Does Chicago have a rat race feel like New York?

[marothisu]

^ In my opinion it's healthier, but it all depends on what you're getting out of it. For example, you may really work hard from 9am until 9:30pm in NYC, but what are you getting out of it? You come home and probably sleep not too long after it. You don't have much left for your personal life and maybe you get a relatively small raise. If you have a family, you aren't spending much time with them. If you are going to only get a $100/month raise (after taxes) for it, is it worth it? Guess that is subjective.

It's not always worth it IMO, but that's just me. The more I work in NYC, the more I miss the work life balance in Chicago. IMO it's more of the way it should be - balanced.

[Jorge Bueno]

I have discussed this at length with several people that like me, have lived and worked in both Manhattan and downtown Chicago/Loop. First off, it really depends on the industry as both cities have rat races of varying intensities. Speaking in generalized terms though I feel that overall New York's rat race is more intense, more competitive and more desperate than corporate Chicago. Corporate New York is much more prone to staying late, ordering food in, taking a town car home, or simply being put up in a hotel nearby so you have zero distractions during your project. That being said, I feel like corporate Chicagoans go to work earlier in the morning, work very hard, and punch out earlier than corporate New Yorkers.

On a side note, the earlier to work phenomenon at least alleged by me, may have to do with central time zone augmenting itself to eastern time zone due to the NYSE (which option trading, hedge funds, other finance, and other Chicago industries through ripple effect align with EST) and strong business ties between the two cities for countless other industries. It could arguably have something to do with Chicago's traditional blue collar/Industrial/hog butcher/lunch pale legacy as well which is more recent and more intense than New York's. Of course manufacturing in Chicagoland as else where in the western world is now largely automated, technical, and nothing like the manufacturing world pre outsourcing & automation.

Anyways, back to the point I think New York City is where the largest and most competitive rat race(s) exist. There are simply a lot more people competing for the same spot/dream there than anywhere else in the US. There are people from all over the country that have equated living & working in NYC on mythic levels of success and move their to achieve that dream at all costs. Chicago has lots of hustle to get ahead too, but it doesn't seem like there are nearly as many desperate dreamy eyed transplants from podunk Califorina or Pennsylvania or wherever sacrificing everything to slave away with 4 roommates as an impoverished copy writer, intern, account analyst, etc.. In summary, it is my belief that the mythic barometer of success and self worth that NYC represent to many(transplant and natives alike), as well as the sheer size of the metro(people wise and economics wise) and potential monetary rewards to be at the top make NYC the greatest rat race in the US by a very good measure.

Chicago is probably #2, although it is my understanding that the DC rat race can get down right nasty as well. San Francisco feels much more laid back than Chicago on the streets, attitudes, work flexibility, but working in tech can include extremely long hours and intense competition for jobs. LA is another animal, I don't think that it is a particularly competitive outside of entertainment. My favorite thing about LA is probably the laid back easy going nature of the people there, at least my friends, relatives, and the businesses I interact with all seem very laid back and easy to work with to me.

[marothisu]

^ These are good insights above and I mostly agree with them. It entirely depends on your industry, but in the end NYC is above everywhere else with rat race in the US.

The thing though is that not everyone starts "early" in Chicago. I used to not get in until 9 or 930 everyday and almost everyone in my office was the same. There were many people, obviously office workers, going to work on the train with me at that time too. It's less busy around then but it can still be busy. There are other people I work with who didn't start until after 10am everyday too.

it really depends on your industry in the end though - some in Chicago are more rat race than others, but not everything is. You'll more likely see people telling you to stop working at 6pm to come for a drink in Chicago than you'd see in NYC for sure.

[West9]

No, it does not have a rat race feel. It's busy, exciting, and congested but when I moved here a few years ago, the biggest thing I noticed, maybe felt is a better word, is the softness around the edges. That really stood out for me as I hadn't experienced that before. It is truly a midwest city. A really big one, but midwest nonetheless.

[chicagohunter]

Great way to put it. Chicago is an easier city to live in.

[pete6032]

Originally Posted by Jorge Bueno

I have discussed this at length with several people that like me, have lived and worked in both Manhattan and downtown Chicago/Loop. First off, it really depends on the industry as both cities have rat races of varying intensities. Speaking in generalized terms though I feel that overall New York's rat race is more intense, more competitive and more desperate than corporate Chicago. Corporate New York is much more prone to staying late, ordering food in, taking a town car home, or simply being put up in a hotel nearby so you have zero distractions during your project. That being said, I feel like corporate Chicagoans go to work earlier in the morning, work very hard, and punch out earlier than corporate New Yorkers.

On a side note, the earlier to work phenomenon at least alleged by me, may have to do with central time zone augmenting itself to eastern time zone due to the NYSE (which option trading, hedge funds, other finance, and other Chicago industries through ripple effect align with EST) and strong business ties between the two cities for countless other industries. It could arguably have something to do with Chicago's traditional blue collar/Industrial/hog butcher/lunch pale legacy as well which is more recent and more intense than New York's. Of course manufacturing in Chicagoland as else where in the western world is now largely automated, technical, and nothing like the manufacturing world pre outsourcing & automation.

Anyways, back to the point I think New York City is where the largest and most competitive rat race(s) exist. There are simply a lot more people competing for the same spot/dream there than anywhere else in the US. There are people from all over the country that have equated living & working in NYC on mythic levels of success and move their to achieve that dream at all costs. Chicago has lots of hustle to get ahead too, but it doesn't seem like there are nearly as many desperate dreamy eyed transplants from podunk Califorina or Pennsylvania or wherever sacrificing everything to slave away with 4 roommates as an impoverished copy writer, intern, account analyst, etc.. In summary, it is my belief that the mythic barometer of success and self worth that NYC represent to many(transplant and natives alike), as well as the sheer size of the metro(people wise and economics wise) and potential monetary rewards to be at the top make NYC the greatest rat race in the US by a very good measure.

Chicago is probably #2, although it is my understanding that the DC rat race can get down right nasty as well. San Francisco feels much more laid back than Chicago on the streets, attitudes, work flexibility, but working in tech can include extremely long hours and intense competition for jobs. LA is another animal, I don't think that it is a particularly competitive outside of entertainment. My favorite thing about LA is probably the laid back easy going nature of the people there, at least my friends, relatives, and the businesses I interact with all seem very laid back and easy to work with to me.

Exactly this.