Chicago
United States · North America · 2.7M people
Lakefront Midwest hub with strong transit but brutal winters.
Ranked #167 of 303 overall · 41.88, -87.63
Overview
With a population of around 2.7 million, Chicago is one of United States's notable cities, part of the wider North America region. It has a reputation as a solid, practical choice for raising a family. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. People who choose to settle in Chicago tend to point to solid infrastructure for remote work, reliable healthcare, and public transport good enough to skip owning a car as the deciding factors. Within the 48 cities we track in North America, the regional average sits at 6.3/10, which puts Chicago's 6.4/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Chicago scores 6.4/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #167 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 9/10, while climate is its softest spot at 3/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Generally safe with normal precautions.
Air quality is acceptable most of the year.
Public transport covers the basics well.
Harsh stretches of weather part of the year.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Chicago right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Public transport scores 7/10, dense enough that skipping a car is realistic for most residents.
Trade-offs
Climate is the hardest trade-off here at 3/10 — expect genuinely difficult weather for part of the year.
Cost of living is Chicago's comparatively softest spot at 6/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Is Chicago safe?
At 6/10, safety in Chicago is unremarkable in a good way: no particular risk stands out, but it's not a standout strength either.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Safety, healthcare (8/10) and environment (6/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in Chicago?
Climate is one of Chicago's harder trade-offs, at just 3/10 — genuinely difficult stretches of weather are part of living here for part of the year.
Seasonal character
Expect a genuinely challenging season — whether that's extreme heat, cold, or a prolonged wet period depends on the region, but it's a real factor in daily life here.
Comfort level
Comfort is inconsistent enough that climate should factor into any decision to move here, not just visit.
Best time to live here
Timing matters a lot — the toughest stretch of the year is worth identifying and planning around specifically before moving or booking a long stay.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Chicago
Put together, quality of life in Chicago is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: chicago tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's more mixed and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Chicago tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor and green-space time comes with more caveats here — environment (6/10) and climate (3/10) scores suggest it's more weather- and air-quality-dependent than in higher-scoring cities.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Chicago is specifically known for its cultural and historical scene — museums, architecture and a dense calendar of things to do are part of its identity, not an afterthought.
Based on its actual score profile, Chicago tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and healthcare over climate — see "Who Chicago suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Chicago?
Chicago scores 6/10 on environment — decent air quality most of the year, without being a specific standout.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Chicago suits
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 6.8/10 here).
Young family
Young familys — households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.6/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Chicago scores 6/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Chicago scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual big-city precautions rather than any particular red flag.
Climate
Climate is one of Chicago's tougher trade-offs, scoring just 3/10 — long or harsh seasons are part of the deal here, which is worth factoring in if weather affects your mood or routine.
Quality of life
Chicago scores 6.4/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: internet & connectivity (9/10) is genuinely strong, while climate (3/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 6.4/10.
Transport
Transport in Chicago scores 7/10 — workable public options exist, though a bike or occasional car still helps for some routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Chicago scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Chicago?
Chicago isn't the right fit for everyone, but for the right profile — someone who values internet & connectivity and can live with climate — it scores well at 6.4/10 overall. Use the comparisons and rankings below to see how it stacks up against the alternatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Chicago safe?
Chicago scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in Chicago?
Chicago scores 6/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Chicago good for families?
Chicago works well for families: safety (6/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (6/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Chicago a good city for students?
Chicago isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (6/10) and transport (7/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Chicago suitable for digital nomads?
Chicago isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 9/10 and cost of living 6/10.
What's the climate like in Chicago?
Chicago scores just 3/10 on climate — genuinely harsh weather is part of the deal for part of the year here.
Is Chicago pleasant to live in year-round?
Not entirely — Chicago's climate score of 3/10 reflects a difficult stretch of weather for part of the year, even if other seasons are pleasant.
Is Chicago a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 6.8/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Chicago?
Yes — Chicago scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Chicago a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 5.7/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Chicago?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Quebec City and Minneapolis are the closest matches to Chicago in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Chicago worth living in?
Reasonably — Chicago scores 6.4/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Chicago?
Based on its score profile, Chicago suits people who value internet & connectivity and healthcare more than the average mover — see the "Who Chicago suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Chicago walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Chicago scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Chicago?
Internet & connectivity is Chicago's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Chicago?
Climate is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 3/10 — the lowest of Chicago's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.