This Major Midwestern City Is an Ideal Home for Retirees Who Love to Travel

For retired and pre-retired people with an itchy to travel, some, if any, is to offer more than Chicago in American cities, which is often referred to as the “intersection of America”.

The house for a major AMTRCH hub, along with two international airports, is ideally deployed to stop on an aircraft or train and depart to see the world. For those who want to be close to the house, there is a lot in the city and nearby cities, which are collectively known as “Chikgoland”.

This is a journey of a journey, although some costs and climate not without trading. Here you have to know if you are thinking about retiring in the Chicago region.

Travel access

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O’He is one of the world’s busiest airports, on the north -western edge of Chicago, and about 18 miles from the city, on the north -west edge of Chicago. It is currently served by about 50 international and domestic carriers and is a major center for both American Airlines and United Airlines.

According to the Aviation Department of Chicago (till 1 May, 2025), O’Ahre for a long time:

• About 1,020 daily flights for 181 American cities
• About 126 daily direct flights for 67 international destinations

Midway International Airport, an old and small feature, is towards the south -west of Chicago. It is 12 miles from the city and is a center for domestic trip, with the South -West Airlines as its major carrier.

According to the Aviation Department of Chicago (till 1 May, 2025), Midway was near:

• About 198 daily direct flights for 75 American cities
• About 8 daily direct flights for 9 international destinations

Most of those international flights are for Mexico.

Trains

For train lovers, Emerarak is operated from Classic Union Station in Chicago, along with the routes that are spread in every region of America In addition, Chicago and Windsor, there is a plan in tasks to create an ectrack route between Ontario, where it will connect with the Canadian railway system through the rail Canada. That service has been slated to debut in 2027.

While Chicago Lake is a port city on Michigan and is popular for happiness, it is not a major cruise ship destination. However, there are limited numbers of great lakes cruises that originate from Chicago as well as milk, which is more than 90 miles in the north.

Cost of living and strength

Chicago is economically a very diverse city, with all the people of the financial spectrum – from extreme poverty to huge wealth. According to the most recent American Census Bureau estimates, the house of Cook County, Illinois, Chicago, was an average domestic value of $ 305,200. It was slightly higher than the national medium of $ 303,400.

Payscale reports that the cost of living in Chicago is 14% higher than the national average, which is mainly operated by housing cost. Family Budget Calculator of the Institute of Economic Policy (which takes into account housing, food, transport, healthcare, tax and other requirements) is estimated that a house with two adults and any child living in Cook County will not spend an average or $ 67,185 per year with a house $ 5,599 per month.

Taxes

For taxes, especially, the Tax Foundation ranks Illinois 37 for its overall tax burden in 50 states (with the worst with number 50). This is mainly due to its relatively high property and sales taxes, which rank 41 and 38 respectively.

However, the income tax of Illinois falls in 13, due to its flat tax rate 4.95%. The state also gives exemption to common sources of retirement income, such as social security, pension benefits and distribution from retirement accounts such as 401 (K) schemes and IRA. Chicago currently does not levy any income tax, but receives a part of the tax collected by the state.

Therefore, high -income retired people want to pay attention. Compared to some other states, those tax savings can probably cover a good journey or two alone.

Lifestyle idea for retired people

Chicago has enough world -class attractions that you never want to leave. This includes the theater, music, major art museum, park, restaurant and still classification of ethnic neighborhood. The region is also home to major universities such as Chicago University, south side, and in the northern suburb near Northwestern, Evanston.

Athletically interested cities and its parks are particularly suited for people with cold weather such as racing, bike riding and tennis as well as cold weather such as cross-cream skiing and snowing (and you can usually rely on a lot of ice). Softball is popular, and is often played with a 16 -inch ball which has become a Chicago tradition. Even its dedicated museum of sports is in suburban forest park.

Spectator sports fans will have their own choice of pro teams – and sometimes to root with bears (football), blackhox (hockey), bulls (basketball), and cubs and white sox (baseball).

To stay healthy for your journey, Chicago is well supplied with top level medical features.

Other things to consider

Chicago is a vibrant city that has attractions to match every taste. Like all major cities, it has issues with financial challenges on crime, traffic congestion and other civil problems.

Its climate is not for everyone, either. Future international students as Illinois University in Chicago are told in a note: “You can expect hot and humid summer, rain springs, brisk falls and frigid, icy winter.” Looking at the bright side, “If you prepare yourself with enough clothing and realistic expectations, it can be a complete experience to stay in one place with four different seasons.”

In other words, no sunbelt will make Chicago’s mistake for retirement hasven. In fact, retired who can bear it will often maintain two houses and divide their time between more temperate places such as Chicago and Arizona or Florida.

Bottom line

Chicago itself is a popular journey destination and ideally located for retired people who want to detect the rest of the world. Anyone who is assuming a place to retire Chicago will do well to see it in all four sessions and will possibly rent a year or before before buying. While many retired people can decide that it suits them completely, other people will find more and more rigid winter season.