Living in NW Indiana, do you feel part of the Chicago area or disconnected? (Gary: 2015, homes)

[Northwest Indiana]

Originally Posted by nwi.guy

NWI is great, but not necessarily for a guy like you.
Unless you want to live in a complete ghetto (Hammond, Gary, East Chicago, Whiting, Lake Station) then you won't find much to do. Any good towns, specifically in lake County which is as close as you're going to get, are an hour drive to Chicago without traffic. (Crown Point, Saint John, Scherrillville) there's an amtrack in Dyer also. Overall, if you want to live in a good town without boredom for you, that's also close to the south shore, you're stuck in South Bend more than 2 and a half hours from the city. Hope that helps.

Hammond and Whiting are complete ghettos??? And the vast majority of people would include Munster and Highland as good towns that are well under one hour WITH traffic...and how do you call yourself "nwi.guy" and misspell "Schererville"?

[skobabe8]

Originally Posted by nwi.guy

NWI is great, but not necessarily for a guy like you.
Unless you want to live in a complete ghetto (Hammond, Gary, East Chicago, Whiting, Lake Station) then you won't find much to do. Any good towns, specifically in lake County which is as close as you're going to get, are an hour drive to Chicago without traffic. (Crown Point, Saint John, Scherrillville) there's an amtrack in Dyer also. Overall, if you want to live in a good town without boredom for you, that's also close to the south shore, you're stuck in South Bend more than 2 and a half hours from the city. Hope that helps.

I live in Munster and spend around 25 minutes driving to and from White Sox games every summer. Not sure why it takes you an hour to get to the city.

[MN_Transplant]

Originally Posted by Worldtravelingman1

Hey there. I'm a young guy from LA originally but lived all over. Currently in Europe however plan to return to the US to set down some roots. I like Chicago, however the state of Illinois has some crazy ridiculous laws and insane taxes! Lol. I prefer to live in a suburb anyway however if I choose Chicago as the main city I would be looking at the areas surrounding it that aren't in IL. What I want to know is, do you feel like you're part of the Chicago area? Similar to how someone from Northern NJ or SW Connecticut would feel that they are connected to the NY area? I work from home so I wouldn't be commuting. I would like to live in a stable, safe and established community, the kind of place where someone would wan to raise kids, yet still not go mad from boredom if you aren't married/have children due to access to the core city.

As far as transit, you guys have the South Shore line yes? How reliable is it?

This is a curiosity question, you guys have similar accents to a Chicagoan? Or is it more standard Midwestern?

So what did you end up doing?? I'm in the exact same situation. World Traveler & MN transplant looking to move to NW Indiana to be closer to Chicago. Currently in Indianapolis, but flights are cheaper back to MN and more friends in Chi. Young professional, work from home, want the benefit of cheaper living but don't want to feel disconnected from the city. Very good advice was shared and I'm looking for apartment availability in Munster/St. John/Dyer/Schererville area but would love to hear about the final outcome!!

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by MN_Transplant

So what did you end up doing?? I'm in the exact same situation. World Traveler & MN transplant looking to move to NW Indiana to be closer to Chicago. Currently in Indianapolis, but flights are cheaper back to MN and more friends in Chi. Young professional, work from home, want the benefit of cheaper living but don't want to feel disconnected from the city. Very good advice was shared and I'm looking for apartment availability in Munster/St. John/Dyer/Schererville area but would love to hear about the final outcome!!

Not the person you asked, but we just spent several days interrogating NWI so I can give my "opinion". We looked at numerous areas in Chesterton, Valpo, St. John, Crown Point and Schererville and the only areas that registered as a "maybe" were St. John and Crown Point. However, we eventually ruled out NWI all together. It's just too rural/sketchy and nothing like the Western Chicago burbs. I would urge anyone making such a decision to visit before pulling the trigger. I too despise the high taxes in Illinois, but in the end, the only viable option for us would be Hinsdale, La Grange and the surrounding areas.

[Northwest Indiana]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

Not the person you asked, but we just spent several days interrogating NWI so I can give my "opinion". We looked at numerous areas in Chesterton, Valpo, St. John, Crown Point and Schererville and the only areas that registered as a "maybe" were St. John and Crown Point. However, we eventually ruled out NWI all together. It's just too rural/sketchy and nothing like the Western Chicago burbs. I would urge anyone making such a decision to visit before pulling the trigger. I too despise the high taxes in Illinois, but in the end, the only viable option for us would be Hinsdale, La Grange and the surrounding areas.

Nothing here would really match up to the prestige of the western suburbs...however, did you check out Munster by any chance? It does not have a rural character but overall has its upscale offerings and is more densely populated.

NWI is more attractive to residents leaving declining south suburbs or southwest suburbs that are still very nice but where the taxes are just getting too high with the amenities being largely the same as in NWI (save for maybe Orland as far as amenities...we are not quite there yet!)......I know the tradeoffs for someone in the west suburbs and north suburbs would be huge...Even if one lived in a very standard suburb such as Carol Stream which itself wouldn't be much of a trade-off if they moved to Schererville, they would still be giving up easy access to places such as Oak Brook and Woodfield and closer train stations to downtown.

[iidreamtheaterii]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

I too despise the high taxes in Illinois, but in the end, the only viable option for us would be Hinsdale, La Grange and the surrounding areas.

I can imagine with the 'only viable options' of 2 of the higher end communities in the western burbs, I could see where NWI didn't appeal.

Some areas aren't for everyone. I would urge you to visit NWI for sure to see if it's for you or not. However with tastes that demand some of the highest home values and taxes in even the Chicago Area, I could see where NWI didn't have a shot.

Average Homesale Price last year was $1,044,000 in Hinsdale

[knighthood82]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

However, we eventually ruled out NWI all together. It's just too rural/sketchy and nothing like the Western Chicago burbs.

Wow, if you think this about the nicest towns in NWI you wouldn't be able to cut it in 99% of this country. I sure hope you never have to move, that sounds like it would be a terrifying experience.

[Big Play]

Originally Posted by Northwest Indiana

Nothing here would really match up to the prestige of the western suburbs...however, did you check out Munster by any chance? It does not have a rural character but overall has its upscale offerings and is more densely populated.

NWI is more attractive to residents leaving declining south suburbs or southwest suburbs that are still very nice but where the taxes are just getting too high with the amenities being largely the same as in NWI (save for maybe Orland as far as amenities...we are not quite there yet!)......I know the tradeoffs for someone in the west suburbs and north suburbs would be huge...Even if one lived in a very standard suburb such as Carol Stream which itself wouldn't be much of a trade-off if they moved to Schererville, they would still be giving up easy access to places such as Oak Brook and Woodfield and closer train stations to downtown.

Your last sentence was a great observation, and something that too many (most, probably) people in NWI seem to miss when defending the desirability of the area. It's not close to major suburban areas of employment (Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Northbrook) or shopping - which is in or near those aforementioned areas. Suburbs close to those "hubs" have jobs and shopping/amenities close by. Some also have closer train stations.

Munster has some areas with very solid housing stock, and is the closest to downtown Chicago of any middle-class area in NWI (not counting Hammond/EC as middle class). On those two measures, Munster compares quite favorably to some other good suburbs of Chicago, and those are long-term advantages.

The schools are still decent as well, which is another plus. Taxes being low is another plus.

But proximity to jobs and shopping is simply not there. The white collar work force is nearly absent in many of the surrounding towns as well.

I'm originally from Munster (not living there now) and think the place has so much potential, but it's declining surroundings aren't helping it's cause. Frankly, the town needs to be marketed better anyway.

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by knighthood82

I sure hope you never have to move, that sounds like it would be a terrifying experience.

lol, yes, it has been been a terrifying experience. Maybe "frustrating" is a better word. Maybe we're searching for Rainbows and Unicorns? One can dream I guess...

Originally Posted by Big Play

Your last sentence was a great observation, and something that too many (most, probably) people in NWI seem to miss when defending the desirability of the area. It's not close to major suburban areas of employment (Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Northbrook) or shopping - which is in or near those aforementioned areas. Suburbs close to those "hubs" have jobs and shopping/amenities close by. Some also have closer train stations.

Munster has some areas with very solid housing stock, and is the closest to downtown Chicago of any middle-class area in NWI (not counting Hammond/EC as middle class). On those two measures, Munster compares quite favorably to some other good suburbs of Chicago, and those are long-term advantages.

The schools are still decent as well, which is another plus. Taxes being low is another plus.

But proximity to jobs and shopping is simply not there. The white collar work force is nearly absent in many of the surrounding towns as well.

I'm originally from Munster (not living there now) and think the place has so much potential, but it's declining surroundings aren't helping it's cause. Frankly, the town needs to be marketed better anyway.

Good observation and yes, although Munster may be a nice little pocket, it's surroundings and lack thereof ruled it out for us. Did I also mention that we prefer a 1+ acre lot. I know, more rainbows and unicorns...

[FleeTheRustBelt]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

My brother lives in Laporte. He considers himself to be part of the Chicago Region. Some of their neighbors even commute to jobs in the Loop but this is the exception rather than the rule. On the weekend it takes me 80 minutes to get from Oak Park to Laporte. During the week that same trip might take 2 hours. My brother actually worked an internship 10 years ago in Naperville and it took him 100 minutes each way from Laporte.

I don't think anyone is disputing that Munster is much closer to Chicago than Laporte. I work with several people who office downtown from Munster. I have never worked with anyone who lives in Laporte but did work with a guy who lived in Valporaiso and a lady who commuted from Long Beach.

Rockford and South Bend are both relatively close to Chicago but not part of the metro area.

My dad once worked with a guy who commuted from HANNA to Oak Brook every day for work. Now THAT'S nuts. Of course, this was back when gas was about $1/gallon.

For me the demarcation line between Chicagoland/not Chicagoland is about Portage to the east, Lowell to the south. Hammond, Whiting, EC, Munster, Schererville, Merrillville are every bit a part of Chicagoland to me as Homewood or Berwyn or Park Ridge. LaPorte? Michigan City? Knox? No.