I miss it but I don't regret it. If all else were equal I'd prefer to live in Chicago, but things aren't equal and so it's okay. DC is pretty boring and blah, but it's fine.

Anonymous wrote:People come to the DMV to work not to live. A few like it. Most just tolerate it.

I am from Chicago with roots generations deep. Although very poor due to a divorce, went to a great north shore high school which gave me years of advantage at some of the best schools in the nation. The suburb very much supported the athletic careers of my brother and me, where we were state and national champions. I worried about too much emphasis on sports but my peers at my school - albeit a place with no diversity - set a fantastic academic tone.

I could live anywhere, but Chicago has its challenges. The north shore schools remain excellent and on par or better with Fairfax schools. Taxes are a problem. My small home back in the north shore suburb is 1400 square feet, is worth 480k, and has property taxes of 12k a year, more than I pay for large a 1.3 M dollar place here. Yes, housing is generally a bit cheaper in the desirable places in Chicago but the taxes eat at equity. I competed throughout the state, and places I used to like - Peoria, Rockford, Decatur, the Southern suburbs, and the Illinois side of the quad cities are now run down, bleak and crime ridden places with incredibly poor schools. This doesn't necessarily impact north shore denizens but the vibrancy of these places is gone and not coming back. The public university system after U of I UC is bleak, with nowhere near the options of Virginia. Chicago has the most debt per capita of any state by far due to its pension obligations, and it is unsettling to live in towns where 60-80-100 (Peoria) percent of property taxes go to pensions - work long ago performed. Crime in Chicago - even places like River North, Lakeview Lincoln Park and Steeterville are now experiencing escalating crime. My father just passed away and he was saddened in his last days by the number of armed carjackings on his Gold Coast street. Yes, DC has crime but when violent crime hits the 4 or 5 wards that pay for most of the city it is a problem and is depressing.It is not logical to move back to the Chicago area, even with roots which run deep. I do miss Lake Michigan but hiking the AT here is great. The ocean is close and on balance Chicago does not deliver like it used to.

People come to the DMV to work not to live. A few like it. Most just tolerate it.

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.

In relation to DC you're joking right. Have you ever been east of the river?

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

Us too

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.