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Dupage County is better in most respects than Oakland County. Two separate train lines into the city, vibrant suburbs like Naperville, Elmhurst and Oakbrook, affluent towns along the rail lines such as Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Wheaton and Glen Ellyn, and connection to a world class city makes it better. Nothing against Oakland County, but it is an island without connection to Detroit in a meaningful way despite some affluent pockets.
Dupage County is better in most respects than Oakland County. Two separate train lines into the city, vibrant suburbs like Naperville, Elmhurst and Oakbrook, affluent towns along the rail lines such as Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Wheaton and Glen Ellyn, and connection to a world class city makes it better. Nothing against Oakland County, but it is an island without connection to Detroit in a meaningful way despite some affluent pockets.
What about the vibrant areas in Oakland County? Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Farmington, Rochester, ect. And all of the freeways/ roads and city buses going to/ from Detroit isn't a connection to Detroit in a meaningful way? car is the most used mode of transportation in the U.S. by far so I don't see how Oakland County is a island, even if you don't have a car there are multiple bus routes to/ from the city.
I do agree all the direct train options into Chicago are a huge plus for DuPage, hundreds of thousands take Metra each day into the city and my friends who live in the burbs love taking the trains in with their kids on the weekends.
One other offshoot of that is all the little suburbs have cute little downtowns centered around the train stations in their cities since it's an obvious nexus of activity.
What about the vibrant areas in Oakland County? Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Farmington, Rochester, ect. And all of the freeways/ roads and city buses going to/ from Detroit isn't a connection to Detroit in a meaningful way? car is the most used mode of transportation in the U.S. by far so I don't see how Oakland County is a island, even if you don't have a car there are multiple bus routes to/ from the city.
Not as vibrant or affluent, in my opinion. The median income in Dupage is almost $80 k, it is $67 k in Oakland County. According to Bloomberg, Chicago has 11 of the wealthiest towns in the country, 2 of which are in Dupage County, those being HInsdale and Oakbrook. Oakland has none, and Detroit has none as well.
Dupage is seemlessly interwoven with Chicago via train, expressway and street; for Oakland County, the dividing line of 8 mile road seems almost impenetrable. While freeways connect Oakland to Detroit, the connection is with a city which is still just a shell of its former self. Of all the towns listed by you, the only one that approaches the best of Dupage is Birmingham, and although nice, its not even close.
Not as vibrant or affluent, in my opinion. The median income in Dupage is almost $80 k, it is $67 k in Oakland County. According to Bloomberg, Chicago has 11 of the wealthiest towns in the country, 2 of which are in Dupage County, those being HInsdale and Oakbrook. Oakland has none, and Detroit has none as well.
Dupage is seemlessly interwoven with Chicago via train, expressway and street; for Oakland County, the dividing line of 8 mile road seems almost impenetrable. While freeways connect Oakland to Detroit, the connection is with a city which is still just a shell of its former self. Of all the towns listed by you, the only one that approaches the best of Dupage is Birmingham, and although nice, its not even close.
How is it "not even close"? I've been to Oakbrook and Naperville and the downtown's in both cities aren't anymore impressive than Royal Oak or Birmingham. Oakbrook doesn't even have a downtown and while it's neighborhoods are very nice they don't look any more impressive than neighborhoods in Bloomfield Hills/ West Bloomfield, Northville, Novi, ect. And unless your talking about the mall, Oakbrook is not more vibrant than any of the towns I mentioned plus quite a few other ones I could have mentioned. I never been to Hinsdale so I can't speak on that.
Also, LMAO at your 8 mile is almost impenetrable comment. This isn't the 70's. Right across 8 mile in Oakland county are tons of middle/ upper middle class black neighborhoods which goes right along with many of the middle class black neighborhoods on the other side of 8 mile in Detroit. And another thing, Detroit isn't a shell of anything. Oakland county connects to Detroit, a city that offers food, entertainment, sports, culture, concerts, events, jobs, parks, casinos, festivals, ect. Detroit is not a city that "used" to offer this, Detroit is a city that "still" offers this, period.
I don't care about you having an opinion. CD is full of nothing but opinions. But making false claims is what I have a problem with.
Not as vibrant or affluent, in my opinion. The median income in Dupage is almost $80 k, it is $67 k in Oakland County. According to Bloomberg, Chicago has 11 of the wealthiest towns in the country, 2 of which are in Dupage County, those being HInsdale and Oakbrook. Oakland has none, and Detroit has none as well.
Dupage is seemlessly interwoven with Chicago via train, expressway and street; for Oakland County, the dividing line of 8 mile road seems almost impenetrable. While freeways connect Oakland to Detroit, the connection is with a city which is still just a shell of its former self. Of all the towns listed by you, the only one that approaches the best of Dupage is Birmingham, and although nice, its not even close.
Chicago outclasses Detroit in that it has two very wealthy suburban counties, while Detroit only has one. However, besides Birmingham, Oakland County has some pretty large wealthy enclaves such as Bloomfield Hills/Township, Novi, Northville, Troy, and smaller communities like Franklin, Bingham Farms, and Pleasant Ridge.
Also, there are some pretty vibrant suburban downtowns and Main Streets in Oakland. Along with Birmingham, there is a cluster of them in the county's southeast quadrant:
How is it "not even close"? I've been to Oakbrook and Naperville and the downtown's in both cities aren't anymore impressive than Royal Oak or Birmingham. Oakbrook doesn't even have a downtown and while it's neighborhoods are very nice they don't look any more impressive than neighborhoods in Bloomfield Hills/ West Bloomfield, Northville, Novi, ect. And unless your talking about the mall, Oakbrook is not more vibrant than any of the towns I mentioned plus quite a few other ones I could have mentioned. I never been to Hinsdale so I can't speak on that.
Also, LMAO at your 8 mile is almost impenetrable comment. This isn't the 70's. Right across 8 mile in Oakland county are tons of middle/ upper middle class black neighborhoods which goes right along with many of the middle class black neighborhoods on the other side of 8 mile in Detroit. And another thing, Detroit isn't a shell of anything. Oakland county connects to Detroit, a city that offers food, entertainment, sports, culture, concerts, events, jobs, parks, casinos, festivals, ect. Detroit is not a city that "used" to offer this, Detroit is a city that "still" offers this, period.
I don't care about you having an opinion. CD is full of nothing but opinions. But making false claims is what I have a problem with.
Take a look at the pictures of both county towns that two posters kindly posted. Not even close with DuPage and Oakland towns. The only advantage to Oakland is that it is more affordable than Dupage, the median price in Hinsdale is $910,000 according to Trulia, with the average list price of $1.53 M , the median of Birmingham, the most expensive in Oakland,is $450,000. Sorry, there is nothing that even closely compares to 8 mile Road in Dupage at all, some of the Cook County border towns, such as Western Springs, are quite nice.
False claims? Higher income, better transportation, nicer towns is no false claim. Any city that goes from 2 milion to 700,000 is indeed a shell of its self. I have been to Detroit a million times on business and have been to Novi, Bloomfield, Birmingham, Ferndale as well as Hamtramck, Highland Park, Boston Edison and Mexicantown as well staying in downtown over the years and riding your people mover to work. I can guarantee I know Detroit far better than your one trip to Dupage County. I am in fact a fan of Detroit and root for its comeback, but your assessment of Oakland v Dupage is false, e.g. you claim to have visited downtown Naperville that is better by far than anything in Oakland County.
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