Looking to move to a suburb south of chicago (Oak Park: condo, violent crime)

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I'll go out on a limb and say yes to Chuckity's question.

Are you calling me a bigot or are you saying that the other poster is alluding to me being a bigot?

[ajolotl]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

Are you calling me a bigot or are you saying that the other poster is alluding to me being a bigot?

I was only interpreting the post, not passing judgment. Even if I wanted to I doubt I would have grounds for making such a judgment one way or the other. Plus, I pay a mortgage per kid for private school, so I'm hardly one to talk.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by allen2323

Maybe, but moving further out of the chicagoland area is not the best answer in my opinion. And not a realistic option for most families. Neither is moving to winnetka so there kid can attend new trier. Chicagoland area schools are sub par as a whole. Very few meet the highest standards. But, I would say many schools in the south suburbs do a much better job educating and graduating students than most chicagoland schools as a whole. Particularly, african american students are graduating at much higher rates and african american students are scoring higher on the standardized test in many south suburban schools. How african american students are doing in particular is important if the school is made up largely of african american students or if you are a parent of an african american child.

... not the best answer FOR YOU. I'm assuming you left that part out, correct? There is not a one size, fits all solution - unless your views are so rigid and intolerant that you cannot grasp that there are other ways to deal with things.

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I was only interpreting the post, not passing judgment. Even if I wanted to I doubt I would have grounds for making such a judgment one way or the other. Plus, I pay a mortgage per kid for private school, so I'm hardly one to talk.

Thanks for the clarification - much appreciated.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

... not the best answer FOR YOU. I'm assuming you left that part out, correct? There is not a one size, fits all solution - unless your views are so rigid and intolerant that you cannot grasp that there are other ways to deal with things.





Thanks for the clarification - much appreciated.

I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just talking about most middle class and affluent chicagoland homeowners like myself. Moving far out of the chicagoland area so that our child can be in a "top notch school" is not a realistic or desirable option for us. Neither is moving to an exclusive mostly millionaire neighborhood like winnetka so our child can attend one of the few "top notch schools" in chicagoland.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by allen2323

Moving far out of the chicagoland area so that our child can be in a "top notch school" is not a realistic or desirable option for us. Neither is moving to an exclusive mostly millionaire neighborhood like winnetka so our child can attend one of the few "top notch schools" in chicagoland.

Well ... there you go.

That's the difference between you & I.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

Well ... there you go.

That's the difference between you & I.

That we can agree on. As you already stated, moving further out was an option for you. For others the most realistic and desirable options are finding the best areas within chicagoland that they can afford with decent public schools, private schools for there kids, charter schools, magnet schools, etc.

[allen2323]

And living in the chicagoland area is very expensive. The chicagoland area is ranked the forth most unaffordable metropolitan area in the united states, comparing cost of living and median incomes of area residents. Education for your children is definately one of those big expenses considering most schools are in fact sub par. If you do want to live within the actual chicagoland area and raise your family here in a comfortable fashion, you will have to probably do a little bit more give and take. High property taxes, private school, super inflated housing cost, ect. Or do what you did and just move out. The closer in you are the more give and take compromises you will make, unless you can afford the most exclusive areas like winnetka.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by allen2323

My list would also include crete, monee, and glenwood. I agree with you, Lynwood is definatly middle class and should be listed. Although, I would not list lynwood that high at all. TF South is a horrible school. I would compare it to an inner city of chicago public school. TF South only has a 73 percent student graduation rate which is well below the state average. And, there is really no way to sugar coat that statistic. It's a shame because I really do like the area, but what is really going on over there? Are they producing future college students or future high school drop out thugs. The state really needs to step in quick over there.

A more accurate and comprehensive list of the southern suburbs.

1st tier, upper middle class and affluent in no particular order:

Olympia Fields
Flossmoor
Crete

2nd Tier, solidly middle class in no particular order:

Monee
Homewood
Matteson
South Holland

3rd tier, middle class in no particular order:

glenwood
hazel crest
country club hills
lynwood
richton park

4th tier, lower middle class in no particular order:

park forest
Dolton
lansing
Calumet city
calumet park


No tier, separated by working class and lower income areas:

Mostly working class:

chicago heights
burnham
Riverdale
Markham
Harvey

Mostly lower income:

Ford Heights
Phoenix
Robbins

The south suburbs in a nutshell

Communities north of I-80: poorer and more urban housing. South Holland being the lone solid middle income residence.

South of I-80: More suburban(and less developed) in environment, way more subdivisions and cul-de-sacs, higher incomes of course, and lower crime. Overall this area is middle class.

Its interesting how an expressway is somewhat the dividing line based on class. Just a simple observation

Btw TF South is in Lansing and not in Lynwood.

[svillechris]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

The south suburbs in a nutshell

Communities north of I-80: poorer and more urban housing. South Holland being the lone solid middle income residence.

South of I-80: More suburban(and less developed) in environment, way more subdivisions and cul-de-sacs, higher incomes of course, and lower crime. Overall this area is middle class.

Its interesting how an expressway is somewhat the dividing line based on class. Just a simple observation

Btw TF South is in Lansing and not in Lynwood.

Your observation about the expressway as a dividing line is accurate, and an interesting point. You see the same thing in Northwest Indiana, where the area north of 80/94 is pretty rough, then just on the south side of the expressway are much nicer towns. Although it's just an expressway, there's somewhat of a psychological dividing line that separates the good from the bad in that area. Similarly, 294 in the west and southwest suburbs has the same effect. In general, most middle to upper income people looking to move to the suburbs to start a family would probably only look west of 294. Accurate or not, west of 294 is the beginning of the "real suburbs" of Chicago, whereas anything east is more urban. Again, it's just an expressway, but psychologically it serves as a buffer so people can think "my nice town is separated from the rougher areas". Of course there are a few execptions of towns within 294, but I'm sure you'd understand my point.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by allen2323

And living in the chicagoland area is very expensive. The chicagoland area is ranked the forth most unaffordable metropolitan area in the united states, comparing cost of living and median incomes of area residents. .

Could you provide a link please?

I have a hard time believing that LA, NY, San Francisco, Seattle, DC, Honolulu, Anchorage, Boston, etc wouldn't all have a higher cost of living than Chicago.