Working in Joliet, need help choosing between Naperville, Oswego or Minooka! (Lockport: crime, houses)

[CBHScott]

Originally Posted by m19ama

No. No reason to not consider New Lenox. I will look in to that area. Thanks for everyone's input. Does anyone have a strong feeling in where the best area is considering my work will be on the west side of Joliet?

Where at on the "west side"? If it is the "old" west side, then Minooka is closer; however, if it is the "new" west side that goes out to Ridge Road in Kendall County, that may bring Oswego and Naperville a bit closer in.

[4122]

Originally Posted by m19ama

Hello All,

I will be moving to the Joliet area for work over the next few months from Henderson, NV (lived in Buffalo, NY for 30 yrs prior to that). I am in my mid 30's and have a wife and two daughters under the age of 2. As stated, I will be working in Joliet and am trying to get a good idea of the surrounding areas by reading prior posts. I am having difficulties finding a post with updated information so I figured I'd give this a shot.

Can someone tell me what the major differences are between Naperville, Oswego and the Minooka/Channahon areas. It does appear you can get a much larger home outside of Naperville, but ultimately safety and education are most important for me. Is the Minooka area "out there"? Is the Oswego area mostly cookie cutter homes in the middle of a corn field (as stated by some previously here)? Is Naperville that much head and shoulders above the other areas noted here? I am looking to spend around 300k for a home and will have family members staying from out of town quite a bit as well.

My wife and I will be coming out there for a few days to get a good feel for each area, but any information would be a huge help in our decision.

Thanks!

Henderson is definitely the most like Naperville. In fact, they're quite similar except Naperville is more upscale. However, you won't get much for $300,000. Oswego is pretty far out and there are areas that have just as much bang for your buck that will have a shorter Commute. I agree with whoever suggested Lisle and Woodridge. They're right next to 355 and Naperville. although they're more expensive than Oswego or Minooka/Channahon, they're cheaper than Naperville which is a nice compromise. New Lenox is a good option too.

[CF119]

I lived in a new subdivision from 2006-2013 on the far west side of Joliet
Ridge Road and Theodore, Lakewood Homes. I believe it does have a different name now tho. However, you can get a lot of house for your money, subdivision is very nice and I know they were building others. Even though it is technically Joliet that part is Kendall County with Minooka Schools.
When you take your visit you may want to drive out there.

[m19ama]

Thanks for everyone's input. I drove around the areas and think we are going to look for something in the mid to northern part of Plainfield. This gives us the best value for our house with well rated schools. It keeps me under 20 minutes to work on about the same to Naperville.

If anyone has any input (good or bad) on Plainfield I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

[SaveStRene]

Originally Posted by m19ama

Thanks for everyone's input. I drove around the areas and think we are going to look for something in the mid to northern part of Plainfield. This gives us the best value for our house with well rated schools. It keeps me under 20 minutes to work on about the same to Naperville.

If anyone has any input (good or bad) on Plainfield I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

Good choice. You will be fine

[Vasily]

When I moved here in January 1988, Plainfield was a little village and there wasn't much between it and Naperville other than farm fields. Now Naperville has expanded to the south, and Plainfield is no longer out of the way. It's a nice little town and there's plenty of shopping and things to do along Route 59 going north toward Naperville -- downtown Naperville is about 25 minutes away (about the same distance as Joliet).

[Joel67]

I've not lived in Plainfield so it's hard for me to say, but having lived in both Oswego and now Naperville, I will state emphatically that my taxes are a significantly lower percentage of my property value in Naperville! So much so that I'd think PITA on a 300k property in Oswego would be equivalent to something like a 325-340k property in Naperville. I'm not sure if Plainfield's taxes are similarly high but it is something that is worth considering.

[CGab]

Originally Posted by m19ama

Thanks for everyone's input. I drove around the areas and think we are going to look for something in the mid to northern part of Plainfield. This gives us the best value for our house with well rated schools. It keeps me under 20 minutes to work on about the same to Naperville.

If anyone has any input (good or bad) on Plainfield I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

Hi OP, we lived in the very northern tip of Plainfield for 10 years (we relocated to N.W Indiana this past summer). You can definitely find a nice home there are the schools are highly rated! Lots of shopping and nearby restaurants. Property taxes are high, but lower than what they would be in Naperville! I think anything North or 135th st & Rt 59 in Plainfield would be an excellent decision. If you need a name of a realtor IM me and I can give you the name and number of the realtor we used when we moved out of state. She is very familiar with the area.


I would not look in Joliet or Bolingbrook. Two many "shady" parts and bad schools. Oswego is very nice, but property taxes are also high and schools are over crowded. Minooka is a nice town and you can get a lot of home for your money. Same with Channahon. The property taxes are lower, but you are not close to any type of shopping and restaurants. School are ok, but not rated as high as Plainfield.


Naperville is recognized as having one of the best school districts in Illinois, but as other have stated homes are VERY expensive and so are the taxes! To get a $300k home in Naperville it would be older, smaller and need a lot of remodeling.

[dlong1991]

Check out the areas around Rt. 59 and Caton Farm rd. This is the south side of Plainfield/Far west side of Joliet. That area feeds into the Plainfield 202 school district. You will get more house for your money, and I find the amenities in the Plainfield/Joliet/Shorewood area are superior to the North side of Plainfield. Golf courses, several grocery stores, very close to the Joliet mall and interstate access. Naperville is nice, but expensive and a tad over rated. The downtown area and riverwalk is the best part about Naperville, and you can drive there easily from Plainfield.

Route 30, Renwick Road, Caton Farm road, Black road, Route 52 and I-80 are all good E-W thoroughfares that can get you to the City of Joliet fast. Route 59 is the main N-S state highway that can get you to Plainfield and Naperville easy.

[Liledgy]

Naperville district 203 is hard to beat. Yes the homes are more expensive but as one of the other posters stated not if you factor in the assessed value. There are tear downs going on in many different parts around the city, that should tell you something about your resale value.
Plainfield north is a nice high school but you can keep the rest of them. I now channahon schools are very highly ranked in the Will county and that includes New LENOX, Frankfort and Plainfield.