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re: For those of you who live or have lived in Chicago, what's so great about it?
Posted on 1/19/26 at 4:15 pm to StringedInstruments
Posted on 1/19/26 at 4:15 pm to StringedInstruments
Chicago is great because it has all the amenities of a truly big city like the New York’s of the world but it is also affordable and it is also culturally very American meaning the vibe is not that different from the town you grew up in.
There is crime sure but a lot of that is overblown. Outside the bad hood areas it feels as safe as anywhere else. The weather is really not that bad. It is SERIOUSLY cold in the winter, but you wear a coat and get used to it.
The problem with it—and it is a big problem—is the property taxes are so damn high it makes it really hard to live there, especially for people who don’t have a nice income. Retirees for example a lot of them have to leave to escape the property taxes. And the more people leave, the more the taxes go up for the people who stay. It’s a vicious cycle.
It’s a great, great city but it is in decline. The edge it had as a center of global commodity and options trading is gone because of the internet.
There is crime sure but a lot of that is overblown. Outside the bad hood areas it feels as safe as anywhere else. The weather is really not that bad. It is SERIOUSLY cold in the winter, but you wear a coat and get used to it.
The problem with it—and it is a big problem—is the property taxes are so damn high it makes it really hard to live there, especially for people who don’t have a nice income. Retirees for example a lot of them have to leave to escape the property taxes. And the more people leave, the more the taxes go up for the people who stay. It’s a vicious cycle.
It’s a great, great city but it is in decline. The edge it had as a center of global commodity and options trading is gone because of the internet.
0
Posted on 1/19/26 at 4:17 pm to Everyday Is Saturday
quote:
A naked lady walks into a bar, a poodle under one arm and a footlong salami under the other
Paulina, Melvina, and Lunt.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 4:49 pm to StringedInstruments
Some people i know love that town. Ive not been so I dont know
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:31 pm to StringedInstruments
Try not to romanticize Chicago. Just look at the moving in / out numbers--more people have left Chicago than almost any other place in the country for a few years running. Anyone with the means to do so is leaving or has already left.
The thugs have finally figured out that instead of robbing their own areas, it's much easier to drive downtown or to the north side and rob the nice areas. The north side is a leftist enclave.
The early settlers didn't have gas furnaces for heating. Yeah yeah, the lake and the rivers for trading. They were out of their fricking minds.
The thugs have finally figured out that instead of robbing their own areas, it's much easier to drive downtown or to the north side and rob the nice areas. The north side is a leftist enclave.
The early settlers didn't have gas furnaces for heating. Yeah yeah, the lake and the rivers for trading. They were out of their fricking minds.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:35 pm to NIH
quote:as for me
Chicago is too WOKE for me.
Hank
Ennis,TX
Fightin' Texas Aggie '91
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:40 pm to StringedInstruments
quote:
New York has its rich history and own identity. New Orleans does. Los Angeles. Chicago? Just seems like a big city in the Midwest that gets absurdly cold and windy in the winter.
Good grief just go visit Chicago already, it would be easier than pointing out how badly you are wrong.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:43 pm to Big Fat Guy
quote:
Anyone with the means to do so is leaving or has already left
LMAO. Ridiculous comment.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:46 pm to AmishSamurai
quote:
Crime
Never had an issue, and attended many White Sox games.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:51 pm to StringedInstruments
quote:
absurdly cold and windy in the winter.
Chicago isn't the windy city because of the weather. It's the windy city because some old politician called Chicagos politician that because he spoke so much.
I learned that from the river tour in Chicago
Posted on 1/19/26 at 5:57 pm to Big Fat Guy
quote:
moving in / out numbers
Curious, have you ever been to Chicago?
From where I am coming…to be transparent. I sometimes see people automatically fang a city, without lived experience or with such little experience that generalization is abound.
It seems the common things in these folks are politics, less well traveled and closed mindedness. My sense is algorhythms have honed in on these folks. Emotions at forefront of their thought.
Not saying that is you or not. Just reflecting how much I would have missed out in life had I led with this way of thinking. Big time.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 6:28 pm to StringedInstruments
Fantastic St. Patrick Day, Chicago River dyed Green
Nice Bars
Nice Restaurants “not as good as ours”
Fantastic Sports Town
But……January 2007. Saints played the Bears in the NFC Championship
The fans were terrible, wishing people they lost family, homes in Katrina etc
Posted on 1/19/26 at 6:37 pm to Everyday Is Saturday
You cite the numbers I mentioned, but then say it's an emotional take. Then give your opinion about how lived experience (i.e. your feelings about something) sometimes paints a truer picture than the facts.
The numbers are what they are. Many more people are leaving Chicago than moving in. It's not because Chicago is a great place to live.
The numbers are what they are. Many more people are leaving Chicago than moving in. It's not because Chicago is a great place to live.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 6:37 pm to WestCoastAg
Idiot has probably never left the state he's in. 
Posted on 1/19/26 at 7:12 pm to Big Fat Guy
quote:
The numbers are what they are. Many more people are leaving Chicago than moving in. It's not because Chicago is a great place to live.
Not personal. See it too often. Lots of reactivity to a place based on shallow / singular level stuff.
Hear your facts. Some root causes:
High taxes and cost of living, crime, job market, weather, and nice suburbs (eg Naperville, Downer’s Grove).
Same root causes show up in other cities now and again, as well: Paris, London, Barcelona, Lisbon, Rio, Rome (barring weather for some of these).
Facts are important. Facts are many. One more: Life is short.
For Chicago, there is just something about Randolph festival, hearing organic blues at Blue Chicago or Kingston Mines, Wrigleyville in general, Lakeshore Dr on a blue sky day, drinking a beer in old bar under Wacker, deep dish pizza (Lou Malnati’s or Gino’s East), museums (Art Institute, Science & Industry, Natural History), steakhouses are badaz, Magnificant mile (not my thing but is loved by many), Highland Park, on and on.
Never lost a job there. Never been a victim of crime. HCOL goes with cool cities. Lived in LCOL (generally speaking) Houston where my soul dried up like a raisin. Falls / Autumn is amazing. Winters and taxes suck in Chicago.
My life is way better for having lived in Chicago and for visiting (often).
This post was edited on 1/19/26 at 7:23 pm
Posted on 1/19/26 at 7:44 pm to GeorgeTheGreek
I live in the Northern suburbs and love it, except maybe January & February. Born and raised in STL so the winters weren't a complete shock, but yeah by March you are tired of the cold/wind.
Food is top notch. Neighborhood bars are everywhere.
Lots of activities for kids and families.
Food is top notch. Neighborhood bars are everywhere.
Lots of activities for kids and families.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 8:25 pm to StringedInstruments
Pros: Malört
Cons: Malört
Cons: Malört
Posted on 1/19/26 at 8:28 pm to StringedInstruments
quote:
New York has its rich history and own identity. New Orleans does. Los Angeles.
Chicago is a lot cooler place to live than any of those places listed
Posted on 1/19/26 at 8:30 pm to Dr.Funke
quote:This is the true origin of the name but
Chicago isn't the windy city because of the weather. It's the windy city because some old politician called Chicagos politician that because he spoke so much.
It’s also really fricking windy.
Posted on 1/19/26 at 8:40 pm to Everyday Is Saturday
So you left Chicago? But I'm sure you plan to retire there someday?
Life is short. For Chicago, there is something about driving home from work in your brand new Jeep and being tailed by thugs. Then those same thugs steal your brand new Jeep at 5am the next morning. And the cops tell you to forget about it, it's gone. Something about getting out of your car and heading to the front door of your house and having thugs pull up in a car and point a gun at you, they tell you to give them the keys to your car or else. Something about having all the tools in your garage stolen at night by thugs. Something about turning the keys to the ignition and hearing the roar of your car, thugs stole your catalytic converter overnight. Something about hearing bangs in the distance and wondering whether it's fireworks or gun shots. All stories I heard from just one block in Chicago, supposedly in a nice area with a lot of police and firefighters.
Just to offer some balance. This is updated regularly. All factual:
CWBChicago - Chicago Public Safety Blotter
quote:Then you got lucky. There's a saying, you're not a real Chicagoan until you've been mugged.
Never lost a job there. Never been a victim of crime.
Life is short. For Chicago, there is something about driving home from work in your brand new Jeep and being tailed by thugs. Then those same thugs steal your brand new Jeep at 5am the next morning. And the cops tell you to forget about it, it's gone. Something about getting out of your car and heading to the front door of your house and having thugs pull up in a car and point a gun at you, they tell you to give them the keys to your car or else. Something about having all the tools in your garage stolen at night by thugs. Something about turning the keys to the ignition and hearing the roar of your car, thugs stole your catalytic converter overnight. Something about hearing bangs in the distance and wondering whether it's fireworks or gun shots. All stories I heard from just one block in Chicago, supposedly in a nice area with a lot of police and firefighters.
Just to offer some balance. This is updated regularly. All factual:
CWBChicago - Chicago Public Safety Blotter
Posted on 1/19/26 at 8:47 pm to Big Fat Guy
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