Living in Atlanta, thinking about a career move to Chicago.. need help/advice!?

I've lived in ATL all my life %26amp; am a single mom. I'm in a position to better my financial situation by taking a job in Chicago. I have a good job now %26amp; my financial situation isn't terrible, but this could definitely be a great opportunity for me. The idea of living in another city both excites me %26amp; terrifies me at the same time. All of my family and friends are down here so that is the obvious struggle. My friends %26amp; I are in our thirties now %26amp; it seems our lives have gone in different directions %26amp; we don't see each other as often as we used to, so going forward in a new direction is somewhat appealing. I don't know a single person in Chicago %26amp; have never even visited there. I would just like some general information about the city... particularly the nicest areas/neighborhoods to live on a budget without compromising safety or quality of education. My son is 13 and good schools in a good neighborhood is important to me. Looking for general info/advice on the city and relocation!Living in Atlanta, thinking about a career move to Chicago.. need help/advice!?
We have a very good train system here. If you are working in the city itself, I would suggest living in the suburbs and commuting. It is cleaner, safer, cheaper and the schools are better. If you commute by driving in to the city. traffic can get pretty hectic, but is slightly better coming in from the suburbs northwest of Chicago. The southwestern suburban tollways tend to be worse. I manage a taxi and limo service in the area and am very familiar with traffic patterns. It is a buyer and renters market up here right now and there are alot of places for sale or rent. There is a great deal to do here for entertainment no matter what you enjoy doing.Living in Atlanta, thinking about a career move to Chicago.. need help/advice!?
if you like to drive, you could live anywhere BUT the north side. you don't really need a car if you live there, as the buses and trains are good.


where you live would depend on where exactly you'd work to decrease your commute, which can be brutal here.
Marc gave you great info. ATL is opposite of CHI definitly. In CHI you really do not need a vehicle, it can actually be more of a hassle. Though if you do have a vehicle it is accomodated. In general, parking here is difficult and often controled by permits. It really depends where you are working. Anything north of downtown is the best. Do not look into anything on the south side. The south side of Chicago is generally filled with crime and a bit run down. Remember the closer you live to downtown the more expensive it is. Check out the Chicago neighborhoods (available online). If you want to live by the lake, stay near the east neighborhoods (Lincoln Park, Uptown, Lakeview, Edgewater, Rogers Park). If you want to live more west the Irving Park area is nice, though it is mostly filled with condos and homes. I live in Edgewater and I love it! It is within walking distance to the train, and the beach. The commute to downtown via the train is about 25 min. Edgewater is one of the more northern neighborhoods so the rent is very decent here. Remember though that CHI is ALOT more expensive than ATL. The cost of living here is very high. So before you move factor in your pay raise to how much your living expenses will be.
Will you have a car or will you be using public transportation to get to and from work? Chicago has the elevated train, if youre going to take the train to and from work, look for an apartment near an elevated train stop. Its becoming more and more of a pain in the ^#@ to have a car in Chicago which is why lots of people take the train. Are you going to be working downtown [the loop]?, the train makes many stops in the loop...look on transitchicago.com.





Good Chicago neighborhoods.. if youre interested in living in a condo, look at the South Loop, its a good area close to downtown. Lincoln Park is great but expensive, Wrigleyville has lots of twentysomethings.





Or you can live in the suburbs and work in the city. The train is called Metra and it will take you to work downtown and home again. Lots of the suburbs have Metra stops. Of course, you can drive to and from work, but youll have to deal with traffic.





Oak Park is a nice 'burb near Chicago. Then theres Naperville which has become very popular especially with families. See if Naperville has a Metra stop, it probably does.





Tinley Park, Orland Park and Romeoville are some nice suburbs that arent crazily expensive.
Well, Atlanta and Chicago are very different cities - Atlanta is car-driven and Chicago is public-transportation driven, and the culture is different.





But Chicago is remarkably friendly. It's easy to met people here, particularly if you live in the city. Also, downtown Chicago isn't like downtown Atlanta (although downtown Atlanta has been improving, certainly.) Downtown Chicago is very vibrant, wtih lots of people around, and even several major parks nearby. The Loop (downtown) area and the surrounding area, particularly the north part up to Irving Park, is very popular. The other option if you have a child is the near-in suburbs, where the trains make transportation to Chicago easy - and the suburbs, like Oak Brook or Hinsdale, will remind you as much as anything as a neighborhood like Buckhead.





You might check http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webpo鈥?/a> for relocation advice. We're very friendly here, you'll be welcome.