Where to live when working at the University of Chicago (Aurora: low crime, lawyers)

[atg0507]

I recently accepted a job at the University of Chicago and need advice on where to look to buy a home. I don't mind up to a hour commute if the neighborhood is worth it (good schools, nice homes, low crime). We have one child and my husband would likely be working downtown. Any advice on areas to look at would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[chet everett]

A fairly large number of professors and health professionals that work at the UofC do live in Hyde Park / Kenwood. If they avail themselves of the excellent but costly UofC Lab Schools there is a fair bit of insularism that comes with the decision, but the commute cannout be beat, the distance to work in the Loop is very good and the whole range of ammenities that the campus has can be enjoyed.

Other popular options have included the near SW suburbs, like Flossmoor, as well the suburbs that have good / excellent schools that lie between I-55 (the Stevenson Eprwy) & I-290 (the Eisenhower). These would include La Grange, Western Springs, Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills and some others. The UofC operates Argonne National Lab for the DOE which is located in that area so that also is a factor.

Budget, housing preferences and other factors all should be considered. Living in the above suburbs is probably considerably less expensive than having a similar home in Hyde Park or Kenwood, especially factoring the costs of private school.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by chet everett

A fairly large number of professors and health professionals that work at the UofC do live in Hyde Park / Kenwood. If they avail themselves of the excellent but costly UofC Lab Schools there is a fair bit of insularism that comes with the decision, but the commute cannout be beat, the distance to work in the Loop is very good and the whole range of ammenities that the campus has can be enjoyed.

Other popular options have included the near SW suburbs, like Flossmoor, as well the suburbs that have good / excellent schools that lie between I-55 (the Stevenson Eprwy) & I-290 (the Eisenhower). These would include La Grange, Western Springs, Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills and some others. The UofC operates Argonne National Lab for the DOE which is located in that area so that also is a factor.

Budget, housing preferences and other factors all should be considered. Living in the above suburbs is probably considerably less expensive than having a similar home in Hyde Park or Kenwood, especially factoring the costs of private school.

???

Flossmoor is right there on the Metra Electric line. In no way shape or form is it a south"west" suburb. And since when is Flossmoor a "near" suburb either? It's south of I-80..

But yeah, the Metra Electric train stops right there at U of C. Other suburban locations you can look into are Homewood, Olympia Fields, Matteson, Richton Park and Park Forest (there are parts of Park Forest that are walking distance to the Matteson station and parts that are walking distance to the Richton Park station).

The list of suburbs that Chet listed aren't actually popular options for commuting to Hyde Park. He just likes to plug them on this forum..

[trainfan87]

try suburbs that are closer to interstate 57 so you can get back to the Dan Ryan faster and shoot over garfield blvd. im thinking tinley park, orland park or frankfort. Very nice communities with nice newer homes. If anything, you dont have to entirely fix the place since 10-15 years ago those suburbs were still farms. The metra rock island is nearby these areas. dont quote me but i believe you could take metra rock island service to blue island then transfer to blue island electric service which will turn into the main metra electric line and you can get off at hyde park.

[chet everett]

Urza:

You wanna fight about how argonne is run too?

Take your lousy attitude and dump on somebody else!

http://www.ipd.anl.gov/anl_org_chart/

I'll be sure to tell my neighbors and clients that are physicians and professors at UofC that you say they're nobodies...

[urza216]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Urza:

You wanna fight about how argonne is run too?

Take your lousy attitude and dump on somebody else!

Argonne Organization Chart

I'll be sure to tell my neighbors and clients that are physicians and professors at UofC that you say they're nobodies...

Are you upset about my recent posts about how Aurora, in spite of being trashed on this forum, is actually a more noteworthy city than Naperville or Wheaton? I know there are tons of doctors, lawyers and physicians and such who live out that way. This is why perfectly good towns like Bolingbrook and Aurora are bashed..

But anyway, that's neither here nor there. The OP isn't commuting to the Argonne National Lab. She is commuting to U of C in Hyde Park on the south side of Chicago. It would make sense to live south. If driving, the southwest suburbs close to I-57 make sense. Oak Forest is a good option. If taking public transportation, you wanna be straight south and near the Metra Electric line. Homewood and Flossmoor and have a lot of people who commute to Hyde Park..

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by trainfan87

try suburbs that are closer to interstate 57 so you can get back to the Dan Ryan faster and shoot over garfield blvd. im thinking tinley park, orland park or frankfort. Very nice communities with nice newer homes. If anything, you dont have to entirely fix the place since 10-15 years ago those suburbs were still farms. The metra rock island is nearby these areas. dont quote me but i believe you could take metra rock island service to blue island then transfer to blue island electric service which will turn into the main metra electric line and you can get off at hyde park.

Close, but it's the Blue Island branch, not the main line. But it does take you to 59th St, or 57th, also a transfer point for the Main Line and South Chicago branch. The South Shore stops there as well.

[allen2323]

Homewood-Flossmoor is traditionally where most of the University of Chicago professors live in the suburbs. As far as Flossmoor being too racially diverse, Hyde Park isn't exactly lily white either. Academics tend to be of the more educated liberal mind frame. Flossmoor is basically the suburban version of Hyde Park. Highly educated and racially diverse demographic. One of the few higher income racially diverse suburbs in the entire chicagoland area.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by allen2323

Homewood-Flossmoor is traditionally where most of the University of Chicago professors live in the suburbs. As far as Flossmoor being too racially diverse, Hyde Park isn't exactly lily white either. Academics tend to be of the more educated liberal mind frame. Flossmoor is basically the suburban version of Hyde Park. Highly educated and racially diverse demographic. One of the few higher income racially diverse suburbs in the entire chicagoland area.

Yes, but that has nothing to do with hinsdale.

[allen2323]

That's for sure. I have no idea how Hinsdale even came up. Those two areas are on totally different ends of the spectrum in the chicagoland area. Hinsdale is a far western suburb and Flossmoor is a far south suburb.