Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Budgetary issues aside, I prefer the North Shore. Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest... All are very lovely Metra suburbs along the lake with stunning residential architecture and nice little downtown areas. All have great schools. Lake Michigan provides views and access to beaches and other water recreation. It makes perfect sense that this is the most expensive area to live in Chicagoland.
If instead of grouping Hinsdale and Oak Brook, I think a stronger grouping would be grouping Hinsdale with La Grange, Western Springs, Clarendon Hills, and even Downers Grove. It's a part of a nice little rail corridor all the way from Riverside to Naperville, and those towns share more characteristics with each other than they do with Oak Brook. And in that case, it is probably the second nicest corridor in Chicagoland after the North Shore, and preferable in some ways (cost of housing, faster trains, access to various employment centers, shopping, etc.).
Budgetary issues aside, I prefer the North Shore. Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest... All are very lovely Metra suburbs along the lake with stunning residential architecture and nice little downtown areas. All have great schools. Lake Michigan provides views and access to beaches and other water recreation. It makes perfect sense that this is the most expensive area to live in Chicagoland.
If instead of grouping Hinsdale and Oak Brook, I think a stronger grouping would be grouping Hinsdale with La Grange, Western Springs, Clarendon Hills, and even Downers Grove. It's a part of a nice little rail corridor all the way from Riverside to Naperville, and those towns share more characteristics with each other than they do with Oak Brook. And in that case, it is probably the second nicest corridor in Chicagoland after the North Shore, and preferable in some ways (cost of housing, faster trains, access to various employment centers, shopping, etc.).
That's what I was referring to when I mean't Hinsdale/Oak brook. I just wasn't sure how to word it.
I love Hinsdale, but Oak Brook, not so much. All of the areas have their pros and cons for me personally. I love the lake and the ravines of the North Shore and the remote feel because of the lack of significant thoroughfares going north/south (pretty much just Green Bay Road or Sheridan Road), but Hinsdale area also has much to offer and would be a better work commute for me, but a worse commute for our weekend place. Shopping is a wash as it's pretty easy to get to any big box store or mall from either area (North Shore has Northbrook Court and Old Orchard versus Oak Brook).
While I like Barrington very much, it's a bit too far for me.
I've said it before that the lake/beach are a big draw for my family. In the summer sometimes when we ride our bikes or walk to the beach it almost feels like we're on vacation. Truly though, could be happy living in any of these places. They are all great for raising families.
The Barrington area ( 60010) is about 100 square miles in four counties, Cook, Lake, Kane and McHenry that for the most part feeds into one high school.
It's comprised of many different villages, Barrington, Barrington Hills, South Barrington, North Barrington, Lake Barrington, Tower Lakes, Timber Lakes and Deer Park.
Parts are affluent and parts are solid middle class.
I live in the Village of Barrington in Cook County and like the walk to/ bike to thing. Yet, I can be in the country with horse farms in minutes.
Since I do not have horses and don't need or want acreage, I would opt for the North Shore even though my money would buy considerably less. The property taxes on the shore however, make it a non- starter for me.
Sorry to revive an old thread. Based on the data, these areas are similar but in reality are culturally distinct. They're all elite areas with competitive academics but cater to different norms. I've added famous universities to each breakdown to give you a sense of the vibe.
In brief, the North Shore is more elite and Northwestern/Ivy League focused, Barringtons are more rural and equestrian while still connected to the Metra, and Hinsdale is more Southern California-esque. Generalizations of course but here's my perspective as someone who has lived or worked in Wilmette, Barrington, and Oak Brook:
North Shore: Generally divided into Lake Forest, Highland Park, New Trier, and Evanston. Lake Forest is the most old money, equestrian, and conservative. Large lots, peaceful, scenic, historic, and has a small liberal arts college. Highland Park is similar to Lake Forest but more diverse and progressive. New Trier is the most elite: the northern portion feels like a mix between LF and HP while the southern portion is more walkable, great access to public transit, and relatively more lively and down-to-earth. Evanston is the urban center of the North Shore, with parts feeling like New Trier and others like Chicago. Each community highly values sophistication, polish, and elite academics. In many ways the North Shore has more in common with the Coasts than the Midwest: Northwestern and the Ivy League have a large cultural influence. Other than Lake Forest, each community's feel ranges from liberal leaning to overtly progressive. Princeton (Lake Forest) and a mix of Harvard and Yale (New Trier) vibes.
Barringtons: North Shorer's generally refer to the Barringtons as the Lake Forest of the West. This is partly accurate. The Barringtons feel more rural with larger and newer homes, where an acre is pretty normal and your dollar goes a lot further. The area is also generally more diverse than the North Shore and has old money values. However, the Barringtons' general vibe is country chic catering to good ole' family values. The academics are top notch but generally lack the North Shore's sophistication and ultra-competitiveness. In my experience, the people are more conservative, interested in camping/fishing/nature/hunting, and down-to-earth. People also spend more time in their community and there's pretty good shopping offered in the area's outskirts (Deer Park Town Center and Arboretum of South Barrington). Dartmouth and Cornell vibes.
Hinsdale/Oak Brook: Hinsdale and the Western Suburbs are generally new money. Of the three regions, this area is the newest and offers the most conveniences, i.e., the best shopping with the largest and newest stores. It is also the most stylish and the homes are more likely to be following the latest trends. The academics are top notch but lean toward a more technical emphasis while lacking the North Shore's sophistication. The area leans conservative but the school boards are relatively progressive. This area also has the best access to highways (convenient but unsightly and carve up the region much more than in the North Shore and Barringtons). In my experience, this area is very friendly but has the most snobs who obsess over money, shiny surfaces, and are concerned with keeping up with the Joneses. But the people are so damn pretty. Stanford meets University of Southern California vibes.
Also, if you're interested in the Stevenson HS area, I'd say it looks like the Barringtons but with Hinsdale values.
Sorry to revive an old thread. Based on the data, these areas are similar but in reality are culturally distinct. They're all elite areas with competitive academics but cater to different norms. I've added famous universities to each breakdown to give you a sense of the vibe.
In brief, the North Shore is more elite and Northwestern/Ivy League focused, Barringtons are more rural and equestrian while still connected to the Metra, and Hinsdale is more Southern California-esque. Generalizations of course but here's my perspective as someone who has lived or worked in Wilmette, Barrington, and Oak Brook:
North Shore: Generally divided into Lake Forest, Highland Park, New Trier, and Evanston. Lake Forest is the most old money, equestrian, and conservative. Large lots, peaceful, scenic, historic, and has a small liberal arts college. Highland Park is similar to Lake Forest but more diverse and progressive. New Trier is the most elite: the northern portion feels like a mix between LF and HP while the southern portion is more walkable, great access to public transit, and relatively more lively and down-to-earth. Evanston is the urban center of the North Shore, with parts feeling like New Trier and others like Chicago. Each community highly values sophistication, polish, and elite academics. In many ways the North Shore has more in common with the Coasts than the Midwest: Northwestern and the Ivy League have a large cultural influence. Other than Lake Forest, each community's feel ranges from liberal leaning to overtly progressive. Princeton (Lake Forest) and a mix of Harvard and Yale (New Trier) vibes.
Barringtons: North Shorer's generally refer to the Barringtons as the Lake Forest of the West. This is partly accurate. The Barringtons feel more rural with larger and newer homes, where an acre is pretty normal and your dollar goes a lot further. The area is also generally more diverse than the North Shore and has old money values. However, the Barringtons' general vibe is country chic catering to good ole' family values. The academics are top notch but generally lack the North Shore's sophistication and ultra-competitiveness. In my experience, the people are more conservative, interested in camping/fishing/nature/hunting, and down-to-earth. People also spend more time in their community and there's pretty good shopping offered in the area's outskirts (Deer Park Town Center and Arboretum of South Barrington). Dartmouth and Cornell vibes.
Hinsdale/Oak Brook: Hinsdale and the Western Suburbs are generally new money. Of the three regions, this area is the newest and offers the most conveniences, i.e., the best shopping with the largest and newest stores. It is also the most stylish and the homes are more likely to be following the latest trends. The academics are top notch but lean toward a more technical emphasis while lacking the North Shore's sophistication. The area leans conservative but the school boards are relatively progressive. This area also has the best access to highways (convenient but unsightly and carve up the region much more than in the North Shore and Barringtons). In my experience, this area is very friendly but has the most snobs who obsess over money, shiny surfaces, and are concerned with keeping up with the Joneses. But the people are so damn pretty. Stanford meets University of Southern California vibes.
Also, if you're interested in the Stevenson HS area, I'd say it looks like the Barringtons but with Hinsdale values.
You can have a career as a novelist. This is heavy on stereotypes with a loose relationship on reality. Most college-educated people in these enclaves will have attended mostly state schools just like the rest of college-educated America. These areas are in no way dominated by Ivy League educated people.
Horses are not allowed in Lake Forest's districts zoned for residential, although there is one equestrian facility within the city limits.
You can have a career as a novelist. This is heavy on stereotypes with a loose relationship on reality. Most college-educated people in these enclaves will have attended mostly state schools just like the rest of college-educated America. These areas are in no way dominated by Ivy League educated people.
Horses are not allowed in Lake Forest's districts zoned for residential, although there is one equestrian facility within the city limits.
My first thought after reading that was that it was produced by ChatGPT.
You can have a career as a novelist. This is heavy on stereotypes with a loose relationship on reality. Most college-educated people in these enclaves will have attended mostly state schools just like the rest of college-educated America. These areas are in no way dominated by Ivy League educated people.
Horses are not allowed in Lake Forest's districts zoned for residential, although there is one equestrian facility within the city limits.
I think you misunderstood the scope of my post along with a heuristic's purpose. And you made an inference not rooted in the text. I never said most people in these enclaves attended Ivy League schools. No such region exists anywhere in the US: they make up too small a percentage of overall graduates. I've noticed, and the published numbers prove, that most graduates from these areas attend the same Big 10 schools.
However, many more from the North Shore attend both Ivy League and East Coast schools compared to the other regions. And if you look at school boards, curriculum design, intellectual approach, even the way people dress and where they vacation etc. then you will see that the Ivy League (as institutions, not number of graduates living in the area) is indeed influential on the North Shore to an entirely different degree.
Another way of saying this is that the North Shore in many ways resembles East Coast prep schools, unlike other great areas in the region. And yes, generally, East Coast prep schools, like the North Shore, fetishize prestige and the Ivy League and Northwestern specifically. The Barringtons and Hinsdale, IME, are less competitive and less prestige obsessed (again speaking in generalities and a good thing imo). Also note that the North Shore caters much more to Big Law, Big Consulting, and Big Finance where many at the top did attend Ivy League schools, and these folks are highly influential in setting the tone for the overall vibe of the communities (although this will be much less noticeable if you don't attend or have kids in the schools). And they have a big influence on those in the organization, who often live on the North Shore but did not attend an Ivy.
I forgot to add that the Barringtons are my favorite. More spacious and less stressful, both in day-to-day activities and academic culture. And I've noticed that while people highly value success they are less interested in the prestige factor and name dropping. Although of course we're splitting hairs; each region is highly stressful and competitive by most standards.
Your Lake Forest reference supports my point. I hope to check out the facility soon.
Last edited by strollingcentrist; 05-25-2023 at 06:30 PM..
I prefer the weather in the Western suburbs - summer temps are considerably warmer, with less wind. If you want to maximize your pool time and tennis court time, western burbs over lake shore any day. Similarly, I actually like that the winter temps are colder further inland and western burbs actually get more snowpack, whereas North shore will get a bit more lake effect snow, but it's generally the mushier, wetter snow which doesn't stick as long.
Temps variations from Dupage Co (say Naperville) to, say Wilmette, can up to 10-12 degrees warmer in the summer and correspondingly 8-10 degrees colder in the winter.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
