Moving to Sycamore Illinios (Chicago, DeKalb: job, housing, crime)

[brendabPiru]

can I have some advice on if it's a good idea to move to Sycamore. I'm looking for a good place to raise my children.

[chet everett]

Where you moving from and why?

What would constitute a "good place to raise your children"?

Where are you working?

What do you want to spend?

[sgresident]

my only connection to sycamore is that we go there for our kids sporting events! they are in the same conference. It has a great pumpkin festival parade! some nice things downtown, shopping developing on the outskirts, adjacent to dekalb. very close to niu, so that would provide educational opportunities. Not too far north of I88, maybe 15 minutes, so access east and west is good. a variety of newer housing developments in the past few years, plus beautiful older homes in town.

[Steve-o]

I used to live there and kind of enjoyed it, actually. I think sgresident worded it nicely. Its a small town, decent downtown, close to all the major stores in De Kalb on Rt. 23, some decent shops in town, too.

[brendabPiru]

I'm thinking of tranfering from my current job to the same company in sycamore. I want a small town with good morals. i don't want to have to worry that my kids are hanging out with the wrong crowd.

do you understand what I'm saying. we come from a small town but there's a lots of gangs and it seems to be getting worse.. i would even go around the town of Sycamore. I just don't know where to look

thanks for your help

[sgresident]

i would suggest that you call the sycamore police dept and chat them up about gang concerns etc. I don't want to say that there are none, because gangs are very mobile. I would tend to think that they are not a big issue in sycamore. check whatever crime stats you can find for the area. just drive around and look at things.
Cortland is a very small town adjacent to sycamore. part of cortland is in the kaneland school district.

[Steve-o]

I know DeKalb has some gangs, but you wont even notice them, theyre that small. I never once heard nor saw any gang members while living in Sycamore. There are some Hispanics in town, but theyre hard working individuals, not the gangsta wannabes you find in places like L.A. or Chicago.

[brendabPiru]

i appreciate all you advice.. being a hispanic myself i'm glad to hear that this is hispanics there.. and yes my husband and myself are hard workers also. with good morals and trying to find a place that would be a good enviroment for our children.

thanks

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by brendabPiru

i appreciate all you advice.. being a hispanic myself i'm glad to hear that this is hispanics there.. and yes my husband and myself are hard workers also. with good morals and trying to find a place that would be a good enviroment for our children.

thanks

Sounds like Sycamore is a good place for you! There isnt too much shopping directly in town, but there is a new Jewel and some other shops north on Rt. 23 from Rt. 64, which is convenient. If you want good shopping, it can be had along Randall Road in Geneva and St. Charles, about 20 minutes east of Sycamore.