Affordable city neighborhoods with good schools? (Chicago, Evanston: low crime, credit, home search)

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Good one.

Oak Parkers and Berwynites do seem to be the most devoted on these forums.

That's because they're in a good location and a nice alternative to exburbia (along with the lesser discussed Riverside, Forest Park and River Forest). I don't really think Austin is much of a threat to Oak Park, at least no more than it has been. I don't think Austin has gotten much worse in recent years. I don't know how it could to be honest. It's been one of the highest crime community areas for a very long time now.

Worthy of note is the Oak Park/Berwyn border (i.e. Roosevelt Road), which really seems to be developing. IMHO, that's a good sign as to the condition and progress of south Oak Park and north Berwyn, long the "redheaded stepchildren" of both communities.

[chet everett]

The kinds of jobs that people hold defines a great deal of their priorities. Folks might have done pretty well salary wise with skilled labor jobs that did not require much formal education in even the not too distant past, but the continual shift toward office careers has made formal education much more important.

The percentage of folks employed in manufacturing and related fields was (and continues to be) much higher in the towns directly west/south of Oak Park. If (?when) that trend shifts there may be more shifts in the committment to education...

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Why would that happen now and not 25 years ago?...

The north portion of Austin (specifically the northwestern part) was still halfway decent back then. Quoth the Raven-nevermore.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

The north portion of Austin (specifically the northwestern part) was still halfway decent back then. Quoth the Raven-nevermore.

If Galewood (NW Austin?) and Elmwood Park decline, or Berwyn declines, I could definitely see Oak Park having some problems, because then they'd be surrounded from three sides, which would be a tall order for even Oak Park to deal with. But from all accounts, that's not happening. The Berwyn/Oak Park border seems to be cleaning up as I just said. I haven't heard of Galewood declining. I've heard some grumblings about some gentrification displacement landing in EP but I can't say first hand how extensive it is (and it probably has stopped by now anyway).

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by BRU67

If Galewood (NW Austin?)...

I am talking about the neighborhood of North Austin (I should have specified)-not the Austin community area. Belmont Central,Cragin,and Hanson Park are all going down the tubes. All three are bordered on the north of North Austin and neighbor Galewood as well.

And yeah Galewood has declined greatly since the 80's. Especially the eastern portion of it.

[noplacelike]

I feel sorry for the original poster that Oak Park hijacked the thread. Oak Park in no way compares to the city of Chicago, suffice it to say.

No, you are wrong, the lawsuit of the grammar schools against the village occurred in the past, not the present. I am amused to hear the high school is now suing. They are doing the right thing.

Oak Park's real estate taxes are high, and you should be able to get a good school district for them. I didn't say most Oak Parkers didn't use it; I said many don't.

Oak Park has always held steady and always will, imo. People don't live there for the schools, but because it is more beautiful than Forest Park or Berwyn, and less Republican than River Forest.

Berwyn is a city person's suburb, but gang activity increasing. Good place. Riverside is where I live. It has excellent schools, but is as boring as the day is long. NOT a place for city-lovers.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by noplacelike

I feel sorry for the original poster that Oak Park hijacked the thread. Oak Park in no way compares to the city of Chicago, suffice it to say.

No, you are wrong, the lawsuit of the grammar schools against the village occurred in the past, not the present. I am amused to hear the high school is now suing. They are doing the right thing.

Oak Park's real estate taxes are high, and you should be able to get a good school district for them. I didn't say most Oak Parkers didn't use it; I said many don't.

Oak Park has always held steady and always will, imo. People don't live there for the schools, but because it is more beautiful than Forest Park or Berwyn, and less Republican than River Forest.

Berwyn is a city person's suburb, but gang activity increasing. Good place. Riverside is where I live. It has excellent schools, but is as boring as the day is long. NOT a place for city-lovers.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. NOPLACELIKE feels the elementary schools in Oak Park have a terrible reputation, and everyone else posting here (including residents of Oak Park) disagrees.

Just want to reiterate that Oak Park and Evanston are the two suburbs with a very urban feel, el access to the city, and good public schools. Maybe Skokie counts, although much less urban, because it does (barely) have el access. None of these burbs will be anything like uber-urban Lincoln Park, but they're definitely much more urban than far NW and SW side city neighborhoods which are the frequent suggestions for people who want decent neighborhood public schools. I've heard good things about Ray school (elementary) in Hyde Park, but the public high school option (aside from Magnets) is lacking. If you truly want to try CPS, there are others on this board who have far more knowledge.

It would be useful to hear from the OP what her thoughts are regarding suburbs versus city in light of the info we've given.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

None of these burbs will be anything like uber-urban Lincoln Park, but they're definitely much more urban than far NW and SW side city neighborhoods which are the frequent suggestions for people who want decent neighborhood public schools. .

That is one baffling comment. Neighborhoods in the actual City proper are less urban than two suburbs? And Lincoln Park represents the "uber" urban neighborhood?

I think you've confused Lincoln Park with what urban really means.

Urban is not about shopping. Access to fancy boutiques, big-box chain stores and strip-mall, car-centric development in general is not urban.

Urban is about density. Lincoln Park is dense, but no more so than most neighborhoods on the lakefront.

Urban is also about diversity, both economic and cultural. Again, not just in terms of what you can buy. LP is laughable in this regard - "we have a Gap and an Old Navy" doesn't really cut it.

And urban means you deal with the massive & complex bureaucratic craziness that is municipal Chicago, and of course, the crime, both institutional (corruption) and street.

I love Oak Park, it's a great place, my now-wife lived there a few years after college. But urban it most certainly is not (and that's not a bad thing), unless you are comparing it to Barrington or suburbs totally off the grid.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I love Oak Park, it's a great place, my now-wife lived there a few years after college. But urban it most certainly is not (and that's not a bad thing), unless you are comparing it to Barrington or suburbs totally off the grid.

I'll have to respectfully disagree I do think Oak Park is more urban than Norwood Park and Beverly, for example. You may have missed it, but NP was suggested as a city neighborhood with potentially good/decent public schools.

Regarding Lincoln Park, I'm using it as short-hand for the lakefront neighborhoods that are best-known to non-Chicagoans. I probably should've said LP/LV/WP/BT/Lincoln Square, but that gets unwieldy. I'm making the assumption that the OP wasn't aspiring to move to Uptown or Englewood. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

I'll have to respectfully disagree I do think Oak Park is more urban than Norwood Park and Beverly, for example. You may have missed it, but NP was suggested as a city neighborhood with potentially good/decent public schools.

Regarding Lincoln Park, I'm using it as short-hand for the lakefront neighborhoods that are best-known to non-Chicagoans. I probably should've said LP/LV/Lincoln Square. I'm making the assumption that the OP wasn't aspiring to move to Uptown or Englewood. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

It's been a convoluted thread, I think we can all agree.

But the "City" neighborhood distinction is important for at least one unalterable reason - if you're employed by the City, that's where you have to live.

And I would say Chicago's culture (again, not always a good thing) is what defines urban, not simply having an L stop (although I'd like to see them expanding out in the metro area for sure).

I'm going to guess as an Oak Parker you don't really know much about Norwood Park - I certainly don't know much as a native north sider about Beverly. Many of those NW neighborhoods have all sorts of assets like parks, restaurants, etc. that outsiders will never stumble on.