Is Olympia Fields a good neighborhood to raise a family? (Chicago: school district, gated)

[MSIL01]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Rich Central is not the best high school for your child. I honestly would recommend Munster, IN over Olympia Fields.

Some Olympia Fields students attend to Homewood-Flossmoor High School. Rich Central does not serve the entire village of Olympia Fields.

[LivingTheATLDream]

I'm White and my wife is Asian and we have 3 kids are moving to Olympia Fields from Southside Atlanta suburbs this month. Can't wait. Looks like it will be a smooth transition from Atlanta.

[chet everett]

Unusual characteristics -- http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/...22700002_e.pdf

Distrubingly large percentage of short sales -- https://www.zillow.com/olympia-fields-il/short-sale/

[treemoni]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Unusual characteristics -- http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/...22700002_e.pdf

Distrubingly large percentage of short sales -- https://www.zillow.com/olympia-fields-il/short-sale/

What are you trying to say, chet? What's "unusual" about the report card?

[chet everett]

For a non-urban school it has a unusually homogenous student population. Even schools like North Chicago HS or those in Dolton or Harvey have more balance -- http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/...18700001_e.pdf http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/...20500002_e.pdf http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/...20500003_e.pdf

Such numbers alone would cause me to question how "smooth a transition" it would be for anyone...

The further challenges of unbelievably high real estate taxes and declining property values are undoubtably a big reason for folks with employment in that portion of the region increasingly choosing NWI. I would suggest that anyone relocating from Atlanta give consideration to such factors.

Originally Posted by LivingTheATLDream

I'm White and my wife is Asian and we have 3 kids are moving to Olympia Fields from Southside Atlanta suburbs this month. Can't wait. Looks like it will be a smooth transition from Atlanta.

Even if one considers a school from a town that is part of the south suburbs of Atlanta it appears there is better performance and diversity -- https://www.niche.com/k12/langston-h...n-ga/students/

[treemoni]

Olympia Fields is a small, upper class black suburb...if I am remembering correctly. Dolton and Harvey would be affordable to more people, hence more "diversity". I don't understand how this school's population is anymore alarming and homogenous than an economically similar white enclave with a school that's 80+ percent white. I don't think I've ever seen you warn African-Americans not to move to those places because of their homogeniety. How diverse are Naperville and Elmhurst?

[chet everett]

93% is far more homoegenous than anything I can find outside Chicago. School performance is far below state averages. The further fact that real estate values are terrible does not support the idea that this is "upper class" as affluent people are among the least likely to remain in an area facing financial crisis. The OP would do well to consider the extraordinarily difficult circumstances...

I have consistently told those relocating to the area to consider the value of seeking out the highest performing schools that make sense for their budget and commute; that often means recommending towns that are less "affordable" to have better odds of price stability / potential appreciation. The trends regarding preferences toward diversity are also a factor and I generally point out the efforts of some towns to ensure good access to quality education as a positive. There is no evidence of that in this case.

[treemoni]

Upper class white people don't stay in those areas because they have options not afforded to blacks. Your post was biased. You should warn ALL people thinking about moving to "homogenous" suburbs, regardless of race. Elmhurst is over 90% white but I've never seen you warn a person of color from moving there like you did Olympia Fields. Have you even been to Olympia Fields?? Try not to be so obvious with your coded language.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by treemoni

Upper class white people don't stay in those areas because they have options not afforded to blacks. Your post was biased. You should warn ALL people thinking about moving to "homogenous" suburbs, regardless of race. Elmhurst is over 90% white but I've never seen you warn a person of color from moving there like you did Olympia Fields. Have you even been to Olympia Fields?? Try not to be so obvious with your coded language.

There is no coded language involved. I am very familiar with the situation that is driving folks with the means to escape the death spiral of rising taxes and plummeting property values; these things are making it increasingly difficult for school districts to do other than slash spending. The odds of any family relocating into the broader Chicago area not being negatively impacted by such trends are such that it is irresponsible not to point out these problems. This thread started about five years ago and during that time the situation has gotten worse; while five years ago I could reasonably recommend that families with employment near OF might consider HF the declines in value mean I now must recommend focusing on NWI -- //www.city-data.com/forum/30083759-post5.html

BTW the composition of York HS, that serves Elmhurst, is far more diverse: http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/...20500003_e.pdf

[treemoni]

We have different views of diversity. 75% white is pretty homogeneous. Diversity to me is plurality. Having a sprinkling of other races doesn't make your institution or community diverse.