Geography and Climate: Chicago and Everything Else

Understanding Illinois:

Size and landscape:

• 25th largest state:
  • 58,000 square miles
  • Population: 12.6 million (6th)
  • Chicago metro: 9.6 million (76% state population—extreme dominance)
• Geography:
  • Northern Illinois: Glaciated plains, Chicago metro sprawl (flat, urban/suburban)
  • Central Illinois: Prairie, agricultural (corn/soybean—among richest farmland globally)
  • Southern Illinois: Hills, forests, coal (Appalachian foothills—culturally Southern, not Midwest)
  • Lake Michigan: 63-mile shoreline (Chicago lakefront—iconic skyline, beaches)

Three distinct regions:

Chicagoland (overwhelming dominance):

• City: Chicago 2.7 million (third-largest U.S.—NYC, LA, Chicago)
• Metro: 9.6 million (16 counties Illinois/Indiana—economic engine)
• Economy: Finance (CME Group derivatives, options—largest globally), corporate headquarters (37 Fortune 500s—Abbott, McDonald's, Boeing recent), logistics (O'Hare, rail hub), healthcare (Northwestern, University of Chicago Medicine)
• Culture: World-class museums, architecture, comedy, music (blues, house music invented here—cultural heavyweight)
• Geography: Lake Michigan shore (77 neighborhoods—distinct identities, ethnic enclaves)

Collar counties (wealthy suburbs):

• Counties: DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, McHenry (surrounding Chicago—commuter belt)
• Economy: Corporate campuses (Walgreens, Caterpillar, Allstate—suburban headquarters), white-collar professional
• Demographics: Affluent ($80,000-100,000 median income—Naperville, Schaumburg), politically mixed (Republican historically, shifting purple/blue)
• Character: Chain restaurants, sprawl, soccer moms (suburban America prototype—comfortable but bland)

Downstate Illinois (forgotten majority geographically):

• Cities: Springfield (capital—115,000), Peoria (113,000), Rockford (148,000), Champaign (88,000—University of Illinois)
• Economy: Agriculture (corn, soybeans—industrial scale), manufacturing (Caterpillar Peoria—heavy equipment), government (Springfield state workers)
• Culture: Conservative, rural, resentful (Chicago dominates politics/taxes—downstate ignored)
• Geography: Flat central (prairie—endless fields), hilly south (Shawnee National Forest—overlooked beauty)

Climate (continental extremes):

Chicago:

• Summer: 75-85°F (humid, Lake Michigan moderates—beach weather)
• Winter: 15-30°F (snow 38 inches/year, wind chill -20°F—brutal January/February)
• Lake-effect: Adds 10-20 inches snow (downwind Lake Michigan—neighborhoods vary wildly)
• Wind: Consistent (skyscraper canyons amplify—actual "Windy City" reason wind patterns, not speed)

Downstate:

• Summer: 80-90°F (hotter, no lake moderation—oppressive humidity)
• Winter: 20-35°F (less snow than Chicago—but still cold, gray, depressing)
• Tornados: 50+ yearly (central Illinois tornado alley—EF4/EF5 possible)

Severe weather:

• Blizzards: Paralyze Chicago (2011 blizzard stranded Lake Shore Drive—cars abandoned)
• Heat waves: Deadly (1995 heat wave 700+ deaths—elderly poor neighborhoods)
• Flooding: Mississippi, Illinois Rivers (1993, 2008—billions damage)
• Tornados: Devastating downstate (Washington 2013 EF4—town destroyed)

Chicago: Third City Dominance

Understanding Chicago's role:

Economic powerhouse:

Fortune 500 headquarters (37 companies):

• Recent arrivals: Boeing (2022 from Chicago suburbs back to city—Arlington Virginia brief), Citadel (2022 from Miami—Ken Griffin $1+ billion investment despite criticizing crime/taxes)
• Major companies: Abbott Labs (healthcare), Archer Daniels Midland (agriculture), McDonald's (fast food), Walgreens (pharmacy), United Airlines (O'Hare hub)
• Why stay: Transportation infrastructure, talent pool (Northwestern, University of Chicago, University of Illinois), Midwest cost versus coasts

Financial hub:

• CME Group: Derivatives, options trading (largest globally—$1+ quadrillion notional value)
• Trading culture: Futures, commodities (agricultural heritage—Chicago Board of Trade historic)
• Private equity: Citadel, Madison Deerfield (finance moving from coasts—tax arbitrage)

Transportation nexus:

• O'Hare: Second busiest U.S. (83 million passengers—United hub, global connections)
• Rail: Freight hub (seven Class I railroads converge—crossroads America)
• Trucking: Interstate highways (I-80, I-90, I-55, I-57—distribution center)
• Shipping: Lake Michigan/St. Lawrence Seaway (ocean-going vessels reach Chicago—inland port)

Architectural significance:

Skyline icons:

• Willis Tower: Formerly Sears Tower (110 floors, 1,450 feet—tallest 1973-1998, Skydeck tourist magnet)
• John Hancock Center: 875 North Michigan (100 floors, X-bracing visible—elegant engineering)
• Tribune Tower: Gothic Revival (1920s newspaper headquarters—architectural gem)
• Aqua Tower: Jeanne Gang design (undulating balconies—contemporary excellence)

Historic architecture:

• Frank Lloyd Wright: Oak Park (25 buildings—Prairie School birthplace, Unity Temple, home/studio tours)
• Louis Sullivan: "Father of skyscrapers" (Carson Pirie Scott building—ornamental ironwork, influential)
• Daniel Burnham: 1909 Plan of Chicago (lakefront public access—visionary urban planning prevented private development)
• River architecture: Boat tours (Chicago Architecture Center—educational, world-renowned)

Cultural institutions:

Museums:

• Art Institute: World-class (Seurat, Hopper, Picasso—Impressionist collection especially, free Thursdays residents)
• Field Museum: Natural history (Sue T-Rex—largest complete specimen, Egyptian collection extensive)
• Museum of Science and Industry: Interactive (coal mine, U-505 submarine—family favorite)
• Shedd Aquarium: Historic (1930—lakefront, dolphin shows, beluga whales)

Comedy:

• Second City: Legendary improv (Belushi, Fey, Colbert, Murray—SNL pipeline, ongoing shows)
• iO Theater: Improv Olympic (long-form improv—training ground)
• Zanies: Stand-up club (Rosedale suburb—touring comedians)

Music:

• Blues: Historic clubs (Buddy Guy's Legends, Kingston Mines—authentic scene)
• House music: Invented Chicago (Frankie Knuckles, Warehouse club—global influence)
• Jazz: Green Mill (Al Capone hangout—still operating, atmospheric)
• Lollapalooza: Summer music festival (Grant Park—250,000 attendees, major acts)

Food culture:

Deep dish pizza:

• Lou Malnati's: Butter crust (locals' favorite—Chicagoan approval)
• Giordano's: Stuffed pizza (cheese middle—tourist heavy but quality)
• Pequod's: Caramelized crust (Lincoln Park—cult following)
• Defense: Tourists mock, locals genuinely eat (not daily but proudly—also thin tavern-style consumed more frequently)

Italian beef:

• Portillo's: Chain but quality (dipped, hot peppers—giardiniera essential)
• Al's Beef: Original (since 1938—Taylor Street, authentic)
• Prep: Thinly sliced beef, au jus gravy-soaked, Italian roll (messy, delicious—Chicago only)

Chicago hot dog:

• Mandatory toppings: Yellow mustard, chopped onions, bright green relish, tomato wedges, pickle spear, sport peppers, celery salt, poppy seed bun
• NEVER KETCHUP: Cultural rule (ketchup = tourist/child—Chicagoans judge harshly)
• Vendors: Everywhere (street corners, stadiums—egalitarian food)

Neighborhoods (77 distinct):

Magnificent Mile: Michigan Avenue shopping (luxury retail, tourism—Bloomingdale's, Apple Store, Water Tower)

Lincoln Park: Affluent north side (DePaul University, zoo free—young professionals, families)

Wicker Park/Bucktown: Hipster enclaves (gentrified, breweries, vintage—artsy)

Pilsen: Mexican-American (murals, tacos, gentrifying—National Museum of Mexican Art)

South Side: Historically Black (Bronzeville renaissance, Hyde Park University of Chicago—but also high crime areas)

Cost of living (expensive for Midwest):

Housing:

• City median: $340,000 (Lincoln Park $600,000+, South Side $180,000—extreme variation)
• Rent 1-bedroom: $1,600-2,400 (downtown/North Side higher, neighborhoods $1,200-1,800)
• Condos: Popular (high-rises, doorman buildings—urban living)

Taxes crushing:

• Sales tax: 10.25% Chicago (highest major U.S. city—everything expensive)
• Property tax: 2%+ (Cook County—$340,000 home = $6,800/year)
• Income tax: 4.95% state (flat—regressive, hits middle-class)

Daily costs:

• Dining: $15-25 lunch, $35-60 dinner (comparable NYC/SF—Midwest pricing myth)
• Transit: CTA $2.50 (L trains, buses—functional public transit, though crime concerns)
• Parking: $25-50 downtown (street parking impossible—car ownership expensive)

Fiscal Crisis and Political Corruption

Understanding Illinois dysfunction:

Pension crisis (worst nationally):

• Unfunded liability: $138 billion (state pensions—worse than California despite smaller population)
• Causes: Decades underfunding (politicians promised benefits, didn't pay in—kicked can)
• Constitutional protection: Pensions untouchable (Illinois constitution prevents cuts—bind future generations)
• Consequences: Credit rating lowest (Moody's Baa3—junk bond territory, borrowing expensive)
• Solutions: None viable (raise taxes = exodus, cut services = suffering, default = catastrophic)

Bond rating implications:

• Borrowing costs: Highest state (paying premium—wastes taxpayer money)
• Business climate: Companies hesitate (fiscal instability—relocation consideration)
• Resident flight: Taxes rise chasing revenue (high earners leave—death spiral accelerates)

Political corruption legacy:

Governors imprisoned:

• Rod Blagojevich: 2008 (tried selling Obama Senate seat—14 years prison, Trump commuted)
• George Ryan: 2006 (licenses-for-bribes scandal—6.5 years prison)
• Dan Walker: 1987 (savings-and-loan fraud—post-governorship)
• Otto Kerner: 1973 (bribery, tax evasion—convicted while federal judge)
• Four of last nine governors imprisoned (stunning record—national embarrassment)

Machine politics:

• Chicago mayors: Daley dynasty (Richard J. 1955-1976, Richard M. 1989-2011—father/son 43 years combined)
• Patronage: Jobs for loyalty (hiring, contracts—corruption normalized)
• Aldermanic privilege: 50 city council (fiefdoms—local power unchecked)

Current dysfunction:

• Madigan era: Michael Madigan (House Speaker 1983-2021—longest-serving, recently indicted corruption)
• Gridlock: Budgets delayed (2015-2017 no budget—credit downgraded, universities/services devastated)
• Reform: Minimal progress (entrenched interests—structural change blocked)

Downstate Resentment and Division

Understanding Chicago/downstate split:

Power imbalance:

• Population: Chicago metro 76% (dominates elections—downstate outvoted)
• Economy: Chicago 80%+ GDP (taxes flow Chicago, downstate receives—but resentment remains)
• Politics: Democrats control (Chicago/suburbs blue, downstate red—statewide races decided Chicago)
• Culture: Urban/rural divide (values, priorities clash—mutual contempt)

Downstate perspective:

Complaints:

• "Chicago decides everything" (gun laws, taxes, regulations—imposed on rural)
• "We fund Chicago" (agricultural productivity—resent urban services)
• "Different culture" (conservative, traditional—progressive Chicago alien)
• "Ignored needs" (rural infrastructure, healthcare, jobs—attention/resources Chicago)

Economic reality:

• Manufacturing decline: Caterpillar, John Deere (automation, outsourcing—job losses)
• Population loss: Young people flee (cities or out-of-state—aging, dying towns)
• Agriculture: Consolidating (family farms disappear—corporate operations)
• Poverty: Growing rural (opioid crisis, limited opportunities—despair)

Chicago perspective:

Responses:

• "We subsidize downstate" (tax revenue Chicago-generated—roads, schools, services funded)
• "Population matters" (democracy = majority rule—Chicago majority)
• "Economic reality" (Chicago competitive globally—downstate dying regardless)

Disconnect:

• Rarely visit: Chicagoans never leave metro (downstate foreign—mutual ignorance)
• Stereotypes: Downstate "hicks," Chicago "coastal elites" (caricatures prevent understanding)

Political consequences:

• Gubernatorial races: Require balancing (downstate Democrat or moderate Republican—coalition building)
• Senate races: Chicago decides (statewide Democrats—downstate irrelevant)
• Congressional: Gerrymandered districts (safe seats both sides—no compromise incentive)

Living in Illinois: Who Fits?

Who thrives:

Urban professionals:

• Careers: Finance, law, consulting (CME, BigLaw, consulting firms—upward mobility)
• Salaries: $80,000-200,000+ (offset taxes/cost—but ceiling exists)
• Culture: Museums, dining, comedy (world-class amenities—coastal quality Midwest cost)
• Transit: CTA functional (no car needed—neighborhoods walkable)

Families (suburbs):

• Schools: Excellent collar counties (Naperville, Hinsdale, Wilmette—top nationally)
• Safety: Low crime suburbs (New Trier High School area—wealthy, protected)
• Space: Affordable houses ($400,000-600,000 good neighborhoods—versus $1+ million coasts)
• Activities: Youth sports, parks, libraries (suburban infrastructure strong)

Architecture/design enthusiasts:

• Buildings: World-renowned (Wright, Sullivan, Burnham—pilgrimage destination)
• Tours: Architecture Center boat tours (educational, beautiful—bucket list)
• Preservation: Active (Landmarks Commission—protects historic)

Foodies:

• Michelin stars: Alinea (three stars—molecular gastronomy, $400+ tasting), diverse scene
• Ethnic diversity: Mexican Pilsen, Polish Northwest Side, Chinese Chinatown, Korean Albany Park (authentic, affordable)
• Pizza/beef: Iconic (deep dish defended passionately)

Who struggles:

Tax-sensitive high earners:

• Income tax: 4.95% (plus 10.25% sales tax—everything taxed)
• Property tax: 2%+ (Cook County—$500,000 home = $10,000 annually)
• Pension crisis: Future tax hikes inevitable (burden increasing—exodus accelerating)

Crime-concerned:

• South/West sides: Dangerous (600+ murders annually Chicago—though concentrated)
• Perception: Worse than reality tourists (downtown safe—but reputation damaged)
• Transit: Safety concerns (CTA violence incidents—deterring ridership)

Winter-haters:

• Six months cold: November-April (gray, depressing, brutal)
• Lake-effect: Unpredictable snow (neighborhoods differ—10 inches variance)
• Wind chill: -20°F+ (lake amplifies—dangerous cold)

Downstate residents:

• Economic decline: Manufacturing gone, farms consolidating (limited opportunities—poverty)
• Population loss: Young people leave (brain drain—aging, dying towns)
• Political powerlessness: Chicago dominates (votes irrelevant—frustration)

Illinois offers world-class urban living for specific populations—corporate professionals in Chicago finance/headquarters hub (37 Fortune 500s, CME derivatives trading), architecture enthusiasts experiencing Frank Lloyd Wright/skyscraper innovation, foodies accessing Michelin-starred dining plus deep dish/Italian beef icons, and families seeking excellent suburban schools (Naperville, Hinsdale—top nationally) at Midwest prices ($400,000-600,000 homes versus coastal $1+ million). Museums (Art Institute world-class), comedy (Second City SNL pipeline), lakefront beauty appeal to those accepting crushing taxes (4.95% income, 10.25% Chicago sales tax—highest major city), fiscal crisis ($138 billion pension debt—worst nationally, future tax hikes inevitable), violent crime reality (600+ murders Chicago annually—concentrated South/West sides but reputation damaged), brutal winters (lake-effect snow, -20°F wind chills—six months gray), and political corruption legacy (four last nine governors imprisoned—dysfunction normalized). Downtown/Chicago divide extreme (76% population metro, downstate conservative resentful—power imbalance). For the right person, Chicago's culture, architecture, career opportunities justify tax burden and winter severity. For others, fiscal instability and crime concerns outweigh benefits.

Illinois works for those prioritizing urban sophistication and accepting dysfunction costs.