Another" moving to Chicago" thread...where should I settle? (Naperville: apartments, rentals) - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

Ajohnny07 · 11-17-2010, 03:29 PM

Hi everyone, you've probably seen questions like this before. I've decided to take on new job in Morton Grove. I don't know the area very well so far.

I'm a single guy under 30, and I'd be moving from southern Illinois. I do have a few friends and family in the Chicago area. Some are located in the Naperville area, and the rest are located around the Brookfield area and Orland Park area. I also know one couple that lives near Wrigley Field. I was thinking I could rent or maybe buy a cheaper condo within easy access of my family and friends.

Is there a central location you would recommend between those areas and the Morton Grove area? Should I live near a highway? I plan on driving to work.

I heard Oak Park is convenient for going to the city but staying in the suburbs; according to Google it seems it's in the middle. Is it expensive to rent or buy there? If I was renting, I think I want to stay at $750 and under, if that's possible.

Are there any areas north of north of Oak Park you'd suggest?
I noticed on Google maps some areas have train lines that go to the city, too, like along I90 and also around Grand Avenue, and those bustling neighborhoods by Lake Shore Drive.

Thanks!

chirack · 11-17-2010, 03:47 PM

Oak park is good for access into the city and to the west burbs like napervile. It is kinda far from Morton Grove and so it probably isn't a good spot for you.

What is your budget and what are your preferences for living in terms of how urban a setting do you like and other intrests. I would stay somehwere near 94 if I were you.

Ajohnny07 · 11-17-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chirack

Oak park is good for access into the city and to the west burbs like napervile. It is kinda far from Morton Grove and so it probably isn't a good spot for you.

What is your budget and what are your preferences for living in terms of how urban a setting do you like and other intrests. I would stay somehwere near 94 if I were you.

Well, for me, I don't have to live in a neighborhood like that one couple I know near Wrigley. From what I've seen, it's a bit congested, and probabaly pricey. I guess I'm open to a large part of the area. Exactly where to settle is my dilemma.

I mentioned $750 for rent; I hope that isn't too low...I'd have the car, so I'm ok with driving from wherever I live to work, provided it doesn't take an eternity.

SJaye · 11-17-2010, 04:09 PM

The only friends that you can live relatively close to and not have a long commute to work would probably be the ones near Wrigely -- maybe Brookfield. Orland Park and Naperville are on other ends of the metropolitan area, and the drive from Morton Grove to those two places are at least an hour without traffic. I'd recommend living somewhere fairly close to Morton Grove to minimize your commute to work. If you want to live in the city and be relatively close to your friends near Wrigely, it would be best to live West along Addison or Irving Park, near I-90/94, which would also put you near the blue line and/or a METRA line. Visiting your other friends would be hard. If you want somewhere more suburban, where it would be easier to visit your other friends (Brookfield, Orland Park, Naperville), I would recommend somewhere like Des Plaines, where you can take surface streets to work (Dempster), and be near I-294 which is less congested than 90/94.

chirack · 11-17-2010, 05:18 PM

Ok I would go with Irving park if you want as far in the city of Chicago as you dare go due to traffic as being as far south as you should live. jefferson park, North park and Albany park would be places in chicago to live.

The burbs of Niles and skokie could also work.

Ajohnny07 · 11-17-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJaye

The only friends that you can live relatively close to and not have a long commute to work would probably be the ones near Wrigely -- maybe Brookfield. Orland Park and Naperville are on other ends of the metropolitan area, and the drive from Morton Grove to those two places are at least an hour without traffic. I'd recommend living somewhere fairly close to Morton Grove to minimize your commute to work. If you want to live in the city and be relatively close to your friends near Wrigely, it would be best to live West along Addison or Irving Park, near I-90/94, which would also put you near the blue line and/or a METRA line. Visiting your other friends would be hard. If you want somewhere more suburban, where it would be easier to visit your other friends (Brookfield, Orland Park, Naperville), I would recommend somewhere like Des Plaines, where you can take surface streets to work (Dempster), and be near I-294 which is less congested than 90/94.

Thank you very much for these great details! I looked at Irving Park on the Google map, along Addison. It looks like a really nice area. How is rent there?

I also looked at Des Plaines on-line; it has a good-sized downtown area. Is it mainly a single-family residential area, or are apartments and condos easily available there?

I saw on maps there are areas south of Des Plaines towards O'Hare, such as by Cumberland Ave and Harlem Ave. Would you suggest these areas? Are rentals easy to find and not too expensive there?

Ajohnny07 · 11-17-2010, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chirack

Ok I would go with Irving park if you want as far in the city of Chicago as you dare go due to traffic as being as far south as you should live. jefferson park, North park and Albany park would be places in chicago to live.

The burbs of Niles and skokie could also work.

I also looked up these areas on Google Maps - Jefferson Park, Irving Park and Skokie. etc seem pretty centralized. Is rent expensive in those areas? Are one-bedroom or studio apartments easy to find there?

When you mentioned "traffic," does it get increasingly worse the farther south you go, especially towards Oak Park? For a bit, I was tossing in my head the commute between Oak Park and Morton Grove...

chirack · 11-17-2010, 10:00 PM

Not familiar with all the rents in the areas. I expect others to chime in soon. In general at 750 you are between being able to have a place on your own and needing a roommate. Meaning your housing budget is modest for Chicago. Others might chime in and give more info.

The problem is the distance between Oak Park and Morton Grove is more than any person would want to drive esp. in rush hour and there is no expressway nearby that connects these two directly. 290 is what goes to Oak Park(east west). 94 heads toward Morton grove and the only connections between 290 and 90/94 are in downtown Chicago and near Shamburg both are far from your work locations. Basically Morton Grove is due north of Chicago an Oak Park is to the central west.

Traffic does get worse the further south you go but the biggest reason is that 90/94 is possibly the worst expressway in the area during rush(in both directions). Around Irving park, 90/94 splits into 90 and 94. If you avoid the split you will save at least 10-20 mins worth of commute time right there. In addition the further south you live the longer and longer you will have to fight the traffic best not to live too far from where you work.

The main reason for those locations are to be near 94 as that takes you near the burb you work at. However it can also take you into the city and so on. The areas I mentioned are not really central to Chicago (most people consider downtown the center of town). They are sort of far north central.

One thing people don't realize is the size of Chicago and the Chicago area itself. Basically the city is around 22 miles long and 8 miles wide. From irving park to downtown is probably around 8-10 miles. So even withot the traffic Morton Grove to Oak Park is quite a drive. Also the mention of being near 294 is handy. 294 is handy when you want to go north south and avoid coming into chicago itself(it loops around the city through the burbs). It makes north south trips like to Orland Park easier. Of course the trade for this could be driving surface streets to work.

tonythetuna · 11-17-2010, 11:34 PM

Without stating what area or neighborhood you will be working in; it is kinda difficult to pinpoint a more exact recommendation for you.

Ajohnny07 · 11-18-2010, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chirack

One thing people don't realize is the size of Chicago and the Chicago area itself. Basically the city is around 22 miles long and 8 miles wide. From irving park to downtown is probably around 8-10 miles. So even withot the traffic Morton Grove to Oak Park is quite a drive. Also the mention of being near 294 is handy. 294 is handy when you want to go north south and avoid coming into chicago itself(it loops around the city through the burbs). It makes north south trips like to Orland Park easier. Of course the trade for this could be driving surface streets to work.

That is a good point. I have been on 294 before, and I noticed it flows much better than the highways that go through the city.

Are the areas north and/or west of Oak Park worth it to look into? Such as around Addison & Central? the town of Norridge? Belmont & Harlem? Or do they also suffer from congestion as well?