Is Buffalo Grove considered North Shore? (Chicago, Evanston: new home, low crime, investment)

[amyrachel]

Just curious. When people say "north shore suburbs" what towns are they meaning?

And tell me what you all know about Buffalo Grove. The good, the bad, positives and negatives about living there with children.

[Calidreemer]

Hi Amy,
I would consider the North Shore suburbs starting with Evanston and heading north to Lake Forest or Lake Bluff. I would include Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest and possibly Lake Bluff.

I wouldn't consider Buffalo Grove a North Shore suburb. I don't know much about it having only driven through it and participated in the Buffalo Grove 5K/10K run which started at the community fitness center and went around neighborhoods and parks. Everything was clean and the houses were well kept in that area. Maybe someone who lives in the community will be able to give you more information. Good luck!

[ahava]

The good: excellent schools, great park district with tons of programs, lots of parks, has a Metra station to take you to Chicago
The bad: It's typical suburbia where you will have to drive everywhere. Traffic on many of the main roads during rush hour is a nightmare. The Metra only runs on weekdays and not very often. Most of the housing stock is from the '70s-'80s, and anything newer is really nice but VERY expensive.
Overall, it's a great place to raise a family, but there may be someplace better for you depending on what you're looking for in a town, and what your price range is for a house.

[vester72]

Not North Shore, but a very nice area to raise a family.

Cali is right - I might also throw in Deerfield and Northbrook as part of the North Shore as well.

Positives of the North Shore are great schools, shopping, neighborhoods, businesses, housing, location - basically everything is great except traffic and home prices (home prices are great if you are there - great investment, but not great if you are looking to buy) - your money does not go very far there, but there are a lot of reasons that it is worth it for many people (not for me personally, but I can see why it appeals to a lot of folks).

That being said, there are a lot of other great areas in and around Chicago where there are excellent schools, low crime and you can get a LOT more house for your dollar.

[llaran]

not north shore - but nice suburb - has a large jewish community - schools are good transportation into city is good - depends what you are looking for - house prices are md to hi level - not many new homes

[Tex?Il?]

Many Buffalo Grove residents would like to THINK they are part of the North Shore. Especially the Lake County side - biggest bunch of North Shore wannabes around!

I'm from Buffalo Grove, certainly not all, but there is a sublime feeling of people not being comfortable in their own shoes, the way they are in slightly more modest (Palatine, older Arlington Hts., or older money areas (Highland Park, etc.)

I am not prejudice or bigoted at all, and I know lots of laid back Jewish people that I am friends and acquaintances with, but there is something latent in the attitudes and lifestyle, of many (I'm not saying all!) in their culture thats puts a big emphasis on being status conscious and upwardly mobile.

Like I said, I'm not being stereotypical, I know many Jewish people who like the outdoors and are content with their ranch-stlye house built in the 70s. There just is a lot of those attitudes and lifestyles in and around Buffalo Grove

[Avengerfire]

I would not. That does not make it bad though. lol

[Chinolala]

Not North Shore. It's too far west to be North Shore. It is nice though. The North Shore is Evanston, Wilmette, Glencoe, Highwood, Lake Bluff, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Zion and Withrop Harbor. Some people consider Glenview and Skokie to be the North Shore, but that's debatable.

[Calidreemer]

I wouldn't think of Zion and Winthrop Harbor as North Shore - I wouldn't consider Skokie part of the North Shore either.

[middle-aged mom]

Originally Posted by Calidreemer

- I wouldn't consider Skokie part of the North Shore either.

Either would I but Skokie sure does consider itself a part of the North shore.

What part of the word "shore" did they miss?