We moved to Chicago from DC and regret it

Anonymous wrote:We did it 14 years ago and haven't looked back.

+1 I know this is really old but in case people are looking later. In arlington close to family. Love Chicago so much but it was the right move for us.

Moved from Chicago to DC in 2020 and have not looked back!!! DC is prettier, more cultured and sophisticated. Chicago has better food but less greenery and feels more unsafe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Chicago and have lived here 20 years. There are certainly things I miss, but I wouldn't move back. Weather is part of it, sure, but I feel like people greatly overlook the other negatives. First and foremost-- racism. The segregated history of the city runs deep and it's just not the environment I want to be in.

I met my spouse here. Driving down into southern Virginia to meet the in-laws, I saw more confederate flags than I could count. I was visibly shaken and a bit frightened.

dp.. but southern VA is not the DC area, really.

I mean I could go out many miles outside of Chicago and probably see confederate flags.

As OP asked about Arlington, so comparing Chicago suburban schools to DCPS is not what OP is asking about. Comparison should be Chicago suburban schools to APS.

I left Chicago decades ago and still miss it. The DC area is so cold and unfriendly. People are self-important and push their kids to achieve at all costs. I miss the friendly, laid back midwestern culture so much. I don’t miss the cold but I understand that isn’t anything like it used to be when I lived there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Totally regret it. It’s so so different from Chicago. Chicago is so much friendlier and less of a gross competitive rat race.

If you have family here it might feel different, but think carefully about the move.

Food? Neighborhoods? Lake? Friendliness? Chicago wins for all of them.

Sorry, OP. I moved here 18 years ago for a job for my spouse and still regret it

+1 SAME totally regret it too the same reasons.

Moved here after college for a boy and have stayed. 30 years now and I still miss Chicago. The food, the people, the skyline, being a real city, an actual Chinatown, everything Polish, cheap housing, even cheaper suburbs...

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Totally regret it. It’s so so different from Chicago. Chicago is so much friendlier and less of a gross competitive rat race.

If you have family here it might feel different, but think carefully about the move.

Food? Neighborhoods? Lake? Friendliness? Chicago wins for all of them.

Sorry, OP. I moved here 18 years ago for a job for my spouse and still regret it

+1 SAME totally regret it too the same reasons.

Anonymous wrote:I hate DMV.

I have been here for 15 years. I moved to Balt first for a job. Hated it and was going to return to Chicago. Then I met my husband who is based here with family. So we stayed.

Same, except I've been in DC for 20 years. Left Chicago for law school, then moved here for a job. Got married to an amazing person. He's from FFX. So here I still am. Don't love it at all. Miss Chicago something fierce, even over 20 years later.

I hate DMV.

I have been here for 15 years. I moved to Balt first for a job. Hated it and was going to return to Chicago. Then I met my husband who is based here with family. So we stayed.

We considered moving to Philly and did not. I regret it every single damn day.

I have made my peace so to speak in that I love my kids' school, they have activities they like, etc. But I have to admit, the friendships for us and my kids - it's never really clicked and I think it's because we are not of the culture here.

BUT I don't know where else to go really... DH is based here and has a sweet job. For years I considered moving back to Chicago where all my friends still are but I've now reconsidered.

I don't know you can ever go back home. You move forward with your life and you find the place you feel home at and that's where you somehow fit into the culture. I will FOREVER consider Chicago home but I don't know that it's home for my kids or DH. And I don't think I loved it until the best years of my life when I was in my 20s. I think you have to really try out different places and see how you like that experience.

No matter how much you think you will love/hate a place, you don't know until you are there. And even then, you may not be lucky enough to find a "home" - you have different stages of your life and right now - I need to be here for my family. I will ALWAYYYYYYS HATE it here. Chicago is a city of finance and business. Of true diversity in neighborhoods and where you can get a little of this and that. Next to NYC it is my favorite US city and having travelled extensively, I can tell you it's a city everyone in the world (esp the French!) loves. If you love good food, are creative and enjoy beauty, there is nothing like Chicago. DMV is not it. There's outdoors, access to road trip up/down the coast and access to beaches but while billed as an international city - let me tell you - if you don't work for the federal govt/defense or govt contractor here, are ex/military, a lobbyist or attorney, not sure how you make any money. It's a boring culture of think tanks, political operatives and people that make a lot of money talking. Here you go to a fancy restaurant to be seen, not to eat. People are never truly nice to you. The only ones I have met who are like that happen to be from MW!

But as I said, you can find your groove anywhere but yeah, Chicago is VERY different than Arlington. Here there are suburbs. Chicago is a city.

Yes. Haven’t lived in Chicago for decades but still miss it sometimes. But I think it’s a harder place to live with a family than the DMV is. It’s so huge so the difference between the city and suburbs is much greater. If you live in the city you have to deal with the school situation and if you live in the burbs and work in the city it’s a long commute. And it’s so far from any other cool city. I appreciate living here and being so close to Philly and New York. And do not miss the winters. Very much do miss the Chicago restaurant scene though.

I’ve lived all over the US, including 2 stints in Chicagoland. I think just about every Midwesterner I’ve met outside of the Chicago area thought the people in the Windy City were just slightly less insufferable than New Yorkers. So it is really weird to hear people here talking about that good ol’ down home Chicago friendliness.

I hate DMV. I love Chicago. I can't return because of my DH job/kids/etc but I will say that I think DMV is the most boring place compared to Chicago. It's ugly, expensive and people are a far cry from being as nice as those in Chicago. I find Chicago to be a very interesting, clean, artistic, creative, beautiful city. NYC and Chicago have finance based there - DC has lawyers and lobbyists and politicians - 'enuff said. Food sucks here v. Chicago for sure. There is no diversity here like there is in Chicago - the neighborhoods are special. The museums are better in Chicago too.

We live in Arlington too. It's totally boring. I grew up North Shore (Winnetka/live in Old Town/know Evanston, Highland Park really well). Arlington is a zillion times more boring than any of those places but I am biased I'm sure.

But if you work in law, DMV is definitely the right town for ya! I also think that to be fair, opportunities abound here from a travel perspective - it's E Coast so it is a better time going to a bunch of road trips, beaches, camping, etc. Whereas in Chicago, you are quite limited to just Chicago really. That's kinda it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chicago is extremely segregated, so the DMV definitely has the diversity edge. I hated the weather growing up there and I find the DMV’s weather an improvement. I hated the hyper focus on sports and drinking in Chicago, though alcoholism and drug use abound in DC too. I don’t miss the madigan, Blago, vyrdolyak corruption of days current and past but at least northern Virginia is pretty together, DC and MC not so much.

Do you seriously think that the DMV area is not extremely segregated? I lived in New York and Chicago for years before moving to DC, and this area is as segregated as any place I've ever lived.

No, I don’t. Where I live is extremely diverse.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, you first! I’ll stay in NoVA. Better college options in the Commonwealth, too.

To be fair, Illinois is no slouch in the education department, and especially if you look at the private heavyweights (UChicago and Northwestern), it trumps VA.

UIUC is only worth it for Ag, Biz, and Engr. Everything else there is mediocre at best.

Anonymous wrote:Chicago is extremely segregated, so the DMV definitely has the diversity edge. I hated the weather growing up there and I find the DMV’s weather an improvement. I hated the hyper focus on sports and drinking in Chicago, though alcoholism and drug use abound in DC too. I don’t miss the madigan, Blago, vyrdolyak corruption of days current and past but at least northern Virginia is pretty together, DC and MC not so much.

Do you seriously think that the DMV area is not extremely segregated? I lived in New York and Chicago for years before moving to DC, and this area is as segregated as any place I've ever lived.