Grad school in Portland, Chicago, Minneapolis, or St. Louis???

You may enjoy Minneapolis. I have a friend and a cousin who lives there and they really like it. I personally looked up information on it when I was considering a move there. Anyway, I discovered that the crime rate is low. I lived in Chicago for about 21 years. I just returned to my hometown from Chicago in 2006. The lifestyle in Chicago is fast. Public transportation is good. You can get from place to place on public transportation. Most people do not drive; instead, they use CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). You can purchase a CTA p for a month for about $80.00 opposed to spending money on gas in this day and time. The cost of living is on the high side. A small 1-bedroom apartment in an okay area will start at $850.00. If you want a good or very good area, you will pay lots more. If you do not mind cold weather, then Chicago or Minneapolis are good choices.