Lake County Tiers

[Pseudonym18123]

Originally Posted by RangeRover20

Interesting. I didn't know Waukegan was considered so undesirable. Is this because it is mostly Latino and Black? North Chicago has always been slammed because it was mainly black. Zion was always hillbilly country, but I guess it is undesirable for its high concentration of Latino and Black people now?

I've never been impressed with Buffalo Grove. It seems more like a tier 2 or 3. Mundelein feels more like a higher tier. Guess I haven't been there in awhile. Libertyville is definitely a tier 4. I'm thinking of buying some property there. Highland Park probably is a tier 5.

Racially speaking, the more concentration a city has of black and Latino, the lower the tier. Really gives new meaning to the reputation of the region as severely racially segregated and this is unfortunate. Waukegan for instance, has some fine people, and parts of that town are beautiful, sublime, high quality w/o the high price.

Buffalo Grove is not a tier two. I live near there, and trust me, most people in Lake County would laugh if you equated it with Wauconda or Round Lake - it’s one of the safest communities in the state, and has some of the best schools not just in the state but in the entire country too. It’s definitely where it belongs in tier 4.

Waukegan is the largest city by population in Lake County; obviously, it has beautiful areas in the Libertyville and Gunner school districts, and has fine people like any other city, but for the most part, it does not have a good reputation, as it is run-down, withered, and parts are extremely shady.

Now, to your point about Highland Park, maybe it is a tier 5 given its mega mansions and lakeshore exclusivity. However, since you are from California, the types of areas I would put in Tier 5 of Lake County are relative to wealthy areas in Cali, like Calabasas, or Chino Hills (with Beverly Hills being a stand-alone Tier 6). Given the growing lower-income populations, as well as the quickly diversifying core of Lake County, I feel that it is hard to say that such a belt of exclusivity in Lake County exists, which is why I chose only the Uber-wealthy Lake County communities (eg Lake Forest) to be in Tier 5. I also believe Lincolnshire is tier 4, due to the rapidly rising immigrant population, and the new construction of higher end townhomes, and an (albeit wealthy) South Asian population overtaking the WASP population. Tier 5 is separated from Tier 4 based on exclusivity and prestige, if that makes sense.

[lakecountylifer]

A lot to contrast and compare. Gurnee has newer housing stock and many nicer homes than Vernon Hills. Vernon Hills housing is all clustered in one area with older and cheaper homes. Buffalo Grove housing stock is older for the most part. Deerfield has a combination of McMansions sitting next to 1950s ranch slabs. Deerfield and Stevenson HS are pressure cookers while Warren, Grayslake, Libertyville HS are more relaxed and can accommodate average students without making the kids suicidal from academic and affluenza peer pressure. I’ve lived all over lake county, growing up in Deerfield. If I had a $400K Budget, I would rather have a nicer/newer 2400 sf home in the relaxed communities of Grayslake or Gurnee than some 1950s 1400 sf ranch slab in Deerfield subjecting my kids to the tortures of affluenza.

[Glazedj]

I was looking in BG, Windbrooke Crossing, and found it rather expensive. I think the schools are rather excellent; I’m likely temporarily moving to Wheeling with my 3 kids, and I’ll probably end up in that area soon...I think it’s a nice area.

[Pseudonym18123]

Originally Posted by Glazedj

I was looking in BG, Windbrooke Crossing, and found it rather expensive. I think the schools are rather excellent; I’m likely temporarily moving to Wheeling with my 3 kids, and I’ll probably end up in that area soon...I think it’s a nice area.

Yes, it’s a very good area...and it’s not even that exclusive; if you work hard enough, you can easily afford the town, which is why it’s only Tier 4.

[bunt]

i'm sorry, but i had to sign in and register to comment. while tier listing communities is somewhat inane to begin with (so many variables and subjective), if you're looking at it strictly from a school district, amenities, home prices (not value but pricing) and outside perception viewpoint, it's hard to say that either long grove OR lincolnshire (also deerfield) are in this mythical tier 5 level. solid 4 for both.



i also live in BG, bordering LG and we like it very much here and i'd have to say that it would be a tier 3 to 3.5 based on this specific criteria. but i guess this goes back to the bigger question of; why the need to separate or categorize? rankings only really work when a very specific criteria is looked at.

[BigMan72]

Tier 1: North Chicago, Waukegan and Zion( Dangerous suburbs)

Tier 2: Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, and Round Lake Park and Antioch

Tier 3: Your average suburbs, Gurnee, Grayslake, Beach Park, Wadsworth, Lake Zurich

Tier 4: Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Mundelien

Tier 5: Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Deerfield, Lincolnshire, Banncockburn, Highland Park

[chicagoRE]

I have to disagree about Lake Zurich. I would put that on par with Mundelien, Buffalo Grove. Not Gurnee or Round Lake. LZ shares a school district with Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Deer Park. Great district, nice middle class homes.

But this whole tier thing is a little ridiculous.

[Pseudonym18123]

Hello,
Upon reading all your posts, I have decided to make my revised tier list areas. Note that I also divide larger cities and group their neighborhoods this time.

Tier 1: Waukegan (all except southwestern corner), Zion (all), North Chicago (all north of the naval base)

Tier 2: Mundelein (Diamond Lake area), Round Lake (all), Winthrop Harbor

Tier 3: Lake Zurich (all except Coventry Creek Estates), Antioch (most), Vernon Hills (Deerpath, Hartmann Park, Grosse Pointe Village area), Mundelein (the remaining part except Ivanhoe), Grayslake (all), Volo, Highwood (except Fort Sheridan), Buffalo Grove (older part, near Swarthmore, south of Deerfield Parkway)

Tier 4: Riverwoods, Deerfield, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, Lincolnshire (Western part, all west of Elm Road), Buffalo Grove (the rest), Long Grove, Kildeer, Vernon Hills (Greggs Landing), Libertyville, Hawthorn Woods

Tier 5: Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Bannockburn, Lincolnshire (Eastern part)