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Old 12-31-2020, 03:02 PM
 
1 posts, read 2,449 times
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So in the next month or so I'm planning on going to Joliet to visit my gf. (I'm living in Canada right now but am a dual citizen). I'm eventually hoping to move there and find a job as we've been long distancing since January, but that probably won't happen until later this coming year.
I was going to ask in their reddit page but it's dead so I thought I'd ask here about how it is. I've heard a lot from my gf already (she thinks its crappy since she grew up there) but I thought I'd ask other people. (If anyone here lives in or has been to Joliet)
I've been to Chicago once but I've never been to the suburbs so I have no idea what its like. I'd imagine Joliet like any other generic suburb? I'm just wondering how it is overall in terms of living. I already know taxes in Illinois are pretty high but I'm wondering about stuff such as the job market, safety, getting around, the people, diversity, things to do, nightlife, etc...
If anyone can give some advice/info that would be great! I just want to hear some first hand information/experiences. Thanks!
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Old 12-31-2020, 03:18 PM
 
Location: Illinois
3,208 posts, read 3,551,449 times
Reputation: 4256
Quote:
Originally Posted by newbie988 View Post
So in the next month or so I'm planning on going to Joliet to visit my gf. (I'm living in Canada right now but am a dual citizen). I'm eventually hoping to move there and find a job as we've been long distancing since January, but that probably won't happen until later this coming year.
I was going to ask in their reddit page but it's dead so I thought I'd ask here about how it is. I've heard a lot from my gf already (she thinks its crappy since she grew up there) but I thought I'd ask other people. (If anyone here lives in or has been to Joliet)
I've been to Chicago once but I've never been to the suburbs so I have no idea what its like. I'd imagine Joliet like any other generic suburb? I'm just wondering how it is overall in terms of living. I already know taxes in Illinois are pretty high but I'm wondering about stuff such as the job market, safety, getting around, the people, diversity, things to do, nightlife, etc...
If anyone can give some advice/info that would be great! I just want to hear some first hand information/experiences. Thanks!
Joliet is a very large community, the fourth largest municipality in Illinois with over 140k residents. It has an urban core, but most of the area outside of the city center is typical mostly working-class suburbia. It's demographics are very diverse, but still predominately white. Will County is one of the faster-growing parts of the Chicagoland area as people looking for affordable housing head that way.

Take a look at this video: https://youtu.be/JN0s36UP4yQ
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Old 01-04-2021, 09:09 PM
 
7,736 posts, read 4,988,604 times
Reputation: 7963
Quote:
Originally Posted by newbie988 View Post
So in the next month or so I'm planning on going to Joliet to visit my gf. (I'm living in Canada right now but am a dual citizen). I'm eventually hoping to move there and find a job as we've been long distancing since January, but that probably won't happen until later this coming year.
I was going to ask in their reddit page but it's dead so I thought I'd ask here about how it is. I've heard a lot from my gf already (she thinks its crappy since she grew up there) but I thought I'd ask other people. (If anyone here lives in or has been to Joliet)
I've been to Chicago once but I've never been to the suburbs so I have no idea what its like. I'd imagine Joliet like any other generic suburb? I'm just wondering how it is overall in terms of living. I already know taxes in Illinois are pretty high but I'm wondering about stuff such as the job market, safety, getting around, the people, diversity, things to do, nightlife, etc...
If anyone can give some advice/info that would be great! I just want to hear some first hand information/experiences. Thanks!
My mom lives In joliet. In my opinion, Joliet is not a suburb I would live in. It has seen its betters days and does have some decent areas but theres ghetto areas as well. Its not you typical generic suburb lol. They have a casino, factories, and a homeless population. My mom herself lives in a low income government housing building. I have only been there once a few years back when I was visiting from Texas, but the area over there was not the best.

Yes, I would say Joliet is pretty crappy though.

If you want something a tad nicer and better amenities, I would go with Orland, Tinley, Mokena, Frankfort or Bolingbrook. I was renting a nicely updated apartment in Orland for 950 a month .. however that was over 6 years ago .

I lived in Orland for over 7 years and Tinley for 18 years.
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Old 01-05-2021, 12:23 PM
 
2,561 posts, read 2,182,136 times
Reputation: 1672
Quote:
Originally Posted by newbie988 View Post
So in the next month or so I'm planning on going to Joliet to visit my gf. (I'm living in Canada right now but am a dual citizen). I'm eventually hoping to move there and find a job as we've been long distancing since January, but that probably won't happen until later this coming year.
I was going to ask in their reddit page but it's dead so I thought I'd ask here about how it is. I've heard a lot from my gf already (she thinks its crappy since she grew up there) but I thought I'd ask other people. (If anyone here lives in or has been to Joliet)
I've been to Chicago once but I've never been to the suburbs so I have no idea what its like. I'd imagine Joliet like any other generic suburb? I'm just wondering how it is overall in terms of living. I already know taxes in Illinois are pretty high but I'm wondering about stuff such as the job market, safety, getting around, the people, diversity, things to do, nightlife, etc...
If anyone can give some advice/info that would be great! I just want to hear some first hand information/experiences. Thanks!
Depends on your age, profession, and what you find interesting. As others have said, a good chunk of Joliet isn't typical suburbia and an older downtown and some lower income areas. The western portion along Rt. 59 between Plainfield and Shorewood is fine, slightly newer subdivisions, big box stores, large shopping areas, etc. but again not all that interesting. I'm guessing your gf can tell you that much. Job market will be dependent on your industry and how the pandemic is impacting it. Joliet is in the far southwest suburbs, so if you won't be workly remotely in the near future or after everything is back to normal, then you may want to look elsewhere in the suburbs maybe a bit more central but still not too far from your gf.
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Old 01-18-2021, 01:02 PM
 
Location: Chicago
103 posts, read 151,071 times
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I grew up in Joliet. It's a pretty big city on the edge of Chicagoland. The traditional wisdom is the West side is the best side. The near west side has some beautiful old mansions and limestone buildings, the core of the city has alot of bungalows and 2-3 flats like you would find in Chicago if you like more of an urban feeling. The far west side is the newer part of the city, most of those houses are in subdivisions and have that tract home vinyl siding type of atmosphere. Downtown is a little bit gritty but interesting and beautiful architecture. There's a minor league baseball team and a metra/amtrak station downtown. The east side is typically older houses, lower income, and some gang activity. Crime isn't nearly as bad as it was in the 80's and 90's when I was growing up.

All in all, I think it generally gets a bad rep for what it actually is. Cool history, cool architecture, lots of options for all budgets. Definitely has it's own culture and identity outside of the rest of the Chicago suburbs.
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Old 01-21-2021, 09:51 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
2,752 posts, read 2,407,045 times
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The SW suburbs is a growing region in both population and jobs, especially logistics jobs. Amazon opened up a big warehouse there a couple years back, and more warehouses just keep opening up.

Others have said it pretty well. Joliet is a historic city at its core and has nice areas and sketchy areas. Like Aurora, it's more a "city" than it is a "suburb", and with that, it has plenty of suburban sprawl in every direction. Overall I'd probably choose to live in the sprawlier sections on the western edge must I live in Joliet proper.

I'd probably opt for a nearby suburb of Joliet, such as Plainfield or Shorewood. Both have great reputations for being nice, quieter, and safer suburbs, and are just a stones throw away from Joliet. If you want a place more east, I'd check out New Lenox or Frankfort.
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Old 01-28-2021, 08:29 AM
 
9,913 posts, read 9,590,000 times
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There is a part of Joliet which is called Plainfield, it is a suburb but its part of Joliet. You will get a totally different place to live when you compare Joliet to Plainfield. So maybe you can visit and see what you like. Joliet downtown by the river is really cool to visit and sightsee.
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Old 01-29-2021, 09:49 AM
 
Location: Illinois
3,208 posts, read 3,551,449 times
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Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO View Post
There is a part of Joliet which is called Plainfield, it is a suburb but its part of Joliet. You will get a totally different place to live when you compare Joliet to Plainfield. So maybe you can visit and see what you like. Joliet downtown by the river is really cool to visit and sightsee.
Plainfield is its own village.
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Old 02-01-2021, 09:45 PM
 
9,913 posts, read 9,590,000 times
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Originally Posted by Hiruko View Post
Plainfield is its own village.
It shares something with Joliet though,, zip code or something.
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Old 02-02-2021, 09:04 AM
 
2,561 posts, read 2,182,136 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO View Post
It shares something with Joliet though,, zip code or something.
I think a portion of western part of Joliet feeds into the Plainfield school district.
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