Just seeing if anybody has lived in Chicago, or even better yet is if somebody has lived in both Dallas and Chicago. I might have a career changing opportunity however I would need to leave Dallas (I want to anyway) and move my family to Chicago. Has anybody lived in Chicago, or surrounding suburbs? I have done some research and can't get a decent grip on the average middle class income of the greater Chicago area (I don't need to live in the city, the burbs are fine). We are a pretty simple family, don't have debt, don't have car payments, don't care about the Jones, what kind of income should I be looking at to live a decent quality of life, decent neighborhood, decent schools around the greater Chicago area with 2 kids and 2 adults? For example, decent to me means lower middle class to middle class. Thanks in advance, Brez
Sorry Brez - Your on a distance learning website asking about average family income for the greater Chicago metropolitan area . . . fftopic: Even for Off-Topics you're off topic! You need to go to the US Census Bureau for those numbers. we love you brez. we just don't know the answer
Median income in Chicago for a family is just over $46k. The cost of living in Chicago is 16.8% higher than the cost of living in Dallas. So if you make $40k in Dallas you need to need to make $46,720 to maintain the same standard of living in Chicago.
At the very top of the off topic forum it has this: Forum: Off-Topic Discussions Jokes, banter, comments, etc. that are either not related or very peripherally related to the general discussions of DL
Yeah eilla, I may have read that 5 or 6 thousand times. I'm trying to say that if you want to know how to spell a word you go to dictionary.com, not degreeinfo. Sometimes you just gotta do your own homework.
I have lived in Dallas for 2 years. I bought two houses, and screwed up my credit scores after letting one of them go in order attended OCS. I still have another house in North Dallas (city of Dallas). I found that Dallas is not for me, it is an industrialized city. However, highly recommend for those who have family and settle down. I prefer Chicago more because of night life and more job opportunities, but in the same token that the crime rate is relatively higher than Dallas. So, in your situation...I would recommend Dallas. For my case, I aiming for Denver after selling my house in Dallas. Oh, If you want to buy my house. I'll sell it to you...I'll sell way lower than the market price!
As someone who moved from the north to Texas (just south of Dallas) I can tell you that you are most likely not prepared for the cold or the snow of winter. It gets really bad in Chicago. Also while I know you are used to the heat be ready for much more humid summers. I'd also take into account that even though 46k will give you a comparable cost of living your taxes will be higher, you will pay state income tax and you will have a dreaded heating bill all winter long that you can not predict. Also Illinois is in worse shape than TX financialy and there is talk of higher taxes and drastic cuts to fix it. They are in almost as bad shape as California. As far as the city itself, its more fun and there's more culture and such as it is much older than Dallas. Honestly if your looking to go north and can find a job I'd pick either Colorodo Springs or Boston just be ready for a different enviroment.
The cost of living difference I referenced above took into account the taxes and difference in utility costs. Those kinds of things are all factored into a Cost of Living Index. Also, to give another perspective, having lived in the south and New England, I would prefer to live in the south or Texas. People are friendlier, cost of living is lower, weather is better and the women are far better looking (not that this will matter to the OP as he is married).
I understand what the formula says that the cost is this much different but reality may well say otherwise. I lived in Northern Illinois for a little while and I spent most of my life in CT. They both cost me about the same. I can tell you that I am saving far more than $6000.00 a year living in Texas. I'd guess I'm saving close to that much just in taxes. As far as your prespective I think it is dependent on opinion. I find the south ugly in general, some cities are nice, the woman are the same as any where else and the people while more friendly if your white (which I am) will be much less friendly if you are someone of color. The main advantage of the south is the climate if you like it warmer or dislike snow and in most southern states the cost of living. I can tell you first hand that were I live now a 130k house is easily a 300k house in CT or Chicagoland. You should check out this forum
And how do you know people in the southeast are less friendly if you're a person of color? You said yourself you're white so you really have no way of determining that. Just an ignorant statement on your part. I live in Boston and this place is consistently rated the most racist city in America. You're perpetuating some ignorant stereotype based on what, your life in Dallas and limited travel through the southeast? There is no more racism in the metro areas of the south than there is in metro areas in other regions. There is no less racism in small towns all over the country than there is in small towns in the southeast. As far as women go, most people tend to agree that southern women tend to be better looking than women from other areas. I suppose it's a matter of opinion. Yours is just wrong.
Hey guys! I have a strong committment to being the only bitchy person in this thread so don't challenge my status in that area.
Jeff, Thanks for the insight, as I expected a lot of the COL calculators don't consider certain tangibles. Your statement of a N.Texas home of $130,000 being comprable to $300K in Chicago was more or less what I was looking for, thanks! Even though the potential job offer is something that I would be very passionate about I simply cannot accept that about a 10K-12K salary increase will be enough to offset things like increased cost of homes, utilities in the winter, and of course the taxes I hear so much about. Not to mention the costs of selling this house, moving the family, etc, etc, etc. Again, thanks! Brez
AUTiger00, I appreciate the feedback, and despite my marital status I would agree, women in the South are generally more appealing to the eye than in the North. I was born in Boston and spent my Summers in New England, I agree! However, a lot of the women here in Dallas are about as smart as a box or rocks and the beauty doesn't last forever, lol, which is why I married a woman from Australia, best of both! I'll most likely be sending you some messages asking about Charleston, my mother and her husband are moving to Charleston in a few months, wouldn't mind your insight into food, culture, etc. Cheers, Brez
