I live in Chicago and I absolutely lost my mind when the first random street you dropped was the block I live on! I know a guy who lives in the building on the far right of the screen at 6:40 and can confirm that rent is $865 for a large studio. I live right nearby and have for the last 4 years. I don't have a car and have never felt like I needed one. Two underrated things about Chicago that you didn't mention is that Chicago is a huge rail hub and it is possible to get from Chicago to basically any major city in the US by rail (though it can be slow). The other huge boon is that the entire Chicago lakefront is public park land and the city has dozens of nice beaches.

@seanwilliams7655

Жыл бұрын

If you live on the Northside, you definitely don't need a car. Honestly, you can get by pretty much anywhere except the far edges of the city without a car. Especially now that Uber is around. Also, while the average 1BR might be $1900, you can find plenty of places cheaper than that. They might be small, but if it's just you, it probably won't be an issue.

@GnomeChomsky9999

Жыл бұрын

Chicago checking in!

@l.matthewblancett8031

Жыл бұрын

chicagoan as well, and wanted to add that the walkability, crime, and cost is so skewed by the geographic size of the city. somewhat like nyc, different sections are drastically different from each other. and i would argue chicago west of western has little in common with us east of western (due to transit causing density, thus car ownership, etc). its like our jersey 🤣

@bkburnaz

Жыл бұрын

Also you guys are comfortable with a genocide that happens in your city. The united nations would have a good reason to put a call for help like they do for 3rd world countries, for the city of Chicago

@davidw7

Жыл бұрын

@@bkburnaz You should see what the United Nations says or has as criteria on 3rd World.... it is not merely once fully vibrant and newer neighborhoods that Corporate America CHOSE and we allowed it to just ABANDON these areas once part of the motor of American manufacturing and what built this Nation. Southern African-Americans lured up North as part of a Union-busting attempt. Unions did not want them in Unions and Companies could pay less to them. They all had jobs once at least. Trouble was they were limited to a few neighborhoods that began busting at the seams. Of course, the branching out came. But fear and Real Estate Block-Busting of planting fear of your home would plummet in value... last one out lost the most created White-Flight. Also red-lining of the neighborhood was placed on the map of high-risk loans and charged higher interest if they even gave loans. Even the US government kept such maps and created them. My relatives I knew in the late 70s onward.... were among those who moved from changing neighborhoods to newer 50s 60s neighborhoods of the city in the very early 60s. Lived completely segregated lives there and even downtown was as if dead to them (of course it bounced back as it was not abandoned by Corporations) it did decline 60s 70s.... and bounced back. I know I lived a few years there back in the 70s 80s a few yrs. Still THIS IS A LARGE CITY... all of San Francisco and Boston city fits into its Northside alone. STILL PLENTY OF NEIGHBORHOODS LOOKING GREAT AND EITHER NEVER DECLINED... or GENTRIFIED. Most desired is around downtown and Northward along the lakefront and Northwest. Northwest side also a newer portion. Even it official bungalow-belt of 1/3 the city built in the booming 20s especially (criminal Al Capone era) thru the 1930s.... LOOKS AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER with now large soaring trees vs when built. Older neighborhoods still most desired and gentrified or gentrifying... old warehousing areas even next to its core buildings repurposed and added infill of high-rise living also Loft living Professionals love. Why by media oru biased media of any city in a Blue state and sanctuary city is a H*ell H*0LE .... has far to many HATE OUR OWN CITIES.... ONLY IN AMERICA we wave our flag hating its cities vs the world that reveres theirs as the centers of culture and commerce. I WILL rip our nation into division of no return from if we allow it... just as we allowed corporations to just abandon mills let them rot and move on... suburbs then to ASIA and building Japan first to China WE CREATED the beast we claim they are now. We lose our cities... you do not want them all moving by you or I right? Far from too late for our cities as many still seek them... but now Sunbelt states BUY CORPORATE RELOCATION with BILLIONS $$$ in incentives... giving a Elon Musk 1-billion to choose Texas... Hyundai 1-billion $$$ to build EV plants... still Elon chose to Mexico too... and keep his headquarters in California... a State that boomed the WHOLE 20th century not merely part of it. Add how wimpy some have become... need to escape real winters... put of with heat for months... humidity or dryness. See building in areas hurricanes will hit every decade and no regulating even some aspects of hurricane proofing.... all new homes.... NO WONDER IT COST average $4000 to $6000 to ensure homes in Florida now if they can get it.... coastal even more. Cheaper taxes somewhat and no state tax.... but Insurance the killer. Texas of course heat that so far its power grid is holding.... Let's home no region gets a hurricane or earthquake or wild-fires or floods or tornados.... NEEDING BAILOUTS From the FEDS... we in areas not effect keep paying to rebuild where it should not boom as it is. At least the future is more hopeful for the North.... a eventual slowdown and reverse of some fastest growing areas whos cost are rising fast.... and that will not end soon.

Great video. I really don't understand why so many americans are against walkable cities with good public transport. They really believe that we're trying to ban cars or something

@TheAmericanCatholic

Жыл бұрын

I think many Americans are not against it they have only known car dependents suburbs and simply arnt aware of alternative.

@brianbednarz1609

Жыл бұрын

@@TheAmericanCatholic definitely plays a huge role, i can vouch this is most of my area

@Student0Toucher

Жыл бұрын

Why can’t we have both car based cities and walkable cities so that people can live where they want…I think its authoritarian to force either

@szymon2078

Жыл бұрын

@@Student0Toucher no, we have to ban cars. Itll be cheaper for the people and government, it'll be faster, better for the environment, it'll raise the local economy, it'll be more convenient and we'll be healthier bc of the 90% of polution and noise polution reduction

@Student0Toucher

Жыл бұрын

@@szymon2078 I disagree also noise won’t be a problem if it’s electric cars

When I visited Chicago we did not have to use a car at all thanks to the walkability and public transportation

I visited Philadelphia recently with my husband and 2 year old. I fell in love with the city! We spent our entire trip just walking around the city- it is extremely walkable! The streets and buildings were so beautiful and unique and it was so surprising how affordable the food was! I swear restaurants in Austin (where I’m from) are more expensive and not as high quality! And what surprised me more was how friendly everyone was that we interacted with, even with my 2 year old! I would honestly move to the center city in a heartbeat if I had the chance!

@nonewherelistens1906

10 ай бұрын

A wonderful city. Lived in Center City and Mt. Airy. Would go back in a heartbeat if I had to choose an urban environment again.

@feliynz

6 ай бұрын

i lived in mt airy when i was little on carpenter lane. moved to memphis tn and am moving back in the next year @@nonewherelistens1906

100% agree about Chicago, it's a world class city with thousands of amenities but has become a right-wing talking point when advocating against urban life. I visited in 2019 and granted I didn't venture too far off the beaten path , it seemed like a Yuppie wonderland with stunning architecture and not what you'd expect. Also I wanted to say any city can be walkable if you can afford to live in its city center, I live in a southeast city without a car and get around just fine.

@AssBlasster

Жыл бұрын

Yup living car-free isn't that hard with some preparation. I live very comfortably on the walkable main street of a small college town in an otherwise pedestrian-hostile state. There is enough bike infrastructure to feel safe and commute around town and even the next town over.

@MrJimShorts

Жыл бұрын

What I like about NYC is it largely feels like Disney World. Like, you can blindly go any direction, take the subway most anywhere, and things will be alright for the most part. People usually say Chicago doesn't have that vibe, you have to use more caution with where you go or using the subway after dark. So much cheaper for a lot of the same freedom otherwise though.

@doubleoseven273

11 ай бұрын

The weather is a deal breaker no go for me

@thescatman5029

11 ай бұрын

@@MrJimShorts From a New Yorker: Whenever you are in NYC, take a trip to the outer boroughs. You'll see an assortment of good neighborhoods with good culture and good food. Times Square has become Disney World, as opposed to the rest of NYC.

@jonathanbowers8964

11 ай бұрын

Yeah. Chicago is great. Just stay out of the South Side and be aware at night and you should be fine. I do have to say that the unhoused in Chicago can be a bit more unhinged than in most other major US cities I have spent time in, but I think that has more to do with what being unhoused through Chicago's winters does to a person's psyche. Also Chicago's crime rate is about the same as most other Midwestern cities.

As a Minneapolis resident it does have a great night life, wonderful to see it on the list. Also yeah Chicago rules, so weird to see it regularly portrayed as a hell hole.

@mazx19

Жыл бұрын

I also live in Minneapolis and no it doesn't. Lol. Downtown nightlife is ghetto and dangerous and Uptown is a war zone after 10pm. Much of the bars in both areas have closed since the pandemic and they are only open until 2am anyways. Night life is pathetic. What areas or bars do you go to???

@brittoncoil2518

Жыл бұрын

@@mazx19 that’s any major American city

@seanwilliams7655

Жыл бұрын

@@brittoncoil2518 we have a few bars in Chicago that stay open until 4am, but most do close at 2

@MyWifesSon69

Жыл бұрын

Cause of crime.....

@bobbob1278

Жыл бұрын

Because it is a hell hole. 64 people getting shot in a weekend is mental

Great video! I'm glad to see Chicago (and other Midwest cities) getting such a positive review. Sold my car and moved here from Texas over 30 years ago and never looked back...and never bought another car! Winters actually aren't that bad except for a few weeks here and there.

@timothykeith1367

Жыл бұрын

I never disliked the midwest winters, the snow and ice removal is efficient. Outisde of the core of the old city the Chicagoland suburbs are not much different than Dallas or Houston.

@seanwilliams7655

Жыл бұрын

@@timothykeith1367 pretty sure he's talking about the city proper though. But yeah, places like Schaumburg are probably similar to Dallas.

@FatiguedFuture

10 ай бұрын

So Chicago is better than Texas? 🤔

Great video! Chicago really is an underrated American city! Great walkability, great transit, great cultural amenities, and arguably the most affordable world class city in the nation!

Chicago is always number 1 for large walkable, affordable cities. Truly is the best. There are some great medium sized walkable cities but to never have to leave and always have something to do in town Chicago is the best.

I am astounded by the amount of urbanist channels on KZread, but even more astounded by the number of urbanist channels I enjoy. In particular, I think the fact that you are fairly levelheaded and not militant about the topic but still well-informed will be very useful for helping others to realize that changing city building philosophy is an absolute necessity for the future

@alanz4819

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. I think not just bikes for example makes good points. But even for an urbanist like me, he comes off as militant and jaded in every video

@janvanhoyk8375

Жыл бұрын

@@alanz4819 Yes, and a bit "snobbish" which I think is detrimental and creates a lot of people who are against "urbanism" for no reason other than they dislike the way the proponents discuss it. There are some circles in which urbanism is elitism, and that's completely antithetical to the whole point!

@cdw2468

Жыл бұрын

@@alanz4819i remember one time he asked for places to visit that had good urbanism and someone suggested an american city (don’t remember which one, maybe chicago). they even prefaced with “i know the US isn’t the best but you should highlight cities that are trying to do better” and his only response was “i don’t visit america”. your whole channel is based on trashing the US and its cities and you can’t even visit one of the better cities in the country for a couple of days and say “oh, here’s an example of the best the country has to offer and something for the rest of the country to move towards”. it almost feels like he’d rather sit back and hate the US than ever see it do any better

@hostilepancakes

11 ай бұрын

@@cdw2468 I can understand not liking Not Just Bikes. He definitely puts off a lot of people with his presentation of the topics he covers. But you have to understand that his anger and harsh tone are born out of having grown up in a place that was very car dependent, followed by having lived in downtown Toronto during an extended period of unemployment (on a personal level). These kinds of life experiences tend to cause someone to be very zealous and passionate about something, and that doesn’t leave a lot of room for being diplomatic.

@cdw2468

11 ай бұрын

@@hostilepancakes i’m an american in one of the worst cities for public transportation in the country (which is saying something). i know it makes you angry. it makes me angry. trying to talk to family members about it but hearing “but muh too big and too expensive” is immensely frustrating. but undirected anger alone isn’t enough. you have a platform with which you can communicate ideas to millions, and sure, spend some of that time with you (certainly properly placed) anger. but if all you offer is yelling “Netherlands good, US bad” then, like i said, it makes me question what your goal really is: to make things better for the millions who live in car centric dystopias through encouraging public action and to give people who don’t have the resources and/or desire to pick up and move to Europe some amount of hope for possibly changing the places they live, or to get good sound bites on youtube? his approach seems to come from a place of privilege and is a waste of his opportunity as the largest public urbanist advocate on youtube (maybe even the world?)

As a born and raised phoenix boy, I've always dreamed of living in a walkable place. I visited Chicago for a couple days about a year ago (my first time) and was absolutely blown away by the vibrancy of the city. Sooo beautiful. And there's just so much to it. Felt a lot like NYC but not quite as bustly. Really digging your content! Maybe a future one on walkability/bikeability in smaller cities? I've heard some good things about some small Colorado towns. Keep it up, Thomas!

@ecprescott

11 ай бұрын

Hey! I’m from Phoenix too and my first “blow away” experience was seeing San Francisco in high school. Since, I’ve lived in Seattle but visited NYC. I love the energy of NYC but also don’t want to be paying so much to live in a closet. Does the energy and vibrancy of chicago really compare to the big apple?

@uproote

11 ай бұрын

@@ecprescott How is Seattle in comparison? It was the first out-of-state city I went to as a kid; loved it and it became my dream area to live near almost immediately. I think mostly because of the rain, having being desert-born and all lol. I still dream about it but am hesitant to be so sure it'd be the right fit in my adult years. From a barely-traveled person, yet having been to both Chicago and NYC, Chicago has a distinct vibe. So I wouldn't exactly compare it, but it definitely has many of the big-city amenities that are most appealing about NYC. That being said... seeing the level of waves coming off a great lake for the first time... that was uh... mind-altering. 😂 The canals are also beautiful in contrast with the architecture. It's a level of contrast NYC definitely doesn't have outside of its parks, which are sparser. That being said, while only having spent 36 hours in NYC, my childhood dreams of living there were only validated. But totally agree, it's intensely unlikely given the prices. Swear to god though, so many movies serve as essentially propaganda... and it works on me. 😂

@crysstoll1191

11 ай бұрын

@@ecprescott Not in my opinion but i do think Chicago is the only other city in the US that has world class culture. Interesting that y'all mention Phoenix, one of the least walkable cities i've hung out in. First off- how far can one walk (esp in 120 deg F) second- where to walk to? Good comment on Chi being a rail hub (although i wonder who has the money and extra time to try to actually go anywhere by rail in the US any more?). Chi is seriously underrated imo (yeah, i know i just commented that it's not NYC, but it's easily 2nd best).

@crysstoll1191

11 ай бұрын

@@uproote Seattle has some cute little neighborhoods, it's mass transit was pathetic 25 yrs ago but perhaps it has improved. Culturally it doesn't compare to Chi (or Philly) even slightly. It was extremely white back when i stayed there during a few months visits. I say that from a musical and artistic vantage point only. (clarifiying, very little jazz, funk, etc.) Flame suit on...

@uproote

11 ай бұрын

@@crysstoll1191 Lol well the only reason we mention Phoenix is because it's where we're from. Phoenix is 100% not a walkable place at all LOL. It definitely sucks.

Great video! About the crime stuff, City Nerd has a good video on the topic. He explains why it usually doesn't make sense to judge a city on crime statistics.

@SP1CEANDW0LF

Жыл бұрын

It's a tough subject to judge and is sooo neighborhood dependent. The neighborhood with the lowest crime rate in Philly will be far safer than the neighborhood with the highest crime in NYC, yet NYC is considered one of if not the safest cities overall, but you can't apply overall city crime statistics as a blanket statement.

@XMrPersonX

Жыл бұрын

Was gonna say the same thing!

@GaigeGrosskreutzGunClub

Жыл бұрын

violent crime also occurs within disadvantaged populations between people who know each other. Random violence is something we as humans psychologically fear, but rarely experience, and it's not like anything can be done to mitigate it, because it is random and unpredictable. I am speaking from a point of privilege, but you're exponentially more likely to get hurt or killed by a careless driver than another random pedestrian.

@seanwilliams7655

Жыл бұрын

@@GaigeGrosskreutzGunClub random murder is rare. Random muggings or stick ups are way more common.

@GaigeGrosskreutzGunClub

11 ай бұрын

​@@seanwilliams7655 sorry for the late rebuttal, but I think this just follows the general trend of assault/theft being more common than murder. I don't think that's an effective criticism of my point, that strangers don't usually get targeted for crime relative to people familiar with each other, especially if they're aware of their surroundings and behavior. Still, I will concede that generally unstable areas aren't pleasant to be in and you don't want to be caught in the middle of something. But to write off an entire city (or cities in general) wholesale for a few shady blocks is pretty reductive.

Chicago is the best city imo to move to but I live in California so all my friends and family are here in California and I might not be able to handle the freezing winters. I can barely handle 35 degrees in the mountains. But If I get a job offer to move to Chicago then I'll take it and take my immediate family and close friends with me.

@Kk_1100

Жыл бұрын

Ive lived in ca my whole life. When i traveled to chicago i loved it. But like you, idk if i could ever move so far away from my family. If chicago was in a state next door to ca id move in an instant.

Philly is highly underrated. As for the crime, yes it could be better. However, not counting North or West Philly , the crime isn't particularly egregious. Stay out of those parts and you're going to be fine.

@eddiew2325

Жыл бұрын

Kensington?

@AssBlasster

Жыл бұрын

@@eddiew2325 Definitely Kensington lol

@cameron_o

Жыл бұрын

I live in West Philly, some of the neighborhoods are okay, but obviously a large amount have significant problems.

@gustavusadolphus4344

Жыл бұрын

Philly is gross. I worked there (downtown by the courthouse) for a summer. Can't recommend. It's just way to dirty

@gustavusadolphus4344

Жыл бұрын

Also, I have to mention I worked for SEPTA, and I wouldn't trust them to take out the trash. They are pathetically run

Sending this to my wife so she finally understands why I want to move to Chicago.

I was just in Chicago with my wife and we loved it. We’re from the northwest and knew it would be great but wow. It blew my mind how easy it was to get around, nothing like we have over here.

People who have never been to chicago have no idea what being in a dense and walkable city with stunning architecture and parks and a lake can do to your soul. I left the boring hell hole south for chicago when I realized what it did to my soul and have never been happier in my life. The people that perpetuate the crime lies are just jealous if what the city is and dont want others to find out. Crime here is no different than where I lived before. Im never leaving this place. The fact that its more affordable than hell hole sprawled boring southern cities is the icing on the cake

You're so right about cities and the perception of them. I've lived on the outskirts of Washington D.C. for 15 years. Worked in the city for 6 of those years. Before I moved from my small town, everyone was warning me about how dangerous it was. I still have people who will be shocked that I'm not living in constant fear. But like you said about Chicago, unless you go to a few specific spots, you're fine. It's a nice city. It has a lot of small town charm, but the amenities of a large city. It's actually pretty walkable and they're making real strides in improving the cycling infrastructure. But it does have too many cars. WAY too many people from VA and MD drive into the city for work, instead of taking public transit. So the streets are dangerous. Otherwise, it's a great place to live. It is, however, very expensive. I'll never be able to own a home in this area and I can't afford to live in the city core, as much as I want to.

I live in Baltimore and regularly visit both Philly and Chicago. Those two cities are my favorite in the country. I am not afraid to visit “high crime” cities because of where I’m from and I have benefited from that worldview

I live in Seattle and even people here scoff when I mention my former home, Chicago. But Chicago is wonderful, I'm still totally in love with it. "Good" Chicago is enormous and safe. "Bad" Chicago is a world apart. Eh, some secrets are better kept secret.

@ralphjohnson3202

Жыл бұрын

@Thomas Boyle Also a former Chicago resident currently living in Crapattle Washington Chicago is 100 times better than Seattle the people are better the food in Chicago is better than anything Seattle has to offer. Chicago doesn't have a bunch of passive aggressive assholes like Seattle.

Minneapolis local here. It’s definitely a good place to live car free as long as you never leave the twin cities. If you do you are going to need a car for sure lol.

Great video. I've often been in Philadelphia(my relatives happen to live in its suburbs), and it is quite nice. I used to think all cities were that way until I visited LA.

I live in Milwaukee, and rent a 2 bedroom apartment for $1170 a month, about 3 miles west of downtown. There's a new bus rapid transit line that has a stop right in front of my apartment, that'll take me downtown, or west to the Froedtert Medical Complex. I don't own a car, and bike everywhere. Plenty of trails nearby, including the Hank Aaron Trail passing by American Family Field.

I live in Minneapolis-St. Paul (in St. Paul right on the Green Line LRT) and the vast majority of the core of Minneapolis and St. Paul is actually reasonably walkable, although the suburbs are a different world from the two core cities. The good part is that it is very easy to completely avoid the suburbs if you want to - I certainly do - and the one place you actually need to go to occasionally, Bloomington, MN (where the Mall of America and MSP airport are) is very easy to go to. One thing that people always forget about the Twin Cities, is the fact that the economy is exceptionally good, even by the standards of a very successful and wealthy metropolitan area. The average cost of housing in the Twin Cities is the highest in the Midwest, but salaries are also the highest - with Minnesota being the wealthiest state not on either of the coasts. The worst part about living here is certainly the winter weather, but it's possible to get used to - all the East African and Southeast Asian immigrants do!

@gaoda1581

Жыл бұрын

Lived there for half a semester last year (north of MoA), and everything was just as you described

@houseofhas9355

11 ай бұрын

I have visited and Its on my list of top 5 to move there once I get married. I live in Boston. It's walkabout but too expensive to live.

@crishnaholmes7730

7 ай бұрын

@@gaoda1581did you like it

Lived in Atlanta for college and it was amazing. MARTA was great for bouncing from place to place, campus to campus. I also enjoyed walking around at night and enjoying the night life and the club and the food on college. Every night I would always go to a particular club near the dorm, shout out to the club! I don't know if it's still open or not, but it was an amazing experience.

I have lived in St Louis. All I can tell is that it's a great and unique city. Although the crime rate seems high, it's not that dangerous and most of the crime is in a specific area of the city. St Louis gives you a feeling that few other cities in the US does.

@Truman5555

Жыл бұрын

The crime numbers are really inflated since the cities borders are locked in and the population is really low. The per capita makes it worse than it is.

@Truman5555

Жыл бұрын

When you take that into account, Baltimore is way worse.

@jayell1761

Жыл бұрын

​@@Truman5555 What makes Baltimore way worse? It's literally what you would get if you dropped St. Louis on the east coast, locked borders and all.

@jeffwebb2966

11 ай бұрын

St. Louis is a great city and crime is way over represented in the crime stats. Not true.

Glad to see you make long form videos Thomas. Looking forward to it!!

@ThomasFromPHX

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Chicago actually did grow slightly between the 2010 and 2020 census, although figures during Covid do suggest a small flight from the city. Overall I would say Chicago is trending for modest growth.

Something to consider is legal atmosphere. Missouri, for instance, has made some troubling movements against women, children, lgbtq people etc. wondering why Detroit isn’t on the list as Big Gretch is doing exciting things there.

Pittsburgh is also a hidden gem! Sucks that it continues to lose population when what they have is already so beautiful and unique

@jdredwine7224

Жыл бұрын

Pittsburgh just misses out. St Louis Walk Score is 66, Pittsburgh is 62. St Louis edges out Pittsburgh again in bike score 58-55, but Pittsburgh beats out St Louis in transit 55-43. With all 3 Pittsburgh edges out St Louis with a total score of 172 to St Louis 167. St Louis is considering a third metro line which should improve it's transit score and Pittsburgh is planning more bike infrastructure and maybe even bringing back inclines although they may be more like Gondolas which should inprove it's transit and bike score. Pittsburgh is a very underrated city. Lower crime than St Louis, pretty good metro economy (St Louis does too), more pro sports than St Louis, a major D1 College program as well, and overall better education institutions than St Louis, but St Louis has the Arch, a world class zoo, and great museums as well. Surprised not to see Buffalo. 67 walk score, 63 bike score, 47 transit score 177 total, but most importantly on this list is a 1 point higher walk score than St Louis.

@choreomaniac

Жыл бұрын

Pittsburgh’s population has stabilized in the past decade and the larger area has actually grown.

@linuxman7777

Жыл бұрын

​@@jdredwine7224Walk score has serious flaws in how it measures walkability. As it really fails to scale to smaller levels, and it is very unfair to smaller cities and doesn't fairly judge if people actually walk, or if they just theoretically can walk, it also includes alot of areas that really should not count. For example Pittsburgh Proper has alot of land that is parkland or cliffs that are unwalkable and have no amenities but they aren't places where people live, so for the average Pittsburgher, the city is more walkable than Walkscore would have you believe.

@crishnaholmes7730

7 ай бұрын

Is it walkable

@waltkeast9777

2 ай бұрын

I was surprised that Pittsburgh didn't make the list when St. Louis and Milwaukee did. It is indeed a hidden gem with much less crime compared to the others on the list and definitely affordable for most.

You run a great channel, thanks for making these videos! Keep on going my friend :)

loved this. chicago is sooo underrated.

I'm from Chicago and would definitely agree with us being the #1 spot! It is not cheap but I've been telling people that it is relatively affordable when you factor in walkability. Our family has three kids and we only had to buy a car once we had our third kid. We hardly drive it compared to the average American. Not having a car for so long has helped us to save so much money. I got to live in Pittsburgh for a summer years ago. I would say it definitely deserves to be on this list. In a few core neighborhoods walkability, and transit are amazing when you consider how big the city is.

Living in Iowa, I'm very familiar with both Minneapolis and Chicago, and both do indeed deserve their places on this list. Of the two, Chicago is probably where I'd actually feel safer. As long as you avoid going deep into bad neighborhoods at night, it's one of the safest cities in America. The Twin Cities are a bit more patchy that way, and a lot of the cultural attractions are adjacent to rather rough areas. One advantage to places with more extreme weather is that you have fewer homeless people on the street. While there certainly are homeless people in both Illinois and Minnesota, there's far fewer than you'd find in California, Oregon,, Florida, or Texas.

@brunhildevalkyrie

Жыл бұрын

yeah because people fucking die from the cold you bigoted fuck

Awesome video! Can confirm Chicago is incredible. World class city all around from parks and institutions to night-life and food. I easily live car-free here. The winters are rough but also fun in their own way and they make you appreciate the summers more haha. As you mentioned, crime throughout the vast majority of the city is indistinguishable from any other american city.

Philly is actually growing, not really a rust belt city either. Most underrated city in the country IMO

Chicago is so beautiful.

Summary data #5 St. Louis, MO - 1BR rent $1045, walk score 66 #4 Milwaukee, WI - 1BR rent $1167, walk score 62 #3 Minneapolis, MN - 1BR rent $1317, walk score 71 #2 Philadelphia, PA - 1BR rent $1400, walk score 75 #1 Chicago, IL - 1BR rent $1900, walk score 77

Great video, thanks for including us on the list! Although, I would like to say that if more people DO decide to move here we can save more of the iconic 2nd Empire architecture you shouted out (I appreciate that btw!) and be able to better address the crime issue that is the only thing holding us back from becoming a true urbanist mecca. :]

Thanks for recognizing our city as #1! So many people have misconceptions about it, I appreciate that your analysis was 100% on point.

Thanks for making this! I'm lonely and surrounded by old -people- POS's here in FL, I really think it's time for me to grow a pair and learn how to deal with winter weather...

Chicago native and urban planner. Love it! (Currently living in a Boston closet.)

Fantastic list. I've lived in St Louis and Chicago. Loved them both. Philly and Minneapolis are great cities and deserve to be on this list. I am not familiar with Milwaukee, so I can't say.

Great video, I agree that crime is very much overblown in the news, while it is a problem, it is not much worse in cities than in rural or suburban areas, heck nyc is one of the safest places in the entire USA

Boston isnt as affordable as the other choices on this list by a few hundred, but its certainly walkable and the public transportation is really good. The only bad thing is that the traffic is absolutely insane because the city was designed in the 1700s

@calvinlawn3457

10 ай бұрын

To be fair, I live in San Diego and the traffic gets really bad on the freeways, despite many having +3-4 lanes each way in the morning (7-8am) and afternoon (3-6pm) basically every week day. Most of our highways were built in the 1950s or later. The way we design our system creates traffic - with all streets funneling to highways. Adding more lanes doesn’t solve the problem b/c of induced demand. All things being equal, narrower lanes are more likely to get filled up/or will do so sooner (they also require slower speeds), so I get your point but we need to address the main issue of having too many cars on the road at the same time. I wish San Diego had older narrow streets.

@deborahcarr2077

10 ай бұрын

Despite the high rents, I would have put Boston in the top three for culture, walkability and restaurants.

I really enjoyed Chicago when I visited. Great mass transit, culture, restaurants and bars. And two baseball teams. But those Midwest winters scare me. Philadelphia is on my list, though I haven't had much time to visit. It's cheaper, has a good mass transit network, close to other destinations, has all the sports leagues and has tons of history. And the winters aren't as bad as the Midwest.

@matthewconstantine5015

Жыл бұрын

The winters are what scare me off, too. I'm from Maine and after 30 years of Maine winters, I left & never want to go back. And the Midwest winters seem to be even worse (though I think upstate New York takes the cake). There's so much appeal to Chicago and even Milwaukee, but those winters...

@cdw2468

Жыл бұрын

i was born and raised in cleveland so maybe im just used to it, but really the worst part of winter is driving. if you can avoid that in a walkable/transit city, it’s really not that bad. just invest in good winter clothes and you’ll be fine most of the time

Great stuff I really enjoyed this.

I was skeptical initially when I heard the very subjective third criterion, but I came away impressed with Thomas’ presentation. I can vouch for the quality of St. Louis and Chicago, despite their reputation for crime. There are neighborhoods I both which I would never walk through, but I have never been fearful walking in either city. I enjoy Minneapolis, particularly their mass transit. Thomas’ theory of walkability being related to pre-automobile development is genius. Great video.

I used to live in Minneapolis and live in NYC now. Minneapolis has fantastic bike infrastructure and it's relatively walkable, but the winters are long and brutal so walking anywhere in the winter is such a pain when it's -10 degrees outside.

@yourfavpersuasion9385

11 ай бұрын

nyc winters are long and brutal too.

@massvt3821

10 ай бұрын

@@yourfavpersuasion9385 NYC winters are quite mild when compared to the Twin Cities

@beanpasteposts

7 ай бұрын

@@massvt3821In the past few years thanks to climate change, maybe, but people used to die in the cold regularly. I would actually argue Jan to March/April in NY is far more brutal than Oct to Dec.

I looooove walking culture!!!!!!! Thanks for the video!!

Love this video. Could you do more city breakdowns with even more criteria? If not no hard feelings. Can't believe how good the content on this channel is.

You may know this already but crime statistics are wildly inconsistent because of the huge variance in statistical areas they are applied to. the city of St. Louis for example is pretty much just the downtown area (where most crime usually happens). That area has a very low population compared to what most consider St. louis proper. This leads to high per capita crime rates Compare this to any city that annexed neighborhoods over the years (and increased the total population in those per-capita statistics) and it makes St. Louis sounds like a warzone. I have family in St. Louis, and though it does have lots of problems, its nothing close to what many think. I think City nerd has some good content on the crime statistic stuff. Also yeah amazing BBQ. Sorry for the essay in the comments, Great video!

In my biased opinion, Portland is the closest to being in the middle of those 4 pillars. 1 bedroom price averages are similar to Chicago, weather is by far the most mild of those on this list, property crime is problem here, but violent crime is probably the lowest on this list. Arguably the most bikeable city, and has 28 neighborhoods with a walk score of 80 or higher which is amazing for a city of its size, and most of these neighborhoods are distinctly different from each other with their own feel and charm. Public transit is also great for a city of its size as well.

@AssBlasster

Жыл бұрын

Nah you aren't alone. I live in a cheap college town in the Pacific NW, but have decided to relocate to Portland with my new remote job. It's probably the best city in this region that I can still afford my own place (cough Seattle). The simplicity of the Portland transit is amazing...and $5 for any public transit all-day is solid! Being a bike commuter myself, they still hold that top bike city title in my eyes because they have established bike routes across the city with some multi-use paths too. They also have decent Amtrak coverage with routes to San Fran, Seattle, Vancouver BC, etc

@thefutureisnowoldman7653

Жыл бұрын

Too bad they're so racist my Mexican ass would never be accepted

@gustavusadolphus4344

Жыл бұрын

Downside is... it's Portland

@cdw2468

Жыл бұрын

@@gustavusadolphus4344what’s wrong with portland?

@person3070

Жыл бұрын

@@cdw2468 Homelessness. Way too much of it. If they didn't have a homelessness problem, it would be one of the better cities in the US

Hey man, like the vid. I'm from Chicago and its a nice place :) It is extremely cold, however, be warned.

Lol this list is affirming my desire to move to Chicago. I'm glad you brought up the housing prices. Average rent is a generally useful metric but in a lot of cities it's not representative of what you can actually get, and not every cheap place is some dump in a neighborhood with a lot of crime. Let's just say I could not afford their average rent, but many neighborhoods that I would want to move to regardless of price have units under $1000.

Informative content!

I’m currently living in Indiana training for my career, but Ive been daydreaming about moving back to my hometown of Chicago with my girlfriend. With both of us working the jobs we want rent would absolutely not be a problem in the northern neighborhoods or even in the loops for that matter. It’s just an awesome place for someone to spend their 20s to 30s and beyond in. Plus it’s nice friends and family are all there too

love Chicago! one of my fav cities ever.

I am really impressed with you and your presentation in this video. You're smart and personable, and an independent thinker.

Agreed. Chicago is a wonderful place in many ways ❤

Nice weather is so incredibly subjective. I live in Minneapolis and I actually greatly prefer upper midwest weather to anywhere else in the US other than maybe the northern reaches of the PNW. Heat is my kryptonite.

St. Louis is a city built with the bones of a somewhere like Chicago, that fell victim to urban renewal and deindustrialization. In its early years it was one of the largest cities in the country, it's sad to see where so many misfortunes and mistakes have led it to today.

Post more of this bro especially on ur TikTok and here also !!

Thanks. Subbed

He gave my city number 4 Milwaukee let’s go💪🏾

Great video! This was such a great list. You can also make the case that these list of cities are also potential *climate haven cities* in the future. I also want to say there might be one city that is affordable, walkable, safe & has nice weather and that city is maybe *Miami, FL* maybe????😂 Specifically there downtown urban core😅

you had me at “elon musk is a menace.” happy to become part of your subscriber base.

Great job, bro, greetings from St Pets, Russia. Thanks for your videos, do not stop!

Great. Thanks for setting me straight on Chicago. It gets slammed all the time.

Awesome! It would be cool to do an focus on the best place to live within these cities. Like for walk score, amenities, crime, affordability. Essentially all the things we want out of a city lol

The farmers market in St. Louis were the best! I lived in Chicago for 10 years. And thanks to Amtrak my two getaway cities were St. Louis and Milwaukee. I would go out to the night clubs. I found it pretty safe.

Enjoyed our 6 months in Milwaukee. Its an amazing city

Chicago is a stunning city! Such an incredible city and beautiful!

Correction about Philly: we have only one highway smashing through downtown, I-676, but it's only 6 lanes; but yes, Philly is a walkers paradise, you can walk miles upon miles and not cross a single highway and few wide annoying roads. Crime is a problem as you indicated, but if you will be fine if you stay in the following neighborhoods: Center City, most of South Philly east of Broad, the river wards, University City, Manayunk, Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill.

@lorenzocaselli-ko4bw

11 ай бұрын

is parrish street safe?

Chicago is awesome! Lived there for 13 years

Interesting video. Definitely enjoyed the perspective. One adjustment - Philadelphia is not in the rust belt. It's about 70 mi from the Atlantic Ocean in the Mid-Atlantic states part of the BOS-WASH megalopolis on the I-95 corridor. Pittsburgh however, the other city in Pennsylvania is commonly included as a rust belt city. Pennsylvania is two entirely different states from east to west, divided by the Appalachian mountains. On the walkability, I have lived in both Greenwich Village, Manhattan and in Society Hill, Philadelphia with the historic charm. I was just in Philadelphia a week or two ago. I would say that Philly has come a long way over the past 20 years. While it was always walkable, now it seems a lot busier than in the past. A couple of weeks ago, the pedestrian volume reminded me of NYC. It didn't used to be like that as far as I can recall. Still though, as expensive as NYC was to live in, I loved the experience. Parked my car on Friday after work, and never had to move it until Monday morning.

@waltkeast9777

2 ай бұрын

Pittsburgh is a former rustbelt city. Do your homework!

Great video. Would love to hear your opinion on Stockholm or any other Swedish city.

Good work

thank you for this info! I moved to Springfield, MO a few years ago for school and am feeling very stuck here. It's wild how much more expensive the larger cities are right now. Anyone considering SGF because of the low price beware, this place sucks

Chicago!!! Love that place

I actually visited 3 cities on this list on a cross country vacation to check out their urban landscape and was genuinely impressed with Milwaukee (the Hiawatha train is great!), Chicago, and Philly. Chicago definitely has the typical issues of inner city living, but it wasn't any different or especially concerning. The real deal for Chicago is the insanely cheap apartments not too far from downtown. Philly has great walkability but piss poor public transit that makes no sense to a visitor. SEPTA keeps their reputation strong!

@flcon16

Жыл бұрын

Chicago is so much more than downtown. Downtown is for businesses and tourists.

@AssBlasster

Жыл бұрын

@@flcon16 Oh yeah I agree many more interesting neighborhoods than River North and the Loop, but I only had 3 days to explore and spent a decent time around downtown. The Lakeshore Trail is pretty nice and neighborhoods like Lincoln Park were very nice, clean, and better architecture than NYC.

@nonewherelistens1906

10 ай бұрын

SEPTA Regional Rail is one of the best in the country.

All terrific cities and often misunderstood. I would move to any one of them if I could.

I definitely think that you should take a look at Atlanta in terms of Walkability + Nice Weather. Their current and expanding Belt Line project along with the soon to be addition of Bus Rapid Transit lanes will change the course of the city.

It's worth looking at some smaller cities in the Midwest, too. Fort Wayne, Indiana comes to mind. There are several central neighborhoods with decent walk scores (>70) in this very affordable, very safe city.

@voidsnail

11 ай бұрын

If the rest of the US was designed more like Ft Wayne I wouldn't mind it here quite as much.

Nice video :)

Great video! I'm planning taking a trip from NY out to Chicago in a few weeks. Can you recommend a couple of decent areas i could get a studio fairly cheap?

Great list! At first, it wasn’t sure about including Chicago but when you consider the caliber of city that it is, it is much cheaper than peers. Some other cities that come to mind for this list: Pittsburgh, buffalo, Kansas City, and Detroit

Def glad you have Milwaukee on here. Beyond the less residential spots shown in the video the most livable walkable vibrant neighborhood cores might be areas like Bay View, Walker's Point, East Side etc... ツ

OH damn you also live in Phoenix? Nice~ Phoenix representtt~

@eddiew2325

Жыл бұрын

I heard winters in Phoenix are brutal. Snowstorms and all

@grahamturner2640

Жыл бұрын

@@eddiew2325 what?

I love Milwaukee, except for the weather. I walked around quite a bit when I was there for work.

Would love to see you take a look at Denver My wife and I just moved here from LA about a year ago and I am so surprised by the walkability in the older neighborhoods in the core where we live

I own my own condo in Midtown Atlanta. As I type this I'm looking out the window and watching 2 other high-rise apartment buildings going up. Urbanization is happening rapidly here. MARTA is also finally expanding after years of stagnation and we're getting new train cars soon. As it stands 1-bedroom units in this neighborhood go for $250k-$350k to buy or $1800-$2200 a month to rent, but a ton of new housing is going up which will likely drive down rents. Although Atlanta at large is notoriously car-dependent, the Midtown-Downtown area is actually very walkable, I don't even own a car and I've been living here for a year. One issue I've noticed since I bought my unit is the issue of rich people buying 2-3 adjacent units in a condo building and merging them together into one massive mansion in the sky, effectively erasing 2 housing units and reversing housing growth. My floor has been a construction zone for the past 2 months due to 4 units at the end of my hall getting merged into 2. HoAs not doing anything about this is going to undermine housing growth even in neighborhoods that are building up.

Great video! Wish that one of them was in the warmer climates.

Informative and concise. Well done. Dude! Make your bed!

I've lived in St. Louis and I have to say, I wouldn't be scarred of the crime. Raw crime score does not tell the whole story.

CHICAGO!!!!

Liked the video so hopefully you can buy a bed frame now

Justice for the Midwest!!!! As a native Midwesterner who has reluctantly moved to LA for work, folks on the coasts just do not give the Midwest/Rust Belt the laurels it deserves.

I like the idea of considering a transportation score that consider walkability, bikability, and public transportation.

Good vid