The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly about Chicago?

I might seem a bit more jaded due to my experiences. I just moved from Chicago a few months ago after spending 33 years of my life there and couldn't be happier, which may have cemented my opinion even more.

So, the good:

Lots of different people from different walks of life. Pretty much any service or product you can think of is available to you. Great art and music events. World class museums. The best "food city" in the world, in my opinion. No water bills. Good public transportation (by US standards).

The bad:

Highest sales tax in the US. High cost of living for substandard quality of life. Owning a home in a relatively safe area is a dream reserved for the upper class. Many building owners who lost money in the housing crash have now become slumlords to try and recoup their poor investments. Horrible, monopolized, utilities gouge you to death while providing dismal service. "Nannying", every year more cameras are installed and more things are banned, and the fines for breaking the rules increase. Privatized parking. A budget deficit for a city that badly needs a surplus. Traffic and construction continually worsens. The "polar vortex", which seems to be the norm now that Pacific ice caps have melted and pushed the jet stream downward, has turned winter into a miserable arctic torture event. Bed bugs.

The ugly:

Segregation and racism. I moved to Georgia and nothing here even comes close to the crap I heard on a daily basis when living in Bridgeport. All the crime you hear about on a national level isn't being exaggerated, and in my opinion, depending on where you live, is downplayed by the media. Gang violence is absolutely out of control and happening in broad daylight, and the city cannot afford to hire more police to stop it. The police on the other hand are increasingly corrupt, and a black site has just been uncovered where they've been kidnapping and torturing people. There's a massive heroin epidemic that is starting to show even in nicer neighborhoods. It fuels the gang violence, but other than that it's mostly evident by people dozing off standing in front of Dunken Donuts and begging for money.

So, sorry again for possibly being too negative, but that's my honest opinion. The good news is that college students tend to live in a bit of a bubble around their campus. You likely won't have to deal with driving/traffic/parking, you probably won't be in areas with high gang activity, etc.

My advice would be to definitely ask about the area you plan on moving to, and if you get an apartment, search through it with a fine tooth comb before signing a lease. Look for signs of mice/rats/cockroaches/bed bugs. Ask what the average gas and electric bill is (they're legally required to disclose that) and check the windows and doors for both weatherproofing and security. Walk around the neighborhood and get a feel for it and imagine yourself walking home at 3am there.

Good luck!

/r/chicago Thread