Might move to Wisconsin with an easy commute to Arlington Heights. (Milwaukee: how much, buying a home)

[glass_of_merlot]

My family might possibly move to WI next fall. We want to buy a house. Our kids are 7 and 15. We want to find safe neighborhoods with good schools and with a easy commute to Chicago. My husband will commute to Arlington Heights IL.
We do not want to live in Chicago where we live now. We don't even want to live in Illinois.
We were considering NWI but the commute to Arlington Heights is just too much. I work in healthcare so I can work anywhere at any hospital.
Please, any suggestion is appreciated.

[Tyryztoll]

We did the opposite for a year - lived in McHenry, IL and I worked in Lake Geneva, WI at the Mercy Medical Center. We were also considering moving to WI but wound up going elsewhere. The Lake Geneva/Elkhorn/Delavan area of WI is beautiful, moreso than anything you'll find in Chicagoland that's not on the lakeshore. Not sure about the schools, but worth looking into given your wish list. Lots of green, rolling hills and lakes. Only issue is about a 75 minute commute from LG to Arlington Heights. That doesn't bother me because I love to drive and the commute time is my private time, but may be too long for your husband. We've been in Minnesota going on 5 years and are thinking about buying a home with land in western WI now. We love WI, most beautiful state in the midwest hands down. WI taxes are high, but obviously so are Illinois and Minnesota. Property taxes in the Chicago area are laughable. There is a tax reciprocity agreement between Illinois and Wisconsin for people living in one and working in the other, so you should be good there. Best wishes on resettling in WI.

[CtrlEsc]

Originally Posted by glass_of_merlot

My family might possibly move to WI next fall. We want to buy a house. Our kids are 7 and 15. We want to find safe neighborhoods with good schools and with a easy commute to Chicago. My husband will commute to Arlington Heights IL.
We do not want to live in Chicago where we live now. We don't even want to live in Illinois.
We were considering NWI but the commute to Arlington Heights is just too much. I work in healthcare so I can work anywhere at any hospital.
Please, any suggestion is appreciated.

Wisconsin to Arlington Heights is a lengthy communte, no matter which area you choose.
You have three routes. I90, I94, or the highways (45/12). I would say the highways have the most risk and stress. However, they are all doable. I communted from Belvidere into Elgin for a few years (i90). It's not a bad commute. You would be looking at Beloit to Arlington Heights. That would be about the same amount of time as LG to AH, just less stop and go. I90 is pretty much wide open - set the cruise and let the time go by. The other option is Kenosha (I94) I haven't done I94 North in years. Someone else would have to weigh in on that one. I suspect it's similar in time.
It really depends on how much time your husband wants to spend in the car and what kind of traffic is preferable. There are a lot of options along the border.

[glass_of_merlot]

Thanks guys. We were considering NWI at first but that's just way to far. I will look into the places suggested.

[BOBNCHI]

We moved for a couple years to Kenosha county, with commutes to Glenview and McHenry. BRUTAL to do in the winter snows and terrible traffic in the summer. If using I94 traffic is hit n miss and any accident (frequent) really messes things up.

Carefully research the schools too. Depending on the district, the 15 yo may have a harder time adjusting (culture shock, curriculum and just being a teen) than the 7yo.

[glass_of_merlot]

Originally Posted by BOBNCHI

We moved for a couple years to Kenosha county, with commutes to Glenview and McHenry. BRUTAL to do in the winter snows and terrible traffic in the summer. If using I94 traffic is hit n miss and any accident (frequent) really messes things up.

Carefully research the schools too. Depending on the district, the 15 yo may have a harder time adjusting (culture shock, curriculum and just being a teen) than the 7yo.

Thank You.


So how do you like it other than the brutal traffic? My husband grew up in rural Washington State. He literally had a mile to the closest neighbor growing up and the town he grew up in had less than 2000 people. He likes Chicago but hates living here. He has a good job and makes good money so he will work in Chicago land until retiring.

[BOBNCHI]

We didn't, and moved back to IL after a couple years. Primarily due to the lack of convenience to just about everything, including acceptable health care, which was critical being close to retirement at the time . Traveling to Milwaukee or Chicago for any cultural activities, and ORD for air travel, was also a drag.

Admittedly, being in the immediate Chicago area we are very spoiled for choice and perhaps we didn't give living in WI a fair shake.

[Teacher Terry]

I grew up in Kenosha and then lived in Kenosha again when raising my kids. I liked the smaller town feeling but yet closer to big towns. My husband commuted to Milwaukee for work for 8 years. Between winter and the summer traffic Arlington Heights would be too difficult. Being retired and living in a bigger city for the past 24 years when I go to visit we struggle to find things to do there. It’s a good place to raise kids though.

[glass_of_merlot]

We found this small town Genoa City right on IL state line. It's 36 miles to the address of my husband's work. They have a few places on sell . Right now, 520 pm it would take an hour to drive. That's how long it takes to drive 9 miles in the city sometimes..lol

[EllieKay56]

My nephew lives in Milwaukee as his wife works there. Three days a week he takes the train to Chicago and works the other 2 days from home.

I also would suggest a town like Bristol. I've always thought it was a nice town.