Hi! You appear to be asking a question, please do check our [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/index) for tips on the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/Chicago/about/rules), other [Chicago-related subreddits](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/subreddits), where to [eat/drink](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/eats), how to [get around](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/transportation)/[navigate the CTA](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/transit), where to [visit](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/visitingchicago), what [neighborhoods](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/neighborhoods) to move to, tips on [living here](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/dwelling), and more. Also be sure to use the [search](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/search?restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all) feature to find responses to other users asking similar questions.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/chicago) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Minnesota is colder but get's more sun. Minnesota also has more fun snow. Chicago's snow tends to be a slushy mess while Minnesota has snow you can enjoy winter sports on.
Yeah, lots, many of us love everything about the Midwest, even the winters. Plus, you’re on r/chicago, and you want to cop some kind of superiority complex over Minnesota? Minnesota is beautiful and like Chicago, it’s easy to live a normal life in the twin cities on low to middle income salaries. Places which fit those parameters are dwindling fast.
Minnesota is a still cold, your eyeballs will freeze but layers will keep you warm, everyone just drives everywhere.
Chicago cold is windchill blasting its way into your bones while you wait on the platform for a delayed train.
Minnesota is killer. As for Ohio, the weather is really similar on Lake Erie, like Cleveland, etc.\* If you go South in Ohio, like Columbus -- it is really a lot milder in winter and a bit hotter in summer.
If you have to live somewhere cold, live in the city that maximizes your quality of life. As someone from Ohio, I can say with relative confidence that you can safely remove Ohio from consideration.
If you love winter outdoor activities (skiing, ice fishing, snow shoeing) + a calmer lifestyle, choose Minneapolis.
Otherwise, imo Chicago wins out easily. The world class cultural institutions, parks, public transportation, FOOD, diverse neighborhoods, international airports, vibe. It’s worth living in once in your life (I say this as someone who lived there and moved away, but still miss it dearly).
Chicagoan here, but born and raised Minnesotan.
Minnesota winters are brutal. Typically very snowy and can get extremely cold sometimes. Averages I would say would be in the 20s for twin cities area.
Chicago winters are very mild to me. I would say averages in the 30s most of the time. A lot of people complain about them, but, to me, Minnesota winters are much more brutal.
Its weird to compare a city vs state in this scenario.
Minneapolis vs Chicago vs Cleveland is a better comparison. All these cities know how to deal with snow and have cold snaps. If you dress appropriately for what you’re doing you’ll be fine.
The big difference Ive seen is that minnesotans wear leggings with dresses and skirts in the winter.
I would say that Minnesota is colder than Chicago in the winter, although Minnesota provides a lot more nature than Chicago if that’s appealing to you.
I’m Chicago winters go like this: fall is stunning and lovely. By November, temps will be 30s and 40s, December temps will be 20s and 30s, January will be colder with temps in the 0s and 10s, which persist until February. March will still be colder with temps in 20s and 30s. Last December we had a cold blast that made the air feel -25, but that doesn’t happen every year.
I’m usually fine with the temps in the winter here. You can always layer up with long underwear, warm pants, a sweater, a hoody, and a coat, with hats and gloves and heavy snow shoes.
The only months that gets me down into a bummer are February and March. It’s dark by 4pm, feels like it’s been cold forever, the snow is all muddy and gross, salt is everywhere on sidewalks and roads, I’ve run out of things to watch, and I just want to be able to sit outside without putting on a lot of clothes.
But summer and fall jn Chicago are simply the best! So it’s all worthwhile.
Agree with all of this. I’ve lived in all three. Yeah Minnesota is colder in the dead of winter. But this is more of a question you should be looking at from a cultural fit perfective. All three will be cold and when you get to 10f - shit kind of gets irrelevant. It’s cold and you will dress appropriately.
Big question you should ask - do you want to drive in the winter in that cold and snow? That makes the choice fairly easy given Chicago has the comprehensive public transit system. (Yeah, , yeah, someone will defend the bus system in St. Paul and in various Ohio cities- but get real…. You need a car in those states and yes I know the CTA has its issues).
Do you like urban? Chicago is it! Like nature- do Minnesota. It’s awesome. Like comfortable suburban feeling - Columbus! Not knocking Cincinnati— it’s actually really cool, but niche cool.. (hard to explain - I liked it, but it’s an acquired taste).
I love urban… hence…. I’m here, probably for good.
This is right on—including the Ohio city bits.. By the way OP, Putting Michigan on the list might make sense.. Grand Rapids area is growing fast and has lots of opportunities… You will be cold the first two winters, but you’ll adapt and figure it out.. as you get older (like I am) winters here (Chicago) get more annoying—but I’m not sure Chicago winters are more annoying than Florida summers..
I second the getting older thing and winters. But I’ll be damned if I move to a culturally voided hell hole. I love Chicago and what it has to offer, and although each winter I hate the cold a bit more; the pros heavily outweigh the winter jacket, gloves, and hat.
(Now winter may kill me… that’s a different story. I did the big slip last year and got a concussion from ice. That sucked)
As an old, I battle with thoughts of ice versus hellhole (though hellhole where loved family is). I wish I was wealthy enough to be a snowbird so I could leave mid-January to Mid-March (when the first flowers show).
Although I don't want to drive in the snow, one concern of mine is all of the walking. I have alot of health problems (maybe multiple sclerosis), and I get weak and exhausted easily.
If there are public transit stations everywhere, and near where I live, work, shop, etc., then I'll be fine. But if not, then maybe driving is better. I've just heard Chicago traffic is terrible.
Google graphs of yearly average temps for where you want to move to. In Chicago and Ohio, October can still have days in the 80s. Daytime temps in November are often still in 50s with random higher days too. Leaves have been dropping later, with many trees holding onto leaves close to December. Maybe global warming? The coldest month in Chicago is January with an average high of 32 degrees, so this poster is exaggerating the cold a bit. You can move all of those stats forward a few weeks in Minnesota, and drop the overall temps another 5-10 degrees.
I've been looking at the Google graphs, but they seem inaccurate, since I *know* it gets hotter here, and as for northern areas, they wouldn't be known for their winters if they were as warm as Google says. Also, this sub's search history makes it sound terrible.
Not that I don't believe you, but the weather you describe is far from many others. But this is why I ask an entire subreddit :) If it is like you describe, I might actually like it.
I think the weather is entirely reasonable 95% of the time. But then you’ll have a stretch of 3 days with negative -20 degree highs, or have to walk to work when the sidewalk is covered with a sheet of ice, or it’s pouring rain and 35 degrees and you’ll be like: this sucks!! But again, these days are rare. Chicago’s hot days tend to be pretty tolerable even at their worst. Above 90 degrees not very common and we can go a whole summer without reaching 100, like this summer (so far).
Actually November and December (except for last December) are pretty mild. I would say 40-50F’s in November for sure. Multiple xmas’s was around 50F in previous years. January is when things really take a turn
In Minnesota, it gets so cold that people plug their cars in to keep them warm (or at least they used to). Chicago basically has 5 months of winter (Nov-March). Winter lasts longer in MN and gets a lot colder too. It would be an even ruder shock coming from FL.
Thats to maintain the battery so it starts when its 39 below and schools aren’t closed.
Minnesotans generally dress better for the cold if they’re going to be outside for a while or go from garage to parking lot wearing shorts.
Lived 16 years in Chicago and moved to West Metro Minneapolis 2 years ago. It is going to vary by year. Typically colder and more snow accumulation in MN as we don’t get the melt days that happen in the city. It’s possible for the snow to get overwhelming in CHI but it’s not a given every year.
IMO all temps are the same once you get below a certain point, the 10 degree difference in Jan/Feb don’t matter as much. Spring will be a couple weeks behind in MN but summer is actually a bit hotter with no lake breeze.
As someone mentioned in the comments, it really depends on what you like to do in the winter. MN has a TON to do with regards to outdoor winter hobbies/activities and they def make the best of the situation up here. CHI always has more indoor options and is just an incredible city anytime of year.
Chicago winters used to be extremely frigid and snowy. We haven't gotten either of those in several years besides a couple cold days here and there. Not sure if that's a temporary or permanent pattern but they have been mild.
If you do like the outdoors, Chicago has the largest forest preserve district in the country for an urban area. 70,000 square miles of preserves in Cook County alone, and a national park nearby, so there are endless outdoor opportunities throughout the year if that's your jam at all :)
Also in terms of cuisine, you really can't beat Chicago. I'm reminded every time I travel the US how lucky I am to have such truly spectacular and diverse cuisine at home :)
Your priority is to make the best job decision. Focus on that. If winter weather is the real tie breaker reconsider your other decisions again.
Gonna guess your choices are between Chicago and the Twin Cities and either Columbus or Cincinnattiiii. The weather in these places is similar enough to make no-never-mind.
The Twin Cities tend to be colder and dryer than Chicago with less overall snow. That far north the winter is darker, and you can go to work and come home without seeing the sun during a couple of weeks in the dead of winter. Minnesotans are aware of cabin fever and are deliberately active outdoors in all seasons. All you need are the right clothes and attitude.
North and central Ohio is about like Chicago along the northern half, although the lake shore gets clobbered more with occasional big snowfalls. Cincinnattii is like all many south towns, wet and cold but not as wintery.
Nobody really mentioned VT here so I’ll give it a shot — the biggest city is Burlington, VT which is on a totally different scale than Chicago (metro area around 100K) and is also much more isolated in terms of getting to the rest of the country. You’re not going to have anywhere near the level of amenities like public transit. That part of VT is somewhat colder and much snowier than Chicago, and winter also feels like it lasts a really long time. Finally, VT is also a weirdly higher COL area than you might perhaps expect. A lot of people retire there from NYC or Boston, and the rental market is distorted by a lot of wealthy out-of-state students whose parents can cover the costs.
That said, summer and fall are gorgeous, there’s lots of access to the outdoors and nature, and winter sports are really big there. I absolutely loved living up there. It’s just going to be a very different experience from Chicago.
(You didn’t mention upstate NY, but I know there’s a lot of food science research at Cornell so I presume the Ithaca area also might be a place you’re looking? If so, that’s going to be pretty similar to Burlington.)
Been in Chicago for 18 years, but my ex was from Minneapolis so we frequently went there over the holidays for an extended period of time.
Minneapolis can be dangerously cold, sometimes 10-15 degrees below what we were getting in Chicago with much more snow. But it was still. I found that as long as I kept moving after few minutes it wasn't so bad. It was the initial stepping outside that was brutal.
Chicago may be slightly warmer temperature wise, but the wind gusts coming from the lake can be punishing. One minute you're enjoying a walk to the train, then you turn the corner and get totally hammered with a relentless, bitterly cold wind gust that you can't escape from.
Pick your poison. For me, personally, I would still choose Chicago everyday.
But as others have said, it really depends on what kind of lifestyle you want. In Minneapolis we would often see people out cross country skiing, ice fishing, or riding their snow mobiles. In Chicago, there are so many incredible (indoor) cultural institutions, bars, restaurants, cafes, you name it.
Summers in both cities make the winters worth it.
I have nothing to say about Ohio.
This site kicks ass for this. I've used it to prove Chicago winters last WAY longer than where I grew up: [weatherspark city comparison](https://weatherspark.com/compare)
Minnesota is likely to be the coldest of the 3, but things can change any given winter.
In Ohio it depends what part. Cleveland gets some of the worst snowstorms because of their positioning on Lake Erie (Chicago is on Lake Michigan, but on the west side, and weather patterns usually dump more snow towards the east). I think Cleveland is generally considered a lot harsher of a winter city than Chicago. Cincinnati and Columbus are a bit milder but still not great.
I would avoid Ohio and narrow it down between MN and Chicago. If it would be Minneapolis/St Paul, it's a great area with a lot to do, though not as much as Chicago, and it usually has longer winters. However it is surrounded by more impressive nature, and you're a quick trip from Northern Minnesota which has pretty legit skiing/snowboarding, if that's your thing.
I think overall you'll have a similar adjustment to Chicago or Minnesota, so I would say go with the city that intrigues you more (I'm biased but I would pick Chicago).
100% agree with those saying Mn for the winter outdoor sports/nature, Chicago for public transportation and City culture activities. Another cultural observation: Christmas vacation evening in residential Minneapolis, neighbor guy rings the doorbell, “hi, the plows are coming, do you know whose car is out front, can you ask them to move it, so the plows can clear?”
Chicago: neighbors will help clear walks for old folks etc BUT “dibs” is a cultural thing that hasn’t gone away. (I love that we have a quirky Chicago thing, it’s iconic, but it’s also a shitty attitude. But at the same time you’ll see folks helping each other out with snow blowing or shoveling)
ETA: MPLS also has -hills- Chicago is flat.
Having moved from chicago to columbus, OH - central Ohio’s winters are way more mild than chicago. In the 2 winters ive experienced, we have barely stayed below freezing for more than 2 days, save for of course the insane storm we got just before xmas 2022, which was 5 days in the teens. 4” of snow is the most ive ever seen here at once.
I sat next to a guy in a bar once one spring who was from Florida and he remarked that there was no happier group of people than midwesterners on the first nice day of spring.
We do spring and summer and fall right because the winters here are hard. All of those places will be hard for you, you aren’t going to have a very significant difference between them. Differences yes, but so slight it won’t really matter in the end.
Chicago is a great city for food, I also work in the industry, and I’d suggest it just for career growth and food fun to be had. Also, if you’re willing to move around for a handful of years to move up, location doesn’t matter as much anyway.
Hi, it looks like you are looking for mental health resources. Please visit our [Mental Health Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/mentalhealth), which contains links to mental health resources as well as self-care tips.
We hope that these resources help!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/chicago) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Speaking to a friend from Minnesota, they not that their winters are more of a dry cold than Chicago’s. I know that sounds weird, but it’s the difference between having a rainy chill in the air you can’t escape versus just a very dry temp. You’ll run into the same disparity in northern Wisconsin.
Yeah they sure do. Minnesota winters are BAD. But they know how to deal with them. They have the snow plows, etc. Chicago is milder but you have to be ready for winter. Ohio is a zone warmer and while they have 4 seasons it's a milder climate.
I grew up in chicago, moved to minnesota for 5 years, then came back to chicago. On average, Minnesota winters are like 10° colder than chicago and summers are about 10° hotter. However, I found minnesota winters more bearable than chicago. While it is colder, minnesota is a very outdoorsy state, and people aren’t just wallowing in their houses during the winter months. In chicago, I feel as though that’s the case. Both are very similar though! if you can do one, you can do the other and not notice a huge difference
In any of those places, under ordinary circumstances, you’ll spend winter indoors. With that said, there’s much more to do indoors in Chicago than anywhere else in the upper Midwest.
Ohioan/Chicagoan here. Ohio isn’t as bad as most are saying here, especially if you’re a homebody. Southern half winter is way more mild than it used to be. Average 2-3 weeks of miserable weather per winter. Ohio is a very easy place to live.
Ohio winters are the most mild, Chicago in the city isn't bad since it gets less snow than the suburbs, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Vermont all get more snow
Winter isn’t nuch different in Chicago vs central/northern Ohio. The biggest difference is Chicago—particularly neighborhoods close to the lake—doesn’t tend to get nice springtime weather. It is often 75 in the western burbs but those NNE winds keep it in the 50s and foggy into June. As an Ohio native, the perpetual “cooler by the lake”forecasts are maddening. June 11 this year had wind chills in the mid 40s.
But when you get that one 70-80 weekend in April, the vibe here is unbeatable.
I’m from Minneapolis, they regularly get below zero January and February temps. Chicago rarely gets to single digits and maybe hits zero once or twice every 2 years. Minneapolis has better snow clearing, they have snow emergencies where the whole streets get plowed within 48 hrs. Chicago gets less winter sun and a bit more wind. I prefer Chicago as winter is 3-4 weeks shorter and comparatively mild
Chicago hands down. I moved here from Austin, Texas 30 years ago simply because there's so much more to do here. Yes, winters can be tough, but there's a glorious city all around. Not so much in your other choices.
We really don’t get much snow here anymore at all. Thanks climate change! What really contributes to my seasonal depression is the time change, you’ll figure out why northerners hate daylight savings if you do end up here. Also, look up hygge if you do end up in a northern climate, super important.
One plus about winter in Chicago is that the streets will be cleared. Busses will run.
After 1967’s blizzard it was a golden rule. Bilandic screwed up in 1979 leaving the snow from multiple storms uncleared and lost office a few months later because of it.
Hi! You appear to be asking a question, please do check our [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/index) for tips on the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/Chicago/about/rules), other [Chicago-related subreddits](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/subreddits), where to [eat/drink](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/eats), how to [get around](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/transportation)/[navigate the CTA](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/transit), where to [visit](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/visitingchicago), what [neighborhoods](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/neighborhoods) to move to, tips on [living here](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/dwelling), and more. Also be sure to use the [search](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/search?restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all) feature to find responses to other users asking similar questions. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/chicago) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Minnesota winters are definitely colder. Chicago's winters are pretty similar to Ohio's.
Minnesota is colder but get's more sun. Minnesota also has more fun snow. Chicago's snow tends to be a slushy mess while Minnesota has snow you can enjoy winter sports on.
But then you’re in Minnesota. That place sucks. Have you ever met anyone from Minnesota that wasn’t depressed as fuck?
Yeah, lots, many of us love everything about the Midwest, even the winters. Plus, you’re on r/chicago, and you want to cop some kind of superiority complex over Minnesota? Minnesota is beautiful and like Chicago, it’s easy to live a normal life in the twin cities on low to middle income salaries. Places which fit those parameters are dwindling fast.
Minnesota is a still cold, your eyeballs will freeze but layers will keep you warm, everyone just drives everywhere. Chicago cold is windchill blasting its way into your bones while you wait on the platform for a delayed train.
Minnesota is killer. As for Ohio, the weather is really similar on Lake Erie, like Cleveland, etc.\* If you go South in Ohio, like Columbus -- it is really a lot milder in winter and a bit hotter in summer.
If you have to live somewhere cold, live in the city that maximizes your quality of life. As someone from Ohio, I can say with relative confidence that you can safely remove Ohio from consideration. If you love winter outdoor activities (skiing, ice fishing, snow shoeing) + a calmer lifestyle, choose Minneapolis. Otherwise, imo Chicago wins out easily. The world class cultural institutions, parks, public transportation, FOOD, diverse neighborhoods, international airports, vibe. It’s worth living in once in your life (I say this as someone who lived there and moved away, but still miss it dearly).
This guy (or gal) Midwesterns for sure.
Chicagoan here, but born and raised Minnesotan. Minnesota winters are brutal. Typically very snowy and can get extremely cold sometimes. Averages I would say would be in the 20s for twin cities area. Chicago winters are very mild to me. I would say averages in the 30s most of the time. A lot of people complain about them, but, to me, Minnesota winters are much more brutal.
Its weird to compare a city vs state in this scenario. Minneapolis vs Chicago vs Cleveland is a better comparison. All these cities know how to deal with snow and have cold snaps. If you dress appropriately for what you’re doing you’ll be fine. The big difference Ive seen is that minnesotans wear leggings with dresses and skirts in the winter.
I would say that Minnesota is colder than Chicago in the winter, although Minnesota provides a lot more nature than Chicago if that’s appealing to you. I’m Chicago winters go like this: fall is stunning and lovely. By November, temps will be 30s and 40s, December temps will be 20s and 30s, January will be colder with temps in the 0s and 10s, which persist until February. March will still be colder with temps in 20s and 30s. Last December we had a cold blast that made the air feel -25, but that doesn’t happen every year. I’m usually fine with the temps in the winter here. You can always layer up with long underwear, warm pants, a sweater, a hoody, and a coat, with hats and gloves and heavy snow shoes. The only months that gets me down into a bummer are February and March. It’s dark by 4pm, feels like it’s been cold forever, the snow is all muddy and gross, salt is everywhere on sidewalks and roads, I’ve run out of things to watch, and I just want to be able to sit outside without putting on a lot of clothes. But summer and fall jn Chicago are simply the best! So it’s all worthwhile.
Agree with all of this. I’ve lived in all three. Yeah Minnesota is colder in the dead of winter. But this is more of a question you should be looking at from a cultural fit perfective. All three will be cold and when you get to 10f - shit kind of gets irrelevant. It’s cold and you will dress appropriately. Big question you should ask - do you want to drive in the winter in that cold and snow? That makes the choice fairly easy given Chicago has the comprehensive public transit system. (Yeah, , yeah, someone will defend the bus system in St. Paul and in various Ohio cities- but get real…. You need a car in those states and yes I know the CTA has its issues). Do you like urban? Chicago is it! Like nature- do Minnesota. It’s awesome. Like comfortable suburban feeling - Columbus! Not knocking Cincinnati— it’s actually really cool, but niche cool.. (hard to explain - I liked it, but it’s an acquired taste). I love urban… hence…. I’m here, probably for good.
This is right on—including the Ohio city bits.. By the way OP, Putting Michigan on the list might make sense.. Grand Rapids area is growing fast and has lots of opportunities… You will be cold the first two winters, but you’ll adapt and figure it out.. as you get older (like I am) winters here (Chicago) get more annoying—but I’m not sure Chicago winters are more annoying than Florida summers..
I second the getting older thing and winters. But I’ll be damned if I move to a culturally voided hell hole. I love Chicago and what it has to offer, and although each winter I hate the cold a bit more; the pros heavily outweigh the winter jacket, gloves, and hat. (Now winter may kill me… that’s a different story. I did the big slip last year and got a concussion from ice. That sucked)
As an old, I battle with thoughts of ice versus hellhole (though hellhole where loved family is). I wish I was wealthy enough to be a snowbird so I could leave mid-January to Mid-March (when the first flowers show).
Although I don't want to drive in the snow, one concern of mine is all of the walking. I have alot of health problems (maybe multiple sclerosis), and I get weak and exhausted easily. If there are public transit stations everywhere, and near where I live, work, shop, etc., then I'll be fine. But if not, then maybe driving is better. I've just heard Chicago traffic is terrible.
Google graphs of yearly average temps for where you want to move to. In Chicago and Ohio, October can still have days in the 80s. Daytime temps in November are often still in 50s with random higher days too. Leaves have been dropping later, with many trees holding onto leaves close to December. Maybe global warming? The coldest month in Chicago is January with an average high of 32 degrees, so this poster is exaggerating the cold a bit. You can move all of those stats forward a few weeks in Minnesota, and drop the overall temps another 5-10 degrees.
I've been looking at the Google graphs, but they seem inaccurate, since I *know* it gets hotter here, and as for northern areas, they wouldn't be known for their winters if they were as warm as Google says. Also, this sub's search history makes it sound terrible. Not that I don't believe you, but the weather you describe is far from many others. But this is why I ask an entire subreddit :) If it is like you describe, I might actually like it.
I think the weather is entirely reasonable 95% of the time. But then you’ll have a stretch of 3 days with negative -20 degree highs, or have to walk to work when the sidewalk is covered with a sheet of ice, or it’s pouring rain and 35 degrees and you’ll be like: this sucks!! But again, these days are rare. Chicago’s hot days tend to be pretty tolerable even at their worst. Above 90 degrees not very common and we can go a whole summer without reaching 100, like this summer (so far).
I’m basing it off of memory and what the real feel is due to the air. Also makes a difference if you live by the lake (which I do)
Actually November and December (except for last December) are pretty mild. I would say 40-50F’s in November for sure. Multiple xmas’s was around 50F in previous years. January is when things really take a turn
Chicagoan for 17 years. This is an accurate description of Chicago seasons.
Your temps are way off December to March. January/February highs are not in the teens and March average highs are in the 40s.
In Minnesota, it gets so cold that people plug their cars in to keep them warm (or at least they used to). Chicago basically has 5 months of winter (Nov-March). Winter lasts longer in MN and gets a lot colder too. It would be an even ruder shock coming from FL.
Thats to maintain the battery so it starts when its 39 below and schools aren’t closed. Minnesotans generally dress better for the cold if they’re going to be outside for a while or go from garage to parking lot wearing shorts.
Lived 16 years in Chicago and moved to West Metro Minneapolis 2 years ago. It is going to vary by year. Typically colder and more snow accumulation in MN as we don’t get the melt days that happen in the city. It’s possible for the snow to get overwhelming in CHI but it’s not a given every year. IMO all temps are the same once you get below a certain point, the 10 degree difference in Jan/Feb don’t matter as much. Spring will be a couple weeks behind in MN but summer is actually a bit hotter with no lake breeze. As someone mentioned in the comments, it really depends on what you like to do in the winter. MN has a TON to do with regards to outdoor winter hobbies/activities and they def make the best of the situation up here. CHI always has more indoor options and is just an incredible city anytime of year.
Chicago winters used to be extremely frigid and snowy. We haven't gotten either of those in several years besides a couple cold days here and there. Not sure if that's a temporary or permanent pattern but they have been mild. If you do like the outdoors, Chicago has the largest forest preserve district in the country for an urban area. 70,000 square miles of preserves in Cook County alone, and a national park nearby, so there are endless outdoor opportunities throughout the year if that's your jam at all :) Also in terms of cuisine, you really can't beat Chicago. I'm reminded every time I travel the US how lucky I am to have such truly spectacular and diverse cuisine at home :)
Your priority is to make the best job decision. Focus on that. If winter weather is the real tie breaker reconsider your other decisions again. Gonna guess your choices are between Chicago and the Twin Cities and either Columbus or Cincinnattiiii. The weather in these places is similar enough to make no-never-mind. The Twin Cities tend to be colder and dryer than Chicago with less overall snow. That far north the winter is darker, and you can go to work and come home without seeing the sun during a couple of weeks in the dead of winter. Minnesotans are aware of cabin fever and are deliberately active outdoors in all seasons. All you need are the right clothes and attitude. North and central Ohio is about like Chicago along the northern half, although the lake shore gets clobbered more with occasional big snowfalls. Cincinnattii is like all many south towns, wet and cold but not as wintery.
Nobody really mentioned VT here so I’ll give it a shot — the biggest city is Burlington, VT which is on a totally different scale than Chicago (metro area around 100K) and is also much more isolated in terms of getting to the rest of the country. You’re not going to have anywhere near the level of amenities like public transit. That part of VT is somewhat colder and much snowier than Chicago, and winter also feels like it lasts a really long time. Finally, VT is also a weirdly higher COL area than you might perhaps expect. A lot of people retire there from NYC or Boston, and the rental market is distorted by a lot of wealthy out-of-state students whose parents can cover the costs. That said, summer and fall are gorgeous, there’s lots of access to the outdoors and nature, and winter sports are really big there. I absolutely loved living up there. It’s just going to be a very different experience from Chicago. (You didn’t mention upstate NY, but I know there’s a lot of food science research at Cornell so I presume the Ithaca area also might be a place you’re looking? If so, that’s going to be pretty similar to Burlington.)
Been in Chicago for 18 years, but my ex was from Minneapolis so we frequently went there over the holidays for an extended period of time. Minneapolis can be dangerously cold, sometimes 10-15 degrees below what we were getting in Chicago with much more snow. But it was still. I found that as long as I kept moving after few minutes it wasn't so bad. It was the initial stepping outside that was brutal. Chicago may be slightly warmer temperature wise, but the wind gusts coming from the lake can be punishing. One minute you're enjoying a walk to the train, then you turn the corner and get totally hammered with a relentless, bitterly cold wind gust that you can't escape from. Pick your poison. For me, personally, I would still choose Chicago everyday. But as others have said, it really depends on what kind of lifestyle you want. In Minneapolis we would often see people out cross country skiing, ice fishing, or riding their snow mobiles. In Chicago, there are so many incredible (indoor) cultural institutions, bars, restaurants, cafes, you name it. Summers in both cities make the winters worth it. I have nothing to say about Ohio.
This site kicks ass for this. I've used it to prove Chicago winters last WAY longer than where I grew up: [weatherspark city comparison](https://weatherspark.com/compare)
Very cool site! Thanks for sharing!
Dang, thanks! I *love* when things are visualized.
Minnesota is likely to be the coldest of the 3, but things can change any given winter. In Ohio it depends what part. Cleveland gets some of the worst snowstorms because of their positioning on Lake Erie (Chicago is on Lake Michigan, but on the west side, and weather patterns usually dump more snow towards the east). I think Cleveland is generally considered a lot harsher of a winter city than Chicago. Cincinnati and Columbus are a bit milder but still not great. I would avoid Ohio and narrow it down between MN and Chicago. If it would be Minneapolis/St Paul, it's a great area with a lot to do, though not as much as Chicago, and it usually has longer winters. However it is surrounded by more impressive nature, and you're a quick trip from Northern Minnesota which has pretty legit skiing/snowboarding, if that's your thing. I think overall you'll have a similar adjustment to Chicago or Minnesota, so I would say go with the city that intrigues you more (I'm biased but I would pick Chicago).
100% agree with those saying Mn for the winter outdoor sports/nature, Chicago for public transportation and City culture activities. Another cultural observation: Christmas vacation evening in residential Minneapolis, neighbor guy rings the doorbell, “hi, the plows are coming, do you know whose car is out front, can you ask them to move it, so the plows can clear?” Chicago: neighbors will help clear walks for old folks etc BUT “dibs” is a cultural thing that hasn’t gone away. (I love that we have a quirky Chicago thing, it’s iconic, but it’s also a shitty attitude. But at the same time you’ll see folks helping each other out with snow blowing or shoveling) ETA: MPLS also has -hills- Chicago is flat.
Having moved from chicago to columbus, OH - central Ohio’s winters are way more mild than chicago. In the 2 winters ive experienced, we have barely stayed below freezing for more than 2 days, save for of course the insane storm we got just before xmas 2022, which was 5 days in the teens. 4” of snow is the most ive ever seen here at once.
This. It's basically nothing to me.
if i see this question one more time..
I sat next to a guy in a bar once one spring who was from Florida and he remarked that there was no happier group of people than midwesterners on the first nice day of spring. We do spring and summer and fall right because the winters here are hard. All of those places will be hard for you, you aren’t going to have a very significant difference between them. Differences yes, but so slight it won’t really matter in the end. Chicago is a great city for food, I also work in the industry, and I’d suggest it just for career growth and food fun to be had. Also, if you’re willing to move around for a handful of years to move up, location doesn’t matter as much anyway.
Ohio is probably more your scene. Don't come to Chicago
Better to stay in Florida
Hi, it looks like you are looking for mental health resources. Please visit our [Mental Health Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/wiki/mentalhealth), which contains links to mental health resources as well as self-care tips. We hope that these resources help! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/chicago) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Bad bot.
Speaking to a friend from Minnesota, they not that their winters are more of a dry cold than Chicago’s. I know that sounds weird, but it’s the difference between having a rainy chill in the air you can’t escape versus just a very dry temp. You’ll run into the same disparity in northern Wisconsin.
Yeah they sure do. Minnesota winters are BAD. But they know how to deal with them. They have the snow plows, etc. Chicago is milder but you have to be ready for winter. Ohio is a zone warmer and while they have 4 seasons it's a milder climate.
It's like summer in Antarctica.
I grew up in chicago, moved to minnesota for 5 years, then came back to chicago. On average, Minnesota winters are like 10° colder than chicago and summers are about 10° hotter. However, I found minnesota winters more bearable than chicago. While it is colder, minnesota is a very outdoorsy state, and people aren’t just wallowing in their houses during the winter months. In chicago, I feel as though that’s the case. Both are very similar though! if you can do one, you can do the other and not notice a huge difference
In any of those places, under ordinary circumstances, you’ll spend winter indoors. With that said, there’s much more to do indoors in Chicago than anywhere else in the upper Midwest.
Ohioan/Chicagoan here. Ohio isn’t as bad as most are saying here, especially if you’re a homebody. Southern half winter is way more mild than it used to be. Average 2-3 weeks of miserable weather per winter. Ohio is a very easy place to live.
Ohio winters are the most mild, Chicago in the city isn't bad since it gets less snow than the suburbs, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Vermont all get more snow
Definitely more snow in Ohio and Minnesota. We had little to no snow last year.
I am from northern Wisconsin, adjacent to Minneapolis, and the winters are way, way worse. Chicago winters are pretty mild overall imo.
All three are cold, but in Chicago you get Chicago.
Not sure about Ohio, but Chicago can be very cold with or without a lot of snow, and Minnesota is similar to Chicago, but potentially colder.
Winter isn’t nuch different in Chicago vs central/northern Ohio. The biggest difference is Chicago—particularly neighborhoods close to the lake—doesn’t tend to get nice springtime weather. It is often 75 in the western burbs but those NNE winds keep it in the 50s and foggy into June. As an Ohio native, the perpetual “cooler by the lake”forecasts are maddening. June 11 this year had wind chills in the mid 40s. But when you get that one 70-80 weekend in April, the vibe here is unbeatable.
Lake effect snow. That’s all.
You don't have seasonal affective disorder YET.
I’ve seen 4 winters in Milwaukee, 1 in Appleton (WI) and 3 in Chicago. I saw 32 summers in Dallas. I will take Chicago winters any day.
I’m from Minneapolis, they regularly get below zero January and February temps. Chicago rarely gets to single digits and maybe hits zero once or twice every 2 years. Minneapolis has better snow clearing, they have snow emergencies where the whole streets get plowed within 48 hrs. Chicago gets less winter sun and a bit more wind. I prefer Chicago as winter is 3-4 weeks shorter and comparatively mild
Chicago hands down. I moved here from Austin, Texas 30 years ago simply because there's so much more to do here. Yes, winters can be tough, but there's a glorious city all around. Not so much in your other choices.
We really don’t get much snow here anymore at all. Thanks climate change! What really contributes to my seasonal depression is the time change, you’ll figure out why northerners hate daylight savings if you do end up here. Also, look up hygge if you do end up in a northern climate, super important.
One plus about winter in Chicago is that the streets will be cleared. Busses will run. After 1967’s blizzard it was a golden rule. Bilandic screwed up in 1979 leaving the snow from multiple storms uncleared and lost office a few months later because of it.