Chicago Associates: Where to Live? Forum

[TaipeiMort]

Inglewood. You can get a house for 500 bucks and can own a hand gun now.

[bkenney2]

Lincoln Park near the El. It's cheap, it's a 15 min commute to most firms, and it has the best bars/food choices in the area. This is the clear choice.

[dgouzoul]

if you're not living in Trump Tower you're doing it wrong, proles

[bjsesq]

if you're not living in Trump Tower you're doing it wrong, proles

Why the fuck is this shit anonymous.

[Anonymous User]

if you're not living in Trump Tower you're doing it wrong, proles

Cost?

[Anonymous User]

Lincoln Park is cheap? That was a joke, right?

[KMasterFunk]

Inglewood. You can get a house for 500 bucks and can own a hand gun now.

It's Englewood. Go back to California.

[Oban]

Also, someone above mentioned you can live up north off the redline too, your commute will be longer though(35-40min). Think Andersonville, Edgewater, Etc. Also if you don't like cities you can always live in suburbs and metra it in, but then your commute gets even longer.

As far as train lines and reliability. All are "reliable" in that no branch breaks down more. The red and blue lines seem to have the most perpetual/on going track maintenance. The brown/green/pink/orange lines are the newest(orange) and most recently refurbished(green/brown/pink) so they tend to not have as much slow zones and the like

[RMstratosphere]

I've never had to operate mass transit in Chicago. Can anyone talk about the differences between L lines. Are any more reliable or otherwise better?

IMO...

Brown line = nice, cleanest, safest. Goes to the best neighborhoods.

Blue line = step below Brown in all areas.

Red = dirty, and definitely the least safe out of the three (though thats not to say its unsafe).

All are reliable, but I feel like out of the three, the Blue line has the most delays.

Im from the northside, so I cant speak to much about green, pink, or orange.

If you are looking to save a few bucks and dont mind a 20-30 minute commute downtown, check out the lakeview/roscoe village neighborhood.

TY!

[moandersen]

I've never had to operate mass transit in Chicago. Can anyone talk about the differences between L lines. Are any more reliable or otherwise better?

IMO...

Brown line = nice, cleanest, safest. Goes to the best neighborhoods.

Blue line = step below Brown in all areas.

Red = dirty, and definitely the least safe out of the three (though thats not to say its unsafe).

All are reliable, but I feel like out of the three, the Blue line has the most delays.

Im from the northside, so I cant speak to much about green, pink, or orange.

If you are looking to save a few bucks and dont mind a 20-30 minute commute downtown, check out the lakeview/roscoe village neighborhood.

TY!

np. feel free to PM me if you have any other Chicago specific questions. I was born and raised in the city, so I like to think I have a good amount of knowledge of what goes on.

[theaccidentalclerk]

FYI: If anyone has any questions about family living options in the city or the 'burbs, just chime in. Contrary to popular belief, there are places where you can get an affordable single family home in a safe(ish) neighborhood in the city. (Public schools are a separate issue.)

[dgouzoul]

if you're not living in Trump Tower, you're doing it wrong, proles

my mistake

[Anonymous User]

In case I don't end up just crashing a friends place downtown next summer, when is the best time to start looking to secure housing? Have others found success subletting from students in the city?

[JollyGreenGiant]

In case I don't end up just crashing a friends place downtown next summer, when is the best time to start looking to secure housing? Have others found success subletting from students in the city?

Mine will be available.


/plug

[Anonymous User]

How hard is it to live in Chicago on 55K a year?

[Oban]

Not hard at all, Chicago ain't to expensive, just live in an apartment paying about 1-1.5k a month, if you have uber student loans... probably be tight. If you want cheaper you can get some roommates. One of my best fiends lives in west Uki/wickpark, near the Empty Bottle, and pays 350 for her room in a house.

[Anonymous User]

Not hard at all, Chicago ain't to expensive, just live in an apartment paying about 1-1.5k a month, if you have uber student loans... probably be tight. If you want cheaper you can get some roommates. One of my best fiends lives in west Uki/wickpark, near the Empty Bottle, and pays 350 for her room in a house.

Thanks! So 1500K a month for a one bedroom in Chicago is going to be a pretty nice place then?

[rayiner]

Not hard at all, Chicago ain't to expensive, just live in an apartment paying about 1-1.5k a month, if you have uber student loans... probably be tight. If you want cheaper you can get some roommates. One of my best fiends lives in west Uki/wickpark, near the Empty Bottle, and pays 350 for her room in a house.

Thanks! So 1500K a month for a one bedroom in Chicago is going to be a pretty nice place then?

1,500/month will get you a high-rise 1BR on a high-floor with good amenities in Streeterville or Gold Coast. Pretty much any other part of the city will be cheaper than that.

[Bronte]

Big law firms pay about $3000 a week. Even with loans at sticker you can pay $1500. And $1500 gets you luxury in Chicago.

[RMstratosphere]

Are there any well-regarded databases to find furnished, short-term housing for the summer? Or, is that more of a hit or miss kind of thing?

[Anonymous User]

Are there any well-regarded databases to find furnished, short-term housing for the summer? Or, is that more of a hit or miss kind of thing?

Airbnb

[Chiglaw]

I would also note that you should live where you play, not where you work. Lincoln Park is a great place to play. Streeterville/Goldcoast not so much.

[Anonymous User]

theaccidentalclerk, I am definitely interested in hearing more about living in the city with a family. I am also interested in hearing your take on schools. What about living in Lincoln Park and sending kids to lincoln elementary?

[hawkeye22]

Scenic Lawndale.

[Anonymous User]

You'll do fine with Lincoln Park elementary schools. Bell School is also quite good, although farther north I believe. Where you will get into trouble is high school. The only good public high schools in Chicago are Whitney Young and Walter Payton. They are both selective enrollment schools (test in) and no sibling preference. But then by that point you may be going the private school route. I'm thinking Latin School is tops private HS in Chicago but there are others. You could always have your kids try for Walter Payton/Whitney Young and enroll in Latin as a backup.

ETA There's a new performing arts High School in Chicago that' supposed to be awesome. Admission is via audition.