Best suburb for young couple with first baby? (Chicago, Naperville: for sale, real estate)

[Maliwed]

My husband and I live and work in downtown Chicago and our expecting our first child in August. We own a nice One bedroom apt. In river North that we have grown out of. We are ready to buy our first place in the right suburb where we can plant our roots in.
Although I grew up on the North Shore and most of my childhood friends will be moving back there, I am not sure I want to follow suit and get so much less for our money (with the kind of keeping up with the jones' mentality there) yes, the school are great but my husband and I have heard wonderful things about Naperville and both have enjoyed our visits there.
We are both Jewish but not very religious so we know we won't have many Jewish friends, or really any friends in the area to begin with, but that's okay. We are both very generous and happy people so we hope to meet others in our Same boat.
I am totally confused with where in Naperville we should be looking and I have gotten so many conflicting responses.
I would sincerely appreciate any help or direction you could provide me with. I would love subdivision suggestions!
Here is some of our basic info and criteria:
-we are 3o year old, educated professionals with a baby on board and would live to be around other young families
-my husband would still need to commute to work downtown so he couldn't be too far from the train.
-we absolutely love the charming, little city feel of downtown.
-We are looking to buy a +2000sqft home with 3+bd and 2+ba and our max budget is $400k
- we want great schools and communities and are open to being a bit south if it means we get more for our money
Thank you all so much, in advance for your help and support!! I sincerely appreciate it!

[chet everett]

I know several Jewish families in the nearer western suburbs and they attend synoguges of various kinds from Oak Park to Joliet. I believe one of the older /larger communities has its synoguge in Lombard. There is a reconstructionist community in Naperville itself. The north / northwest burbs have more options but you will not be the "alone"...

There are certainly some VERY pricey options close to downtown Naperville but there are also some pretty good values, especially if you are game for a little updating: Real Estate & homes for sale | Single family homes,Condos,Townhomes,Co-ops - REALTOR.com® That gorgeous place would literally cost 3x +++ or more in someplace like Hinsdale...

[divakat]

Naperville is a wonderful place for young families, as there are an enormous amount of young families there. I would stay closer to the downtown area, like a mile's radius and stay in District 203. There are a lot of more established neighborhoods with lots of trees. You definately will get more for your money in Naperville, than on the North Shore (although the North Shore is very pretty). You should check out the downtown area when you get a chance and on a warmish day. There are so many things to do with kids in Naperville. The library system is the best in the country and Centennial beach is wonderful, too. Plus the DuPage County children's museum is right there in downtown and there is a performing arts center. There is a YMCA and the Naperville Park District has a ton of activities for families. Also, there are several Meetup Groups to meet other families in the area including "Naperville Couples with Kids" and "Little Smiles of Naperville". They are always planning events. There are a tremendous amount of parks with playgrounds. My personal favorite is the Riverwalk park, since it is right in downtown and lots of little babies and kids are always there.

There are plenty of Jewish families in Naperville, with several temples in the area. Also, believe it or not, Naperville has a great nightlife (for a suburb) for the occasional date night There are so many great restaurants. My personal favorite is Meson Sabika, a Tapas place in an old mansion. I moved to Naperville 2 years ago and have loved it here. It's a great place to raise a family. I have little children, ages 5 and 3, and am so happy I picked Naperville to raise them. We also looked extensively in the North Shore, but the commute times from Naperville to downtown were much better even though Naperville is further out. The express train is only 32 minutes to downtown Chicago, and even though there is little parking at the station, they have Pace buses that pick you up and take you to the train station. Good luck!

[cubssoxfan]

If your friends are moving to the North Shore, why not consider Buffalo Grove? There are a lot of Jewish families in the area, it's more affordable than the North Shore, has excellent schools and recreation programs........Only thing Naperville has is a better downtown area but also lousier traffic. Otherwise they are comparable.

[cpfoutz]

If you want to be closer to your roots and friends moving to the northshore, you may want to consider Arlington Heights. While not quite as good as Naperville, AH offers a lively downtown and quick commute to work all squarely within your budget.

[almost3am]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

If your friends are moving to the North Shore, why not consider Buffalo Grove? There are a lot of Jewish families in the area, it's more affordable than the North Shore, has excellent schools and recreation programs........Only thing Naperville has is a better downtown area but also lousier traffic. Otherwise they are comparable.

That downtown/riverwalk is a big difference maker, as it is a social center for the city. I believe it creates a more community fee.