👋 blinders, pros and cons about accepting a job in Chicago and moving the family there? From the Bay Area blind tax: 550
Who is paying 550 in Chicago?
Citadel, jump, optiver, Chicago trading company, etc. and remote.
Tech and HFT, Chicago caught up to the bay and NYC in TC like a decade ago.
Its like got. Summers you can survive but winter will always be coming
Too cold
Pros: better COL, better culture, better live music scene, better theater scene, unpretentious people. Cons: it’s really cold in winter (way more than NYC) and no ocean or mountains nearby (but nature up in northern wisconsin and Michigan is pretty great). Crime is worse overall but if you do your research on neighborhood it won’t impact you. You have to search harder for good produce than in the Bay but at that TC you’ll be living near a one of the nice grocery stores (seems like a minor detail but trust me you will notice). Schools can be good or bad in both places depending on where you live so you’re basically a wash there. Both are huge, really diverse places so you won’t be sacrificing that aspect.
Good review
When i lived there, i heard gunshots in nice neighborhoods. Friends of mine have been robbed in nice neighborhoods. Plenty of carjackings in those areas too.
Jigga what?
Planning on moving to Chicago from the Bay area later this year. Stocked up on heavy coats and winter gear in after-Christmas sales 🥶
By yourself or with family?
By myself
Pros: - cost of living is considerably better than any other major city. My TC is $425k and I purchased a 2 unit building (built in 2011) for $375k. My renter of one unit pays my mortgage in full while I live in the other unit (the also let me start purchasing more multi-unit buildings). Food and goods are also cheaper with Chicago being the central transit hub of the US. - parking - easier to access than other major cities. - food: many michelin starred restaurants. - travel: travel is cheaper and easier from Chicago with Ohare being a significant connecting hub. - great live music, theater, and entertainment. - family centered - much more family friendly city than NY or SF. - green city: lots of parks and greenery. Absolutely gorgeous in the summer. Cons: - Cold in the winter: Nov and Dec are 30’s-40’s. Jan and Feb are generally 20’s (with one random week that will dip to 0-10’s w below 0 at night), march and Apri back to 40’s. - Crime: it’s not great. But as long as you are not part of a gang, you will *probably* be fine (just learn how to drive cautiously, and keep your wits about you if you’re out late at night). I have had friends mugged on the north side or had their home broken into (there’s been 3 incidents total for all my north side friends over the 12 years I’ve been here), but nothing has ever happened to me. Side note: this is a little unconventional, but I live in one of the worst parts of the South side (3 blocks from Englewood). I am white in a neighborhood that is 2% white (just for context). Violent crime in this area is up 350% yoy. Our neighbors had their catalytic converters stolen, and another set of neighbors had their dog stolen (the thieves threw the dog’s airtag up on top of a garage), but nothing has ever happened to us. Why is that? Our neighbors are specifically looking out for us, and we’ve been told that the neighborhood criminals are afraid of us (assuming we are packing guns or “covered” by gangs or cops - either way, we’re not worth it as a target). So the moral of the story is don’t move to a bad neighborhood unless you’re willing to get in deep with your neighbors and market yourself as a “little scary”, but also don’t move to a trendy neighborhood (bucktown, Logan square, wicker park, Lincoln park) because you can easily be mugged or robbed there also. Best bet are family focused neighborhoods like Bridgeport, because it’s a safe central area with access to good schools, it’s not super expensive, and the criminals are out targeting trendier neighborhoods.
Interesting take. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like the Bay Area is a pleasure compared to this dynamic
It's not really an apples to apples comparison, though. You're putting the entire Bay Area against Chicago proper. I'd guess whatever crime the OP is referring to is just as bad, if not worse, in SF. With the level of income you're talking about in the Chicago metro area you could live in a glam ass place and never even have to think about crime, like Hinsdale. Or Oak Brook.
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It’s really really cold…
In the winter, sure. May-Oct it's the best weather of anywhere I've lived.