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The North Shore feels more dense, while the Main Line has more country-like attributes. If you use the broader definition of the North Shore to include inland adjacent suburbs like Glenview, Northfield, Golf, Northbrook, Deerfield, Bannockburn, and Mettawa, you can include a lot more country-like properties.
Chicago's weather is colder and snowier than Philadelphia's, and the North Shore regularly receives lake effect snow producing large snowdrifts closer to the lakefront. I think the lakefront's beaches and bluffs give the North Shore the edge over the Main Line.
The rolling terrain of the Main Line is quite beautiful, while the North Shore is mostly flat. However, you should not dismiss the ravines in Winnetka and Glencoe, as well as the ridges of the Skokie Valley that can be found throughout the northern suburbs. Both areas are densley wooded with many old trees. The tree canopies over streets along the North Shore are unmatched.
The Main Line's housing stock is much older. It also tends to be of a particular Pennsylvania/Colonial style. There are some Georgians, and contemporary builds, but to me they look out of place. The North Shore rests outside the United States' greatest city for architecture. Man took flat land, and built beautiful mountains. The birthplace of the skyscraper and home to the Prairie School of architecture. The North Shore has one of the nation's greatest collections of turn-of-the-century arts and crafts residences. Well known architects like Tallmadge & Watson, Ernest Mayo, Howard Van Doren Shaw, David Adler, George Maher, Myron Hunt, Daniel Burnham, and John Van Bergen to name a few produced numerous residences in every community. New architecturally significant homes are often being built to this day. Notable architectural firms like Robert A.M. Stern have constructed a handful of private residences on the North Shore in the last 20 years.
The North Shore is home to a significant number of transplants, but the most well represented schools are the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago. Ivy Leaguers are well represented as are graduates from elite liberal arts colleges. Myself and most of my family are Northwestern alumni.
The North Shore is home to Northwestern University's main campus in Evanston, and to Lake Forest College, a liberal arts college in Lake Forest. The Main Line is within close proximity to the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College, and hosts Bryn Mawr College and Villanova University. The University of Chicago's campus is located about 40-60 minutes south of most of the North Shore on Chicago's south side.
All of Chicago's North Shore communities have lovely parks, however, Evanston ultimately wins the battle. Evanston has a tremendous amount of public access to the lakefront parks and beaches. Wilmette has a lovely lakefront park and beach. The other suburbs have much smaller parks and beaches, and devote most of their lakefront to riparian properties. The North Shore also provides access to numerous forest preserves and bike trails. The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, is adjacent to Cook County's forest preserve that includes the Skokie Lagoons.
I have experienced transit on the Main Line, and it was a positive one. However, I think the North Shore offers better public transit. The North Shore has both two Metra lines to the city when you include the adjacent inland suburbs. Wilmette, Evanston, and Skokie also have service via the CTA's L lines. Some of the North Shore is covered by CTA buses, but all of it is covered by the PACE suburban bus system. Freeway access from the North Shore, especially close to the lakefront is poor. It makes trips to points westward, like O'Hare International Airport more difficult than from comparable western suburbs like Hinsdale, Western Springs, and Glen Ellyn.
Two very affluent suburban areas that have some of the highest standards of living in the US. Which one is better.
Weather- Philadelphia, although not that much different
Natural scenery-Chicago, lakeshore with harbors, Bahai Temple and Northwestern University. Backdrop for numerous movies.
Housing stock/architecture- Philadelphia is nice, but lakeshore mansions and old downtowns in Chicago's north shore are IMO more scenic.
Alumni- ???
Colleges- Northwestern v. Villanova , NW is better ranked and a better campus.
Parks- I'll take the north shore lakefront. Wooded areas of ML are nice.
Transit
- Both have trains to the city.
Chicago north shore I think is the better choice, although the Main Line is a nice area.
There was a thread not too long ago comparing these 2 areas. They are very similar. Both are very close to major cities, yet have their own quaint downtowns and you feel like you are away from the city.
They are two very similar areas, but there are some differences in form and function.
As previously stated the mainline has no answer for the waterfront property of the north shore, but with regards to weather and terrain the Philly area is clearly nicer.
Chicago is famous for its architecture, and it's suburbs have some amazing homes, In the end though it is subjective. The age of the mainline does give it architectural value.
As far as colleges I'm not that familiar with Chicago area ones, but I do know they are no slouch in this area. The mainline seems to have higher concentration of colleges albeit they are smaller, I give it a slight edge because of prestige.
Both have nice parks, but their is a historical preservation aspect to the mainline that the north shore just can't match.
Both areas have rail based suburban downtowns scattered throughout, and are better serviced than most suburban areas in the US. The mainline has the advantage in this category, just because it has rapid transit(NHSL) and good commuter rail service.
The North Shore feels more dense, while the Main Line has more country-like attributes. If you use the broader definition of the North Shore to include inland adjacent suburbs like Glenview, Northfield, Golf, Northbrook, Deerfield, Bannockburn, and Mettawa, you can include a lot more country-like properties.
Chicago's weather is colder and snowier than Philadelphia's, and the North Shore regularly receives lake effect snow producing large snowdrifts closer to the lakefront. I think the lakefront's beaches and bluffs give the North Shore the edge over the Main Line.
The rolling terrain of the Main Line is quite beautiful, while the North Shore is mostly flat. However, you should not dismiss the ravines in Winnetka and Glencoe, as well as the ridges of the Skokie Valley that can be found throughout the northern suburbs. Both areas are densley wooded with many old trees. The tree canopies over streets along the North Shore are unmatched.
The Main Line's housing stock is much older. It also tends to be of a particular Pennsylvania/Colonial style. There are some Georgians, and contemporary builds, but to me they look out of place. The North Shore rests outside the United States' greatest city for architecture. Man took flat land, and built beautiful mountains. The birthplace of the skyscraper and home to the Prairie School of architecture. The North Shore has one of the nation's greatest collections of turn-of-the-century arts and crafts residences. Well known architects like Tallmadge & Watson, Ernest Mayo, Howard Van Doren Shaw, David Adler, George Maher, Myron Hunt, Daniel Burnham, and John Van Bergen to name a few produced numerous residences in every community. New architecturally significant homes are often being built to this day. Notable architectural firms like Robert A.M. Stern have constructed a handful of private residences on the North Shore in the last 20 years.
The North Shore is home to a significant number of transplants, but the most well represented schools are the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago. Ivy Leaguers are well represented as are graduates from elite liberal arts colleges. Myself and most of my family are Northwestern alumni.
The North Shore is home to Northwestern University's main campus in Evanston, and to Lake Forest College, a liberal arts college in Lake Forest. The Main Line is within close proximity to the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College, and hosts Bryn Mawr College and Villanova University. The University of Chicago's campus is located about 40-60 minutes south of most of the North Shore on Chicago's south side.
All of Chicago's North Shore communities have lovely parks, however, Evanston ultimately wins the battle. Evanston has a tremendous amount of public access to the lakefront parks and beaches. Wilmette has a lovely lakefront park and beach. The other suburbs have much smaller parks and beaches, and devote most of their lakefront to riparian properties. The North Shore also provides access to numerous forest preserves and bike trails. The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, is adjacent to Cook County's forest preserve that includes the Skokie Lagoons.
I have experienced transit on the Main Line, and it was a positive one. However, I think the North Shore offers better public transit. The North Shore has both two Metra lines to the city when you include the adjacent inland suburbs. Wilmette, Evanston, and Skokie also have service via the CTA's L lines. Some of the North Shore is covered by CTA buses, but all of it is covered by the PACE suburban bus system. Freeway access from the North Shore, especially close to the lakefront is poor. It makes trips to points westward, like O'Hare International Airport more difficult than from comparable western suburbs like Hinsdale, Western Springs, and Glen Ellyn.
I can't comment much on the 'Main Line' area that's west of Philly(this is an area I've never researched a lot about), but very great post! I will probably have to google street view look at this greater area more, sometime.
BTW, many of the east to west streets in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago were named after communities in that area(i.e. Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, Rosemont, Berwyn, and even one north to south street(Wayne) probably took its name from this area too). And to expand on what you said about the ravines in Winnetka and Glencoe, some of those exist in Highland Park as well. I know, since I personally wanted to visit the house where a scene(the one where they foolishly put the Porsche they drove in to joyride around Chicago in in reverse, and the car is pushed off the platform it's on and falls into the ground below) in Ferris Bueller's Day Off was filmed at, and saw plenty of ravines by there too.
I prefer the main line. Hilly green and lots of cool old mansions. North shore is nice and all but I prefer the look and feel of the main line.
Yes, with all due respect to the North Shore, which I know is very impressive, the Main Line is truly exquisite in history and landscape.
Of course this all comes down to preference, but there's just something about upscale Eastern/East Coast suburbia that's so darned enchanting, and the Main Line has it in spades.
The North Shore feels more dense, while the Main Line has more country-like attributes. If you use the broader definition of the North Shore to include inland adjacent suburbs like Glenview, Northfield, Golf, Northbrook, Deerfield, Bannockburn, and Mettawa, you can include a lot more country-like properties.
The Main Line's housing stock is much older. It also tends to be of a particular Pennsylvania/Colonial style. There are some Georgians, and contemporary builds, but to me they look out of place. The North Shore rests outside the United States' greatest city for architecture. Man took flat land, and built beautiful mountains. The birthplace of the skyscraper and home to the Prairie School of architecture. The North Shore has one of the nation's greatest collections of turn-of-the-century arts and crafts residences. Well known architects like Tallmadge & Watson, Ernest Mayo, Howard Van Doren Shaw, David Adler, George Maher, Myron Hunt, Daniel Burnham, and John Van Bergen to name a few produced numerous residences in every community. New architecturally significant homes are often being built to this day. Notable architectural firms like Robert A.M. Stern have constructed a handful of private residences on the North Shore in the last 20 years.
Uhhhh.... huh? Are you sure you know what the Main Line is, and where it is?
A lot of the Main Line is pretty dense and walkable. Also, yes there are old houses, but there are also plenty of new houses/new construction as well. Also, since this is a very wealthy area, all of those "old" houses will be completely renovated on the inside, and well maintained and kept-up with. I get the absolute opposite feel of "country-like." I certainly get a dense, walkable suburb type from most of the Main Line. In some instances, you don't even feel like you left the city.
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