Part two in the where would you rather live series. This time we will focus on the third and fourth largest cities in America. Where would you rather live, and why? I chose Houston because I can tolerate the humidity more than the cold. er... and there is no poll
Chicago is a truly awesome place to be in the summer. I've been lucky enough to spend a lot of time there in the summer. Unfortunately, the 7+ months of winter are absolutely atrocious. Bitter, bitter cold. Horrible. Ideally I'd be in Houston for winter, Chicago for summer.
No poll? My vote goes to Houston. No snow shovelling and it's affordable. I have spoken to people at my work during spring when there are a few perfect weather days and everytime someone says, "Wouldn't it be nice if it was like this more often?". I always respond with, "But I couldn't afford it". The fact is that Houston is awesome aside from 100 degree summers with 100% humidity.
Houston, no question asked... 1. Better Food 2. Cheap Rent and Property 3. Nicer People with better attitudes. 4. Better weather all year around... Yes we get 100 degree heat with 80% Humidity, but so does Chicago some years. Also no Blizzards and Ice Storms. 5. Better recreation activities.
Chicago is a much more entertaining and more scenic than Houston is, but the weather factor does give Houston the edge. I like cold weather, just not snow.
i like the smog, i like the traffic, i like the burning sun. i like pollution. I hate the disrespect. Houston, TX. United States of America.
I was born in Chicago but raised in Houston. After living in NY for 10 years, I'm tired of shoveling snow! Not to mention, everything up north is twice as expensive. Chicago is a great town to visit but not in the winter time! Since I'm moving back to Houston I have to Say HOUSTON over Chicago!
If I could afford to live somewhere decent in Chicago, I'd probably take it because Chicago is a great city. But since I can't afford the same lifestyle there as I can here, I'm happy enough here. The heat doesn't bother me. IMO, hot summers are cheaper on the wallet, easier to live in and not as physologically disturbing as the cold winters of Chicago. Cheaper: Everything costs more in the cold. Two wardrobes, car maintenaince, winter sports gear, etc. All expenses that are non-existent here. Easier: Taking out the trash or running a quick errand in the dead of summer is infantly easier than doing the same in the dead of winter. Everything takes 10x longer to do in 10 degree blowing snow. Mental Health: Waking up for work and it's pitch black and then getting home from work and it's been pitch black for hours is demoralizing. Plus in April-May when you think Spring is FIIIIINNNNAAAALLLLLYYYYY here and you get to wear shorts/tshirt, Old-Man winter tosses in one more snow storm. It makes you want to jump off a bridge. So in summary, I'll take Houston summers over Chicago winters every day even though Chicago is a great city.
http://biz.yahoo.com/special/bestplaces06.html Here's another reason Houston is a great place. The Best Places for Business and Careers: The Top Ten Metros 1. Albuquerque, NM 2. Raleigh, NC 3. Houston, TX 4. Boise, ID 5. Knoxville, TN 6. Phoenix, AZ 7. Nashville, TN 8. Durham, NC 9. Fayetteville, AR 10. Indianapolis, IN ... ... ... 100 Chicago, IL ... 118 New York, NY ... 147 Los Angeles, CA ... ... 195 Yakima WA 196 Stockton CA 197 Detroit MI 198 Youngstown OH 199 Flint MI 200 Gulfport MS
This is tough for me since I love both cities like one loves both kids, if you happen to have two children. Houston has most of my family and some friends and of course the best pro basketball team in the world (well at least when they're healthy). And when I go back to Houston I can always find something to do or somewhere to go and find great Tex-Mex,Barbecue and Blue Bell ice cream (I miss it A LOT!!!). Chicago on the other hand is just amazing. My sister lives there and I always have a place to crash and someone to go do things with, but it wouldn't matter anyway because you would have to be the biggest anti-social person in the world not find something to do on your own. It's a beautiful city right off Lake Michigan with top notch history,food,architecture,nightlife,sports,public transportation,culture,arts,parks and colleges. The bad side is the high cost of living, the parking (it's really bad),the tollways going out of Chicago, the people can be sarcastic (so it's good to have some thick skin on you) and as some of you mentioned the winter. I grew up a young kid in Milwaukee, which is not a bad city in itself and very underrated and not far from Chicago, so the cold and snow are things that don't bother me like you wmps I spent 15 great years in Houston. Most of my family was born and still live there. I left Houston 10 years ago and I missed it terribly for the first 2 years and every time I go back something changes or maybe it's just me. But I know I won't go back to Houston until I reach retirement age. If and when I move from Vegas, I know I will move to either Chicago or NYC. If I had the means I would love to try Berlin,Germany for awhile and see how that goes, but that's just wishful thinking. Houston will always have my good memories and my heart. And tha'ts where they'll be, but physically I'd rather be in Chicago.
I was in both cities a few weeks apart but I gotta go with Houston. Chicago's got deep dish pizza and Chicago dogs but I will take spicy shrimp burritos and Whataburger over those.
An unbiased observer would, without a doubt, answer Chicago. Beautiful city, great culture, just awesome. The only real advantage in Houston is cost of living. If cost of living doesn't matter to you, then it's a no-brainer. That said, cost of living matters to most, including me, so I would choose Houston.
Actually, most unbiased reports claim Chicago as "the best restaurant city in the US" with Houston coming in second. I was born and raised in Houston, but I'll be in Chicago for 10 weeks this summer doing an internship. So, I'll tell you after I get back! ...but I'm already 99.99% sure I'll like Chicago better.
I'd die from withdrawals if I ever left TX - I'd totally rather live in Houston. I have to have good Mexican food, good Tex-Mex, and good BBQ. I hate deep-dish pizza and hot dogs with anything but ketchup and mustard. Plus, I hate wind, I hate cold, and I will be damned if I ever have to shovel my own snow every morning. Give me the heat and humidity any day.
I just moved to Chicago in January after having lived in Houston most of my life but in what limited exposure I've had with Chicago and my love for Houston non-withstanding, I'd have to answer Chicago, if not just for Lake Michigan alone. I love the CTA/Metra -- I haven't driven in months. Cost of living is higher than Houston but I haven't felt it to any appreciable degree (though to be fair, I have two roomates now whereas I lived alone in Houston and I work out of the apartment so I don't need to drive). The people here are wonderful -- not as friendly as Houston but hardly New Yorkers. And its a wonderful place to be livin' single. Winters are dreary and cold here (I've had the misfortune of travelling through Chicago during the winters prior to moving here) but I prefer the cold anyways so this pretty much a non-factor for me. All that being said, I love Houston and if I move again, it'll probably be back home. In a tag team match, Houston/Chicago (Team Midwest) would kick the crap out of New York/LA (Team Manifest Destiny).
