Where are the best suburbs to live outside chicago? (Waukegan: low crime, big house)

[jenne03]

Hi guys,

I am looking to find the best suburbs outside of Chicago. We may be moving into the area. My husband would work some place in Chicago..though i am not exactly sure where.
I am looking for what a lot of others want...low crime, good schools, nice area.

What neighborhoods should I begin with my research? What is the housing like in chicago? I live in Maryland now, where the housing is outrageous...is it a similar market? Or will I get a little more for my money in the chicago area.

Honestly, what are the negatives and positives of the area? Crime, weather, the people, the traffic, the schools?

Thank you so much for your advice!!

[danco]

The best suburb would be around 1,000 miles outside of chicago.
The windy city really does blow !!!
Lousy traffic, compounded by some of the worst drivers outside of tijuana.
Crime is about the same as tijuana. Come to think about it....... like the
twilight zone man. Lived there 30 years, still a chicago sports fan, I think
they do something in the delivery room to make it stick. But like that commercial from the 70's - the indian with the tear in his eye looking at all
that garbage.......... perfect metaphor..



dan

[jenne03]

I understand having a negative attitude about where you live..I could say the same thing regarding maryland..since i am not happy here...but if I have to move to chicago ...i have too.. It doesn't help me to have someone tell me how horrible it is..there has to be some redeeming qualities...I need advice to the best areas to move. Unfortunately telling me to stay away and live 1000 miles from some place..doesn't help.

[sunshine girl]

Hey, I graduated from the high school in Blue Island, and consider my education and subsequent career successful. My family still lives in the area, and while it has changed over the years, as any place does, not all has been negative. If the immediate south side is too busy and diverse, look a little farther south and slightly west. Hickory Hills, Worth, etc. My mom just retired last year and commuted downtown via train & el for many, many years. Lots of surrounding towns have public transportation to the city. You don't say where husband will work, so I guess that kinda influences which burbs you look at. Any city, big or small, has negative minded folks w/negative minded comments. Just ignore. Search on, lots of suburbs, lots of price ranges, lots of different types of communities. Wish you luck, not because you need it, but because there are so many choices!!! I miss the big city life and activity, but not the cold!! Currently in the great sunshine of Florida!! (and loving it, by the way for all you haters out there) Peace everyone .......

[Shirleyme]

Hey, Chicagoland is like any other Metropolitan area. I lived in the Oak Lawn area all my life; Hickory Hills, Palos Heights, Palos Hills are all good suburbs albeit, all becoming very overpopulated and pricy! My children are all raising their children in the Oak Lawn area, as well as Oswego north of Chicago. Traffic is heavy, population is very mixed! Shopping is great, schools are good in those areas (I went there, I know!) and the people are NOT like the New Yorkers!!!! People are very friendly there. I moved to central Wisconsin 6 years ago but my kids won't leave Illinois!!!! Work is good in the area, pay is also good, drugs are everywhere but the Chicagoland suburbs are vastly underrated and get a bad rap always thanks to good old Capone!!! If your husband needs to make a living there, you'll get used to the fast pace if you're not already. Just keep your doors locked!!! Sad but true of just about anyplace today.But, again, I think you'll like it. Hope this helps!

[no user name]

Jenne03
Don't listen to these people. I'm going to try and be brief. I would stay away from South Suburbs (Blue Island, Oak lawn, etc) while there may be some nice ones, traffic south is always a mess and scenery from the highway is industrial and even the best of the southern suburbs seem to have more crime than the more northern suburbs. If you look at a map, I woudn't go any further south than say Berwyn, stay away from Maywood to the west.
I live in Harwood Heights which is what they refer to as an island within the city. It's on the far NW side with little crime, no Chicago taxes and all Chicago conveniences. Four miles from O'hare, 15 miles from Midway airport, 10 miles to downtown and easy access to all expressway systems and public transportation, people are starting to see the advantages of being here so this area is booming big time as is the next suburb named Norridge. Top rated public schools here too. Hillary Clinton (whoopy) grew up in Park Ridge which is a couple miles away and went to Maine South High School which also educates parts of Harwood Heights, the other half goes to another top rated school. Used to be mainly blue collar Italian here with some Polish but getting a lot more Eastern European immigrants here now spending big money to tear down old homes and build custom mini mansions.
Other than that, most northern suburbs are pretty good though Waukegan and Zion have rougher parts. And most northwest and far northwest is good to excellent as is the west (except Maywood and parts of Bellwood)
I've been here my entire life and think this is a pretty good place to live but the winters are horrible. I am in the process of looking in Arizona though may never happen.
Hope this helps. Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

[danco]

Well jenne03 since you have to go, (and I do not need the bad karma).
Here are some nice things about Chicago: FOOD!! great restaurants
excellent museums
fun nightlife
and of coarse diversity
Good health and good luck
dan

[j33]

It depends on what you are looking for in a suburb. Some people want the big house on the big lawn with people just like them, and some people want a nice community with a bit more space, lower costs, and good schools with easy access to the city. Obviously my bias is for the latter so I would recommend looking at the some of the inner-ring suburbs with easy access to public transportation, good schools, a developed downtown and older housing stock. Not all the suburbs here are nice though, so do your research (and some of the suburbs up north are very expensive). I'm a former south suburbanite now living on the north side of the city (and no, you can't make me root Cubs, quit trying) who knows a bit about that. I wish I could give more specific advice, but I don't have kids and haven't lived in the 'burbs in 14 years and things seemed to have changed quite a bit since then. Although I do have a friend who lives in Oak Park and another friend who lives in St. Charles they both quite like it.

[babs]

Consider Villa Park, especially if you don't know where you'll be working - it's in the center of it all. It's straight west of downtown Chicago, only about a 30 minute drive or Metra train ride to downtown, and close to 294 AND 355 to go north and south. It has a wonderful small town feel, however - amazingly! It has TWO prairie paths (one of which goes east to Brookfield zoo and west to Batavia or further), many homes with HUGE lots (ours is 396 feet deep!), lots of mature trees, relatively little traffic and chaos, EXCELLENT schools, great park district with two pools, fantastic people, and access to everything, including O'Hare airport twenty minutes away. You can still find a house for as low as about 275,000 dollars, and up to 650,000 for new construction, which is amazing for east DuPage County. AND property taxes are fair. Good luck in your search!

[no user name]

Villa Park IS NOT in the center of it all, it's southwest of the center by several miles. And Dupage county taxes are horrendous!

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Originally Posted by babs

Consider Villa Park, especially if you don't know where you'll be working - it's in the center of it all. It's straight west of downtown Chicago, only about a 30 minute drive or Metra train ride to downtown, and close to 294 AND 355 to go north and south. It has a wonderful small town feel, however - amazingly! It has TWO prairie paths (one of which goes east to Brookfield zoo and west to Batavia or further), many homes with HUGE lots (ours is 396 feet deep!), lots of mature trees, relatively little traffic and chaos, EXCELLENT schools, great park district with two pools, fantastic people, and access to everything, including O'Hare airport twenty minutes away. You can still find a house for as low as about 275,000 dollars, and up to 650,000 for new construction, which is amazing for east DuPage County. AND property taxes are fair. Good luck in your search!