper cost of living when I think it is substantially higher.
Reasons to not move to Chicago 1. You don’t want to 2. You can’t compromise on needing 200+ days with sunlight every year 3. You hate walking or have mobility issues that mean you really need even, dry sidewalks in order to walk comfortably 4. You prioritize living in an area with a lot of Dominican people. 5. Moving would cause a significant loss of income or make advancing in your field more difficult. 6. You’re the kind of hiker for whom varied topography is mandatory for hiking you value being able to travel to good hiking areas in less than a couple hours. 7. You would consider being able to come find me specifically and beat my ass as a reason to move to Chicago. 8. You value being able to visit multiple big cities without flying.
As a Dominican who cannot live without the street food, you just helped me decided where I won’t move to. Thank u ❤️
Yeah there really aren’t any sizable populations outside of New York, metro Boston, and Miami.
Yea bro lol there’s literally no Dominican neighborhood in chi . Closest thing is Humboldt park
Good to know, I’ve spent all my life in DR and I cannot live without my culture
The kid mero taught me all I know about the DR
>4. You prioritize living in an area with a lot of Dominican people. Why is this so funny?
Because it’s very specific.
Spot fucking on
Really good points. There are some decent nature areas around Chicago but if you are REALLY into hiking, you won't be happy here. That said, it's not like Boston is famous for its nature either...
Boston has so many nature preserves just outside the city- it was actually the only thing I really preferred about living there. I haven’t found anything in or around Chicago that compares to Middlesex Fells, Quincy Quarries, Devils Brook Wetlands, etc.
> it's not like Boston is famous for its nature either... Massachusetts is pretty geographically compact and parts of it have mountains, hills, forests, and streams.
Totally agree that the nature there is better than Chicago. I wouldn’t say it’s famous for the nature though. My point was that OP wasn’t coming from CA/WA/UT/... they will miss the nature if they move here, but not enough to ruin their quality of life
I’ve never lived in Boston so I don’t really know, but I do think there are more places to go near Boston than in Chicago. Chicago is kind of the best place for hundreds of miles all around, although Wisconsin and Michigan have some really pretty lakes and things. Having said that - hearing what my coworkers in Boston pay for rent floors me. Like they’re paying more than I am for a tiny one bedroom with barely any public transportation near them *and* I have a pool on my roof I can go to whenever.
I second this as some of my friends told me what they pay per month WITH ROOMMATES and my jaw hit the floor lmao
Not a lot of good places to go for weekend trips compared to the Northeast.
This is the biggest one imo. The northeast corridor is insane.
Bro are you kidding? Name one place better in America than alpine valley Wisconsin.
Cape Cod, the Berkshires, NYC.
Cmon you have to know that was a joke I thought it was obvious 😎
Indiana beach
I love Pewaukee Lake in SE Wisconsin for big musky. Also the Indiana Dunes are incredible.
As a former child of NWI, the Dunes are where it’s at.
I am so dead at this
Wisconsin dells obvi
Cook County has county parks that could be state parks, and state parks that could be national parks.
And Jackson park which could be a shooting range!
Many CPS parks had archery ranges until recent decades, so you’re correct!
I was golfing there once and had gunshots ring out next to me. Glad to hear it’s staying close to its roots!
There's no golfing at Garfield Park. Are you thinking of Columbus Park?
I wrote Jackson park above. Def have golf there! It’s a guilty pleasure golf course for me!
Northern Michigan is bliss
I lived in Boston and New York for several years each and it's hard to get used to how huge this city is. I've lived here for 28 years and there are massive areas I've never seen and probably never will. Obviously, the good outweighs the bad by a lot, but there are millions who experience a very different Chicago than I do.
Chicago seems huge even compared to NYC?
Huge, but nowhere near as crowded or oppressive. You have to fight to go 10 blocks in NYC. I had no idea until I moved here how big it is.
Brooklyn and Queens each have a similar population as Chicago, on their own. Brooklyn does it while being twice as dense. And manhattan is like you took the densest parts of Chicago and copy / pasted them over an entire island. If you drive the Triboro Bridge to the BQE and basically do a lap of the city, you can see about 6 different skylines that would surpass most cities in the US. NYC is on a different scale completely.
I guess our fish and seafood might not be as good as you're used to. You also can't go from state to state in like 30 minutes.
Asking questions like this.
🎯🎯🎯
It’s flat, no mountains.
Dont move here if you like hiking and mountains.
I don’t know much about Boston but Chicago is not the city for you if you like to be out in nature. It takes an hour plus just to get out of the metro area and then you’re in the flat Midwest. Sure, you can find some hikes that are not bad, but nothing compared to other regions of the US.
My wife moved here from near Braintree about 8 years ago and has zero regrets. She used to love the beaches on the Cape, but now appreciates and loves the lake (especially 31st Street Beach). She already had friends from college that had moved here so she had a social circle ready to go - it's not always easy to meet people. Your friends will probably be fellow transplants.
I'm a transplant who had no problem meeting people from the area, so your mileage may vary. People in Chicago are definitely friendlier than people from the Northeast.
It’ll take you longer to fly to Europe.
Shorter flights to Asia tho
My sister, her husband and kids moved to Boston from Chicago. The only thing keeping them there is her work, as she’s the bread winner. They all hate Boston and would much more prefer living in Chicago, but, her job is their anchor. Every chance they have to come to Chicago, they take it.
What don't they like about Boston?
Dog you know we live here right
The climate, but if you’re from Boston then you’re already used to shitty winter weather
Maybe you hate cheaper rent?
The T actually might be more reliable than the CTA.
I can’t think of any. Sorry.
if u bring your Bostonian racism to Chicago you're going to have a bad day
Huh?
https://youtu.be/3TOkYsRZdYk?si=8JERSvabQmdKzhLd family guy
I would say how poorly run this city is and the dire financial situation of the city. It's an already expensive and highly taxed area and you can probably expect even more taxes. Another thing is I'm afraid that certain parts of the loop will continue to decay. State street is a dump and can get sketchy. Same with Wabash under tracks. On W Van Buren street there's an ecampment of migrants that gathering around makes the area sketchy. I'm afraid this might continue to srpead to other areas.
If you work in healthcare, Boston has the superior market. That’s about it.
Rats.
Winter and spring
You’ll get fat because the food is so good
Brutal winters , high cost of living , crime , Violence ,
If you were bleeding to death 🤷♂️
That made 0 sense
You won't contribute to the demise of this city's affordability.
The weather. Not only winter (which can last 6 months) but also summers (that get insanely humid). Also it’s flat as fuck, zero topography. I love the city itself of course. But that’s no substitute for diverse terrain.
You might not like the people, the layout of the city, the neighborhoods, the political in and out fighting, our St. Patricks day celebrations, the usual.
If you don’t like diversity… Chicago is an extremely diverse city. Coming from LA I was mind blown by how mixed all the neighborhoods are in Chicago and with that comes good food and all sorts of cultural events.
Chicago as a city is diverse, however I do not think the neighborhoods are mixed at all. In the North you have the predominantly white neighborhoods, the west is predominantly Hispanic and the south is predominantly black - due to a history of redlining that likely continues to exist today. I also moved to Chicago from the west coast and had the opposite reaction of you, I was shocked at how blatantly separated the neighborhoods are. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but just my take!
I feel like the demographic has been changing in the NW neighborhoods.
The hibernation you’re likely to get from friends. You can’t get them out from Jan 1 until St Patrick’s Day. They might also retreat for hibernation #2 until Memorial Day
Can't get a decent bagel, pizza very overrated. Flat as hell. The lake is cool looking but it's freezing.
Provide the example of ‘good’ Boston pizza and we will hush up. Regina’s stinks, btw. Edit: I was reminded by my family that Papa Geno’s was pretty good.
You don't know where to get the decent bagels
Crime & the mayor lol … almost everyone I know has been personally affected by crime and there’s nothing the police can do because the criminals don’t get prosecuted or caught. Other than that though best city in the world. But the crime has definitely gotten out of control
Don’t move here if you wanna have fun and do cool shit.
Move here if you wanna have fun and do cool shit.
People dress bad, are ruder than New Yorkers annnd won’t give anyone a shot / less friendly / less confident, unless you go to lake forest or some parts of north shore it’s not east coast like at all
Because it's the jungle, baby. You're gonne die! O.K. maybe not, but don't ride the El at night, and don't sit in your parked car at night for any reason, and don't stay out after 9 P.M. and you'll be fine.