Where to live for a job off 88 (Warrenvillle Rd)? High budget but want down-to-earth lifestyle. (Chicago: custom home, neighborhood)

[Jax32256]

If you needed to live near 88 & work on Warrenville Rd (with less than a 20 minute commute around 8 a.m.), where would you live?

Some background --
-Coming from Florida where kids (8 & 10) are currently in $$$ private non-religious school. Public schools will be absolutely welcome but we cannot stand ultra competitive parents/kids. We have some of that here & it is incredibly nauseating. Our kids do great in school & would likely qualify for a gifted program if one was available, however a gifted program is not a necessity.

- We can afford up to $1.5 million (but I would be just as happy to stay well under our budget) & don't want cookie cutter & want to be around "normal folks" -- no interest in keeping up with anyone except loving on our own little family & enjoying people with like minds. We are pretty normal, open-minded folks. We built our current home 2 years ago in a neighborhood of all custom homes, so we are used to the nice quality & tight home we have. It would be hard to go to a home with 8' ceilings or one that was slapped together. We are not interested in a country club lifestyle, which is very popular where we live. We are in the minority not belonging to a country club here.

- A family-friendly area is really important. Kids like a few after school activities, but they are not sporty or competitive. Again my son is surrounded by a lot of little boys who are crazed sports nuts & it is hard to relate to the boys at times. I want the kids to be outside as much as possible. I don't want an enormous yard.

- An attached garage is really important

- We are an agnostic/atheist couple & we are tolerant of all religions/ethnicities but we do not tolerate religious zealots who feel superiority over others. We would not do well in an ultra conservative Christian area.

- We are not big consumerists. We would prefer a day out in nature versus a day shopping (including myself, mom) & try to lead a pretty simple life. We do like to eat out a lot (especially on the weekends) & enjoy more local restaurants versus chains.

We've been told Naperville over & over but I obviously cannot gauge all the above over a week-long visit & I've heard mixed reviews from the few people I know that way. We don't necessarily have to take this job in Illinois, so this will be a big change for us coming from Florida, & I want to make sure it will be a good fit for our family.

Thank you greatly for your time & input!

[JJski]

I would visit naperville, glen ellyn and wheaton - one of them will stand out. All 3 are awesome. Naperville will be hard to beat if you like the big little town feel...

Naperville is the most popular...

[aga412]

Batavia

[chicagoliz]

How about Geneva?

[Jax32256]

Originally Posted by JJski

I would visit naperville, glen ellyn and wheaton - one of them will stand out. All 3 are awesome. Naperville will be hard to beat if you like the big little town feel...

Naperville is the most popular...

Thank you!

[Jax32256]

Originally Posted by aga412

Batavia

I will take a look, thanks!

[knitgirl]

I second the above towns. I don't think you have to worry about ultra conservative religious zealots in any of those towns, this is not the south. I have never been asked by any new acquaintance where I go to church. From what I hear, that's not uncommon in the south. Wheaton is known as having a lot of churches, but I don't think it's a close minded community. I haven't spent tons of time there, but I do have an agnostic friend who lives there and she likes it.

Please report back. A lot of people ask for advice and then disappear.

[Jax32256]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I second the above towns. I don't think you have to worry about ultra conservative religious zealots in any of those towns, this is not the south. I have never been asked by any new acquaintance where I go to church. From what I hear, that's not uncommon in the south. Wheaton is known as having a lot of churches, but I don't think it's a close minded community. I haven't spent tons of time there, but I do have an agnostic friend who lives there and she likes it.

Please report back. A lot of people ask for advice and then disappear.

Thank you so much! This is refreshing to know! I will definitely report back how our experience goes & where we end up if we call the Chicago suburbs home.

You are spot-on with the south. Sometimes it is one of the first things brought up in conversation meeting a new person down here, which is totally fine. We have friends from all religions & walks of life. My familial background is quite religious & very condemning of those not just like them (& hence very guilt-ridden), & we have have made a personal choice not raise our family like this nor do we want this influence around us on a daily basis.

[RJA29]

Originally Posted by Jax32256

If you needed to live near 88 & work on Warrenville Rd (with less than a 20 minute commute around 8 a.m.), where would you live?

Some background --
-Coming from Florida where kids (8 & 10) are currently in $$$ private non-religious school. Public schools will be absolutely welcome but we cannot stand ultra competitive parents/kids. We have some of that here & it is incredibly nauseating. Our kids do great in school & would likely qualify for a gifted program if one was available, however a gifted program is not a necessity.

- We can afford up to $1.5 million (but I would be just as happy to stay well under our budget) & don't want cookie cutter & want to be around "normal folks" -- no interest in keeping up with anyone except loving on our own little family & enjoying people with like minds. We are pretty normal, open-minded folks. We built our current home 2 years ago in a neighborhood of all custom homes, so we are used to the nice quality & tight home we have. It would be hard to go to a home with 8' ceilings or one that was slapped together. We are not interested in a country club lifestyle, which is very popular where we live. We are in the minority not belonging to a country club here.

- A family-friendly area is really important. Kids like a few after school activities, but they are not sporty or competitive. Again my son is surrounded by a lot of little boys who are crazed sports nuts & it is hard to relate to the boys at times. I want the kids to be outside as much as possible. I don't want an enormous yard.

- An attached garage is really important

- We are an agnostic/atheist couple & we are tolerant of all religions/ethnicities but we do not tolerate religious zealots who feel superiority over others. We would not do well in an ultra conservative Christian area.

- We are not big consumerists. We would prefer a day out in nature versus a day shopping (including myself, mom) & try to lead a pretty simple life. We do like to eat out a lot (especially on the weekends) & enjoy more local restaurants versus chains.

We've been told Naperville over & over but I obviously cannot gauge all the above over a week-long visit & I've heard mixed reviews from the few people I know that way. We don't necessarily have to take this job in Illinois, so this will be a big change for us coming from Florida, & I want to make sure it will be a good fit for our family.

Thank you greatly for your time & input!

It might be a bit far for where you're working, but parts of Downers Grove and also Lisle could be worth a look. I'm going to be moving to Downers Grove (the 'more desirable' Northwest area), and you pretty much described my views on life in your post above. Fairly wealthy (although our budget is significantly lower), not at all religious, don't do the country club thing, like to be outside in nature, and value good public schools.

You'll find a lot of this in various Western suburbs. Let us know how the search goes, I'm certain there are many who would welcome you with open arms!

[ToriaT]

You seem to have a high budget. I would look in South Wheaton in the newer developments. South Wheaton is closer to Naperville than some parts of Naperville and is very close to the 1-88 corridor. You will find people of mixed religious or non religious backgrounds. I'd stay away from North Wheaton as it attracts more Christian types. Its has beautiful parks, the prairie path, swimming pools, and great shopping and schools. You are also near Morton Arboreteum as well as Blackwell forest preserve and Herrick Lake. I live in south Wheaton and I can get to down town Naperville in about ten minutes. Easy to get into the city as I 88 is just a stones throw away.