Best places to live outside Chicago for young female? (Naperville: metra, activity)

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

Naperville, Lisle, Downers Grove, if a little cheaper try Westmont. If you need a place closer to the city try Berwyn or Forest Park.

Berwyn and FP would be way too urban for her liking if Evanston is, but those first four I'll second.

[ToriaT]

If you want something woodsy, look into Warrenville or Winfield. Easy enough to hop on the train to get downtown and very close to Wheaton and Naperville with all they have to offer. Skip Woodstock way way too far away if you work in the loop.

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

If you want something woodsy, look into Warrenville or Winfield. Easy enough to hop on the train to get downtown and very close to Wheaton and Naperville with all they have to offer. Skip Woodstock way way too far away if you work in the loop.

Warrenville is a good idea. If there’s rentals they’re probably in the more “corporate” areas of town, but it’s definitely one of the burbs that may meet her requirements.

[amethyst0506]

Thank you again! This helped a lot. I'm looking for a place in the next week and will most likely be Naperville as it's harder to find my price range or available properties in Warrenville or somewhere else more secluded.

I have found a few in Wheaton. Can someone tell me the difference between Wheaton and Naperville? Is it as safe, close commute to the Loop, etc. ?

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by amethyst0506

Thank you again! This helped a lot. I'm looking for a place in the next week and will most likely be Naperville as it's harder to find my price range or available properties in Warrenville or somewhere else more secluded.

I have found a few in Wheaton. Can someone tell me the difference between Wheaton and Naperville? Is it as safe, close commute to the Loop, etc. ?

Naperville is much larger in both size and population, but for your purpose as a single female renter who wants to be away from the city I see little difference. I think parking at the Wheaton Metra and College Ave Metra are probably better than Naperville.

They’re both safe, have decent downtowns, have the amenities you’d find in any suburb and access to multiple some nature, trails, parks, etc.

A couple things to consider. Wheaton train goes into Ogilvie. Napervilles goes into Union Station. You may have a preference depending where you work in downtown Chicago. That is likely a less material difference than your commute and parking at the train in whichever suburb you live in though.

Naperville does have several bus lines taking you to and from its train station too. If you live close to one of the lines and don’t work late it can be pretty convenient. After 6:15 or 6:30pm many bus routes consolidate into fewer less direct routes.

[It'sAutomatic]

Darien and Lemont come to mind, the latter having a train station.

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

Darien and Lemont come to mind, the latter having a train station.

Lemont is a great little town and is near a lot of forest preserves. That said, the Heritage Corridor Line is problematic unless she'd only ever take the Metra to go to work. If the OP wanted to take the Metra downtown on a weekend, she couldn't. On weekdays, the Heritage Corridor Line only runs 3 times a day and in one direction. So say she took a Friday off work but wanted to go downtown recreationally. She'd need to get on the train at 7:22 a.m. in Lemont or drive to either somewhere like Orland, Palos Park or Downers Grove. The last train from Union Station to Lemont leaves downtown at 6:52pm. I think it would be more popular if the train schedule was more reasonable.


It also doesn't strike me as a fit for someone artsy or hippie or coming from outside the Chicago area.

[Camaro5]

I lived on the far north end of Arlington Heights for 30 years before retiring (now live in So. Nevada) and rode the train downtown to work every day. It's about a 35 minute commute on the express trains and costs $1.25 to a day to park at the station. Monthly train passes have gotten a expensive at $195/month but it still beats driving. I think in all the years I worked in the Loop I drove less than 10 times.

We used to own a house right across from the Buffalo Creek Nature Preserve. There are some nice apartments/condos right there near Nichols & Wilke and I used to see people with dogs all the time. Not sure about the rent, but it might fit what you're looking for. It's a quiet neighborhood with outdoor amenities and has a lot of shopping & restaurants nearby. Arlington Heights was always having art festivals and things in the summer and it has a very nice downtown area.

There are reason why I left and retired to Nevada, mostly the weather & taxes, but if I had to go back (unlikely) I wouldn't hesitate to live in that area again.

[Hiruko]

Evanston is within close proximity to many of Cook County's best forest preserves and wilderness trails. I would not rule it out. However, it is not a suburb of seclusion. I think it would be a good fit for the OP if they'd be willing to accept the fact that they are not going to find a country town that meets most of their other desires.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by amethyst0506

8) I'm artsy and hippie and

Oak Park. It's pretty urban and a little expensive but it's definitely artsy and hippie!