Hinsdale vs. Western Springs?? (Chicago, Evanston: sales, houses, buy)

[febgirl77]

Hi, my husband and I are in our early 30's, hoping to start a family, and are looking to settle down in the burbs. We have narrowed our search down to hinsdale or western springs. Can you please give me any feedback - pros or cons for either or both. Thanks in advance!

[johnm68]

That's a nice postion to be in. Both are great suburbs, and I don't think you can go wrong with either. Hinsdale is the larger and wealthier of the two, and is kind of the western suburb epicenter of teardowns and mini mansions, although that trend is easing. I've heard (on this forum and from others) that Hinsdale can be a bit snooty and very status conscious, but I've never really noticed this among the people I know from there. There's a larger downtown in Hinsdale, although the stores aren't really the type of places you'll do your daily shopping--mostly upscale boutiques, restaurants, etc. Western Springs, otoh, has a first-rate butcher shop, a fruit and vegetable store, a bakery and a hardware store right downtown. Both downtowns are built around the metra stop, which is nice. However, while you can walk to the train from anywhere in Western Springs (almost--maybe not from the new subdivision at the far southern edge), Hinsdale is a bit more spread out.

Hinsdale is served by two high school districts--Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South. Western Springs is in the Lyon Township district. Hinsdale Central is probably the best of the three, followed by LT and SOuth. However, all are very good schools, and if you have children who'll be attending high school, you won't be doing them a disservice by sending them to any of these schools. The grade schools are all good.

If it was me, I'd go with Western Springs, simply because I like the smaller size and sense of community that seems to exist there. Either way, you can't go wrong. Spend an afternoon in each downtown over the Christmas season and you might get a sense of which one suits you best.

[chet everett]

While both are very nice, there are some differences. Not that either one is not a desirable place, but the teardowns have been much more prevalent in Hinsdale. That is reflected in the "age of housing" data: http://www.city-data.com/housing/hou...-Illinois.html
http://www.city-data.com/housing/hou...-Illinois.html
Some would argue that has resulted in a bigger change in character (debatable) but the data is irrefutable that sales prices in Hinsdale are higher.

Probably hard to say where you get "more house for the money", though the newer houses do tend to be larger than what they replaced. Sometimes by orders of magnitude, and costs to match.

All of Hinsdale proper is served by Hinsdale Central, a school that meritted a "silver" in the US News rankings. Its state performance scores are better than Lyons Township (it was ranked in the same category) Hinsdale Central High School: Best High Schools - USNews.com
Lyons Township High School North Campus: Best High Schools - USNews.com

(Hinsdale South serves Darien and portions of Willowbrook and other towns)

On the elementary level, all of Hinsdale is served by D181, and all seven elementary schools as well as both middle schools made the list of Top 50 in the SunTimes: Chicago area's best schools :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education Most of Western Springs is served by Western Springs D101, a portion is served by LaGrange Highlands D106. Some the D101 schools made Top 50 too. http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/p...0elem-2008.pdf (btw most of Clarendon Hills is served by D181 and Hinsdale Central -- it is signficantly smaller than either Hinsdale or Western Springs but has many of the same pluses...)

In terms of basics amenities both towns have a lot to offer. In addition to its boutique style down town Hinsdale has a Whole Foods (whose property taxes go to Western Springs -- long story...), a few car dealers, other shopping in an older strip close to town's center. Western Springs has an Oberwies ice cream shop, a strip shopping district anchored by Dominicks and Walgreens. Hinsdale has a community-sized hospital that has been upgraded over the decades and is quite convenient. Western Springs is close to that as well as LaGrange Community Hospital which is adjacent to Western Springs on LaGrange's western border. Both towns have nice parks, outdoor pools that are very popular, standard recreational opportunities and fairly modern libraries that are well used.

It would be prudent to look homes in both towns, assess the pluses and minuses of each in terms present costs and future needs. Don't really need to worry about either town, but individual homes may offer better values.

Good Luck!

[febgirl77]

Thank you for all of that info, its so helpful!!!!

[JenGD]

Both are great... but Hinsdale has much more to offer you and your family as it grows. Plus, better school system = better investment.

[SloopyJ]

Originally Posted by JenGD

Hinsdale has much more to offer you and your family as it grows.

As stated above, you can't go wrong with either. The Hinsdale "snob" factor has been endlessly debated on this forum, and the only point worth making is that many people *perceive* Hinsdale that way regardless of whether it's true. This is, of course, no different from the other high-income suburbs such as those on the North Shore, but it's worth noting. I have a good friend who chose Hinsdale (OK, his wife did) for all the right reasons, but he's obviously uncomfortable in certain circles telling people that's where he lives. And it's not because he's ashamed of it, but rather he knows what the public perception is and he's sensitive to that.

I like Western Springs, having grown up there, but as a mid-30s family guy with kids, I'd personally choose La Grange over Western Springs (or Hinsdale, for that matter) for the more dynamic downtown and pretty historic homes and streets (La Grange and Western Springs share Lyons Township High School). Hinsdale's downtown is also better than Western Springs, but not so much for an early-30s couple.

[hsw]

Hinsdale is prob best choice if work in Western suburbs

If work in Loop, prob far more valuable from both a career standpoint and from a role model standpoint for any kids to choose to live in Winnetka or LkForest, where most of Chic's younger high-achievers w/families choose to live (aside from GoldCoast/LP)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by hsw

Hinsdale is prob best choice if work in Western suburbs

If work in Loop, prob far more valuable from both a career standpoint and from a role model standpoint for any kids to choose to live in Winnetka or LkForest, where most of Chic's younger high-achievers w/families choose to live (aside from GoldCoast/LP)

Go to Union Station, tell me the folks headed home on the BNSF expresses to Western Springs & Hinsdale are any different than the folks at Ogilvie headed to Lake Forest or Winnetka. Puhleeze.

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by SloopyJ

As stated above, you can't go wrong with either. The Hinsdale "snob" factor has been endlessly debated on this forum, and the only point worth making is that many people *perceive* Hinsdale that way regardless of whether it's true. This is, of course, no different from the other high-income suburbs such as those on the North Shore, but it's worth noting. I have a good friend who chose Hinsdale (OK, his wife did) for all the right reasons, but he's obviously uncomfortable in certain circles telling people that's where he lives. And it's not because he's ashamed of it, but rather he knows what the public perception is and he's sensitive to that.

I like Western Springs, having grown up there, but as a mid-30s family guy with kids, I'd personally choose La Grange over Western Springs (or Hinsdale, for that matter) for the more dynamic downtown and pretty historic homes and streets (La Grange and Western Springs share Lyons Township High School). Hinsdale's downtown is also better than Western Springs, but not so much for an early-30s couple.

Sloopy, I grew up in Western Springs myself and am in my mid-30's. If you went to Laidlaw, we probably went to fortnightly together. Anyways, I agree with Sloopy. Another factor to consider is LT has a little more diversity than Hinsdale Central. And the only real reason Hinsdale scores better than LT on state testing is the fact that pretty much every single kid that attends that school has parents who went to college. It has nothing to do with teacher quality. And Chet Evertt, good to see you are back! Your comments are the best.

[kindrakindra]

HSW

Not sure what you mean about Chicago young families. Lots of (do you mean rich) families move to Evanston, Oak Park or even other western suburbs, including La Grange and Western Springs. If you mean old money, then maybe I buy your argument to a certain extent. I don't think that their is any advantage or connection to growing up in Western Springs or Winnetka and future Loop employment.