Western Springs (Chicago, Naperville, Orland Park: apartment, house, employment)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by damba

IME, having friends who live in Edina and living in
the Chicago north shore, Edina will indeed be closer
in feel to Winnetka vs Western Springs.

In looking at the size and relatively modest household income / housing cost in Edina MN it is a wonder how a much smaller, significantly more affluent and more costly, arguably more insular town such a Winnetka compares more favorably --

//www.city-data.com/city/Edina-Minnesota.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Winnetka-Illinois.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Wester...-Illinois.html

[holl1ngsworth]

Western Springs and Winnetka are both ~3 square miles, Edina is a whopping 15 squares miles.
Western Springs and Winnetka both have ~12k residents, Edina has 50k.
Western Springs and Winnetka have median household incomes of $140k and $207k, respectively, while Edina is $86k.

How is Edina similar to either?

[adele115]

Western Springs has an awesome community theater, Vie, Devanti Enoteca (yum), great community pool, great schools. Can't go wrong. Significant catholic contingent w/ St John of the Cross. Bible thumpers are not prominent; mostly professionals who like quiet, safe communities w/ good schools. 5-10 minutes to downtown La Grange, downtown Hinsdale, 5 more to Oak Brook.

It's a great place....

[strawflower]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Western Springs and Winnetka are both ~3 square miles, Edina is a whopping 15 squares miles.
Western Springs and Winnetka both have ~12k residents, Edina has 50k.
Western Springs and Winnetka have median household incomes of $140k and $207k, respectively, while Edina is $86k.

How is Edina similar to either?

In terms of their positions on the "prestige" scale, they are similar. Edina is one of the most sought-after suburbs in MPLS area, with top ranking schools, an educated populace, and has a very established feel in terms of both its residents, its homes, and so on.

[chet everett]

What about Victoria? //www.city-data.com/city/Victoria-Minnesota.html

And if any one if familiar with the towns of West Cook Co it is quite clear that Western Springs is "one of the most sought-after suburbs in the area, with top ranking schools, an educated populace, and has a very established feel in terms of both its residents, its homes, and so on." Are you familiar with it?

[twodoor2]

Originally Posted by gracie29

Thanks for the information, everyone. I only ask about political leanings because we lived in an area in the Atlanta suburbs that was extremely religious/Evangelical and conservative- which I do not necessarily have an issue with in theory, but it can be somewhat troublesome when you are in the minority that falls into neither category (we are mainline Protestant and moderate). Where we are now, in the Twin Cities, people don't really talk about politics, but it does seem much more balanced as a whole. I have heard that Western Springs is very Catholic, and had an inkling that may cross over into the political feel of the town, but if not, that's great.

Moderate Protestants, or people from any moderate religious background, will have no problem assimilating in any nice suburb. The only issue is that if you plan on sending your kids to private Protestant schools, you'll find a big lack of them in Illinois. Unlike the South, most private religious schools here are Catholic. My one friend, who is an Episcopalian from Virginia, would complain to me about the lack of private Protestant schools in Illinois. The are some Lutheran ones, but few and far between.

[damba]

If you stop looking only at the numbers, which I didn't state were identical, you might see more clearly.

Have you actually lived in either Edina or the Chicago north shore?. The vibe is similar. Sure, Edina isn't filled with the exact same 'old money' that you might see in Chicago's north shore and there's no giant lake nearby (hint: the monied parts of MN don't come as close to the crazy money here in Chicago because MN is A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE ]

This comparison makes me laugh though, since I have two friends that send Xmas cards every year and their homes look identical (both cape cods, with Volvo station wagons in the driveway- LOL). One lives in Edina and another in Wilmette. <shrug> Oh well.

Originally Posted by chet everett

In looking at the size and relatively modest household income / housing cost in Edina MN it is a wonder how a much smaller, significantly more affluent and more costly, arguably more insular town such a Winnetka compares more favorably --

//www.city-data.com/city/Edina-Minnesota.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Winnetka-Illinois.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Wester...-Illinois.html

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by damba

If you stop looking only at the numbers, which I didn't state were identical, you might see more clearly.

Have you actually lived in either Edina or the Chicago north shore?. The vibe is similar. Sure, Edina isn't filled with the exact same 'old money' that you might see in Chicago's north shore and there's no giant lake nearby (hint: the monied parts of MN don't come as close to the crazy money here in Chicago because MN is A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE ]

This comparison makes me laugh though, since I have two friends that send Xmas cards every year and their homes look identical (both cape cods, with Volvo station wagons in the driveway- LOL). One lives in Edina and another in Wilmette. <shrug> Oh well.

Western Springs and Winnetka are much older, smaller and compact than sprawling Edina. They also have much higher median incomes and housing costs. Edina is car-centric while Western Springs and Winnetka are very much transit-orientated.

Orland Park might be more analogous to Edina. Same population (50k), very spread out, similar median income ($80k) and housing costs ($500k/4-bed), no central core and no train to the big city.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Western Springs and Winnetka are much older, smaller and compact than sprawling Edina. They also have much higher median incomes and housing costs. Edina is car-centric while Western Springs and Winnetka are very much transit-orientated.

Orland Park might be more analogous to Edina. Same population (50k), very spread out, similar median income ($80k) and housing costs ($400k/4-bed), no central core and no train to the big city.

Orland Park is probably a good comparison. Also near a highway interchange and shopping mall.

Edina does have a downtown area, apparently, at 50th and France, which kind of bleeds in to Minneapolis proper. Nearby housing feels kind of Western Springsy. Perhaps Elmhurst and Downers Grove could be seen as similar towns? They both have a mix of the old and new and are roughly 50,000 people. Both upscale. But most of Edina seems to fit the sprawl model of more recent suburbs.

[strawflower]

Originally Posted by chet everett

What about Victoria? //www.city-data.com/city/Victoria-Minnesota.html

And if any one if familiar with the towns of West Cook Co it is quite clear that Western Springs is "one of the most sought-after suburbs in the area, with top ranking schools, an educated populace, and has a very established feel in terms of both its residents, its homes, and so on." Are you familiar with it?

Yes, I have lived in both Edina and the general area of Western Springs (LaGrange). I think that the two have much more in common than the Orland Park comparison that was made, in terms of feel and notability in their respective regions.