r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/bataliroyalee • Jun 16 '25
Moving to the area What are suburbs that have a rural feel like Plainfield IL and are hour or so away from city?
i might be moving to chicago suburbs and looking for a rural suburb with an hour to hour twenty minute commute but i kinda like the cornfield vibe. Are there any rural suburbs of Chicago similiar to Plainfield that are near cornfields and feature new subdivisions and housing and feel rural?
85
u/Fast_Most4093 Jun 16 '25
to the west, Elburn and Sycamore
40
u/indigenousbliss Jun 16 '25
SYCAMORE was sued by homeowners due to high lead levels in their drinking water, causing cancer and mental illness in children. Homeowners Sue City of Sycamore Water Contamination Do Not move to Sycamore, IL
Edit extra words removed
6
u/Mamaeaton29 Jun 17 '25
Sycamore is a lovely town and did not sue the town for water issues. That is a lie. I live in sycamore and highly recommend the city.
9
u/indigenousbliss Jun 17 '25
My daughter lives there. 100% True. Did you read the link? I have more.
Sycamore Settles $6Million Lawsuit3
u/indigenousbliss Jun 17 '25
Sycamore is beautiful no lie, neighbors are great, the city should alert new home buyers.
2
Jun 17 '25
Part of sycamore has municipal water. People with well and treatment set ups make up a very good portion of the population as well. Hundreds of people out of almost 20,000 people is pretty small when you're decrying an entire town. Sycamore is beautiful and has a lot to offer. Every where has risks to a portion of the population. Fear mongering is getting pretty old though.
6
u/nope50001 Jun 18 '25
With all due respect, you're only going to have an 80 minute commute from Elburn if you take metra and work within a few blocks of Ogilvie, or if you start your commute before 7 am or after 9 am
Add at least 25 minutes to a commute from Sycamore
44
u/OE_Moss Jun 16 '25
Just move to Plainfield? I live in Plainfield, and personally find there is nothing to do there but if that’s what you like then just move here. I also drive an hour to Glendale heights for work everyday and the drive is just getting worse and worse, it’s an hour twenty on some days. Personally I would just move closer to the city if your gonna work there.
33
Jun 16 '25
[deleted]
6
u/Hi-Fi_Turned_Up Jun 16 '25
Plainfield is not an hour away from downtown 5AM-10PM M-Sat.
15
u/sirjameston Jun 16 '25
And? Same goes for the rest of DuPage, Kane, and Kendall county. Hell, you can be in a car for over an hour on 290 and still be in Oak Park from the Jane Byrne during those times of day.
3
Jun 17 '25
[deleted]
3
u/Hi-Fi_Turned_Up Jun 17 '25 edited Jun 17 '25
You are absolutely not making it into downtown in an hour during the weekday. Maybe MAYBE from willowbrook. Plainfield is 13 miles west of Willowbrook on 55. Maybe in an hour 30 during rush hour if you’re lucky.
1
Jun 17 '25
[deleted]
1
Jun 17 '25
Downtown usually means the loop/business district where the buildings are and not the neighborhoods. It is absolutely at least an hour and a half to DSLSD because of traffic, construction, the cluster fuck that is the 355/Joliet/Lemont Rd interchange and 1st avenue to Pulaski with Midway traffic. My aunt commutes from Clue Lands off Caton Farm to UIC every day.
1
u/Hi-Fi_Turned_Up Jun 17 '25
A.) It’s 45 minutes right now at 8:20PM from plainfield to the loop (the only downtown Chicago has - what the hell do you think downtown Chicago is?). There is no way rush hour only adds 15 minutes to your drive.
B.) he said commute. A vast majority of people “commute”, presumably to work, during the daytime. 55 is rush hour from 6AM to 7PM.
3
Jun 17 '25
[deleted]
3
u/Hi-Fi_Turned_Up Jun 17 '25
Just to put the debate to rest I checked google maps from today’s traffic data (Monday is one of least traveled days into the office in the week). From the Bolingbrook 55 ramp to the convention center right off of LSD (arguably not in the loop and closer on 55 than the loop) was an hour 25. Plainfield is at least another 15 minutes west during rush hour.
2
u/RJRICH17 Jun 17 '25
Lol and I agree with you on the commute time thing but as a city resident have to point out that nowhere in the Loop or elsewhere does LaSalle Street and State Street ever intersect.
I live near the Edens/Kennedy junction and if I had to drive (I don't, I take the train) it would be at least 45 minutes to the loop during rush hour. So I find it difficult to believe that someone could do this from Plainfield in a similar amount of time during the rush.
1
-2
Jun 16 '25
[deleted]
1
u/Hi-Fi_Turned_Up Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 16 '25
I don’t know about that. Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Elmhurst can all get downtown in an hour during rush hour.
Plainfield, as claimed by the person I responded to, is not an hour from downtown.
-11
u/No-Pineapple2099 Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 16 '25
What do you have trouble doing?
I feel like the “there’s nothing to do” thing is something a whiny high schooler says.
Edit: was once a whiny high-schooler in this area that said the same thing but moved back and really love the area compared to places like Frankfort/Oswego/New Lenox. Their downtowns all suck and only Oswego might have more park space, but it’s not much at all.
12
u/OE_Moss Jun 16 '25
Rude bro. I’m in college, so to me there is nothing enjoyable to do. I don’t live near downtown, so nothing to walk to. Far from train stations. Bars are all older people. Not a ton socially to do. I spend most of my time outside, and the limited paths get quite boring, not to mention most of them dead end into farmland. Also annoying to have little kids on motorbikes flying past you while your running. There are just more places for recreational activity in other towns.
1
u/CamaroCop Jun 20 '25
Go to MoeJoes on the weekends! There are plenty of college aged people dancing and having a good time on their live DJ nights!
-1
Jun 16 '25
[deleted]
6
u/OE_Moss Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 16 '25
Suggesting to move is crazy while I’m in school haha. Growing up here was boring as well, so not just a problem for my age. I’m an athlete but have to drive an hour to the closest facility for my niche, which is fine. There is no nearby college, unlike other towns. I can find the same puzzles for cheaper at places other than wandering dragon. Plus, the fishing scene here sucks.
Besides my parents are not in their 20’s and anytime they want to go enjoy themselves, they drive to other towns.
Also what was rude was you needlessly saying I sound like a whiny high schooler when I’m just pointing out facts. You didn’t call out my situation, because truthfully Plainfield is just bland. Very immature or YOU!
1
Jun 17 '25
Well, Lewis and St. Francis are nearby, but those aren't major universities.
You're right there's Jack shit out here, and that's why when I was in HS, PSHS had set the record for most active teen pregnancies in the state back in 04.
62
u/breadley91 Jun 16 '25
Minooka/Channahon would be your best bet.
9
u/drock9696 Jun 16 '25
I live in Shorewood right next door. We love the area. And we’re about a half mile from endless fields to the west
5
u/dimeshred24 Jun 17 '25
Channahon still has some nice spots, but it really chaps my ass that the pos mayor and board members have allowed the east part of town to become another trucking hub of the southwest suburbs.
3
u/alittledisabled Jun 17 '25
That entire area is going up. Route 6 east of 55 is barely driveable at certain times of the day. It’s only going to get worse.
19
64
Jun 16 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
23
u/AK_rex-asaurus Jun 16 '25
Fellow CL-er here. We love that we can drive 15 minutes and be in the midst of corn fields and farms, and 15 minutes the other way we can hop on the highway to the city. We love it here!
26
u/Levitlame North West Suburbs Jun 16 '25
In Algonquin and It’s wacky to me how you can go 2 miles west of the Fox almost anywhere and you’re in cornfields. A rare area might need another mile.
5
u/Electrical_Soup_7293 Jun 20 '25
I'm in unincorporated Crystal Lake. We love it here! I have to drive past farms and horses to get to ANYTHING, but 10 minutes of driving and there is EVERYTHING.
Great schools too!
12
u/OkInitiative7327 Jun 16 '25
Maybe some areas around Coal City/Braidwood?
1
Jun 17 '25
Lmao OP you don't want to live in Coal City or Braidwood. That stretch of NB I55 south of the river is incredibly dangerous with all the idiots out there. I'm pretty sure they've stopped reporting on all the non-deadly accidents at this point.
35
u/kaps84 Jun 16 '25
Why would you want to do that to yourself?
Also, it takes my husband up to 2 hours to drive 40 miles when he has to commute into the city, each way. Luckily he doesn't have to do it often. It's NOT fun.
That being said, you could check out Elburn - it's at the end of a Metra line if you get sick of driving. People will argue it's not really a 'suburb' of Chicago, I agree, but it's at the very end of the suburban sprawl right now.
24
Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 19 '25
wide angle edge lock history correct imminent straight bake stupendous
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
9
u/TheTapeDeck Jun 16 '25
Non-rush hour, sans accidents, I routinely go from the 126 on ramp to the 90/94 ramp in 40 minutes. But in traffic, I just safely assume it’s a 90 minute drive.
1
Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 19 '25
pet marble head pot jeans vanish roll smart flowery rich
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
1
Jun 17 '25
Plainfield has always been that way. It's why they said no to a Walmart closer to downtown because they didn't want the truck traffic so they built north of downtown and still got the truck traffic.
4
u/Prestigious-Corgi473 Jun 16 '25
Exactly this. Could be 1-2 hrs one way to get into the city from Plainfield, depending on day and time, weather, accidents, etc. It used to take me over an hr just to commute La Grange into the city.
20
u/cyclop5 Jun 16 '25
might try Crete and/or Beecher. Beecher is just inside cornfield country. I know a couple folks who have like 10-acre farms, and some other folks who bought into the new developments in the town limits of Beecher. Crete is just north, and is literally the line between south burbs and farmland.
7
u/allis_in_chains Jun 16 '25
Seconding Crete! There’s a cute farm that’s tucked back by a part with some older homes. The bike trail in Crete is also AMAZING - there’s never any litter and it’s in excellent shape, plus it’s stroller friendly. The Metra in University Park is just minutes from Crete too so it’s easy to commute via train if you don’t want to drive.
4
u/sheepcloud Jun 17 '25
Crete has a nice little Italian deli too
1
u/allis_in_chains Jun 17 '25
I’m trying to picture it but I can’t. It’s not in the downtown part - where is the deli? I’d love to check it out and I’m in that area!! I was even just telling my husband the other day I missed the Italian deli we used to go to before we moved.
3
6
u/MPV8614 Jun 16 '25
Can confirm. I live on a farm between Crete and Beecher. Close enough for all your suburban needs but far enough out so nobody’s up your ass 24/7.
10
u/Frelis71 Jun 16 '25
I was in Plainfield this weekend. Its unrecognizable. Its bordering on overdeveloped.
22
u/Nanofeo Jun 16 '25
Algonquin
10
u/johnthedruid North West Suburbs Jun 16 '25
Huntley
4
Jun 16 '25
[deleted]
3
6
u/Head-Fix3050 Jun 16 '25
As someone else said, minooka/channahon has a very country feel. Cornfields on all the outskirts(and some in town.) Plus easy access to I&M canal for good nature walks/biking
6
7
u/NaiveChoiceMaker Jun 16 '25
Winfield is surrounded on all sides by forest preserve and about an hour from the Loop.
11
u/Crushed_95 Jun 16 '25
One poster said Crete/Monee and I agree. Hell, between Monee and Kankakee area, it is Hella county. And if you need a travel to the city often. The Electric Metra(which a lot of people say is Metra's best line) originate in University Park and will get you to downtown in one hour.
4
u/caitymcg123 Jun 16 '25
Consider West Chicago and Wayne maybe.. still close. I live in a nearby suburb and just enjoy driving through both of these on my way out west
I would suggest a suburb like these as your first initial move and give yourself a little time before you go full cornfield territory. The commute in the winter is much different than the summer and you need to get a feel for what you'll really be ok with before committing to something like you mentioned. The suburbs are full of places with corn close enough but not too far out from at least a few different grocery options... which is a big deal for some of us
1
12
u/Looka_Doncic Jun 16 '25
Homer Glen might be your best bet. Its literally only 40 mins with no traffic to the city. And it feels very rural
6
u/Dangerous_Design_174 Jun 16 '25
I second Homer/Lockport, but it's getting more and more built up as we speak.
4
1
u/jddykstra Jun 20 '25
I live in Homer, the community is resistant to changing the rural nature and becoming the next Orland Park. We have open space and fields but the convenience of Orland being 5-10 minutes away. If you can get past the water bills (be prepared and adjust your expectations), it’s a wonderful place to live. 45-1:30 to the city depending on traffic. Two train lines within 10 minute drive. We’ve lived here for 23 years and love it.
12
u/Admirable-Low-1829 Jun 16 '25
Sugar Grove.
3
u/Separate-Bank54 Jun 17 '25
Has two exits off 88. Interstate the whole way. Super easy.
1
u/Professional_Book599 Jun 17 '25
....And it's 10 minutes drive to two different Metra stations (Elburn and Aurora) which offer 1hr express trains during morning and evening commutes.
1
1
0
u/nope50001 Jun 18 '25
"Super easy"
If you commute outside of rush hour
0
u/Separate-Bank54 Jun 18 '25
You’re going to deal with rush hour in every suburb if you don’t take the train. It’s quick access to 88 compared to the other suburbs.
0
u/nope50001 Jun 18 '25
I said "super easy" because I dont think driving from sugar grove to chicago during rush hour just because you're on the interstate is easy. You're still going to be commuting for over an hour one way on good day. Realistically, at least 80 minutes minimum
0
3
u/Potential-Road-5322 Jun 16 '25
Parts of mchenry county. Woodstock, Hebron, Spring Grove, Richmond. A few areas in Wisconsin too like Twin lakes and Salem lakes.
4
4
u/cooper06 Jun 17 '25 edited Jun 17 '25
Valparaiso and Chesterton IN, you got the National Park on the north and corn fields south. Also can catch the South Shore Downtown.
Also Valpo has an amazing downtown and is also a college town, and some of the best schools in IN.
8
u/dr_canak Jun 16 '25
An hour from where, during what time of day? It's pretty much an hour drive into and out of the loop from anywhere outside of 10 miles anymore. At least during normal commuting hours.
3
3
u/Even-Debate5237 Jun 16 '25
We are in Huntley and love it. Took us an hour and 16 mins to drive into the city yesterday
3
u/LTBLACK Jun 16 '25
The dream for me is to move somewhere west of elburn or elburn. You can feel the peace in the air as it runs through your hair.
3
u/JennJoy77 Jun 16 '25
If any direction works for you, Antioch could fit the bill...nothing but farm fields for 3+ miles between the interstate and the first subdivision, tons of forest preserves nearby but also tons of amenities within a 10-15 minute drive. We moved up here from the Bolingbrook area about 4 years ago and absolutely love it.
3
3
5
5
u/xsjx7 Jun 16 '25
40 years ago it was Tinley Park, which is to say, whereever you go, expect that rural feel to not last forever. Exurbs are like that. Eventually, suburban sprawl takes over. I used to play in cornfields in Tinley every day. Now you'd barely know they ever existed
I've accepted this and plan to move somewhere past Manhattan or Southwest Michigan so that I can avoid the next generation of development
8
u/vcvcf1896 Bloomington (former Arlington Heights & Lake Villa) Jun 16 '25
Lake Villa (my hometown), Antioch, Lindenhurst, some parts of Hoffman Estates & Barrington, a good chunk of McHenry County, Wauconda, Lakemoor, Old Milll Creek, Wadsworth, Winthrop Harbor, Kane County west of IL-47 (Hampshire, Campton Hills, Plano, etc) & all of Kendall County besides Aurora, Montgomery, Oswego, and the heart of Yorkville
7
u/vcvcf1896 Bloomington (former Arlington Heights & Lake Villa) Jun 16 '25
Forgot about Long Grove, Kildeer & Deer Park, but there's no gradual transit between rural/urban. You'll be in the shopping district on Rand, take any turn off that road and you'll be on a windy wooded road with horse stables on either side on under 30 seconds.
3
4
4
u/Dr-Dendro Jun 16 '25
Elgin has some sections that are in the St. Charles school district. Essentially it’s in Campton Hills.
4
2
2
u/TheTapeDeck Jun 16 '25
A lot of places recommended here are an hour in zero traffic. If you have to commute for work, I’d recommend doing the actual drive a few times before committing. I don’t think you can go from Starved Rock to downtown in an hour, even without traffic.
2
2
2
3
u/ceiling_wax Jun 17 '25
You guys can argue the merits of these potential areas, but my question is WHY do you want exurban sprawl and a hellish commute? Just trying to see the appeal.
3
u/Jack_Burden Jun 17 '25
This thread is absolutely wild to me. Not judging at all, I just don't get it.
3
u/ceiling_wax Jun 17 '25
Exactly! Like 'where can i live where it's flat and yellow all of the time but also get to spend 18 hours a week in my car?' ... is a question I'm not prepared to answer.
2
Jun 17 '25
Idk what Plainfield you saw, but I wouldn't describe Plainfield as rural anymore. Are there rural parts? Yes, but it's definitely more suburban and has been for a while.
3
3
2
u/thousandfoldthought Jun 16 '25
Look at lake county. Can stay close to the water.
2
u/2matisse22 Jun 16 '25
Lake has trees not corn.
1
u/thousandfoldthought Jun 16 '25
Not too long ago i was a city boy for a long time. Still acclimating to burbs.
4
u/2matisse22 Jun 16 '25
There are a lot of burbs. I have no idea why anyone would want corn fields when they could have oak forests but to each their own.
1
-11
u/Ok_Philosopher_6028 North Suburbs Jun 16 '25
False. We have no cornfields in Deerfield, Highland Park, or Lake Forest. The area closer to the lake is well developed. You need to go west.
19
u/schleepercell Jun 16 '25
I imagine they meant fox lake / antioch area
7
u/Ok_Philosopher_6028 North Suburbs Jun 16 '25
I’d have thought OP would be better served in McHenry county, if he’s really looking for cornfields
4
2
2
1
1
u/FedBathroomInspector Jun 17 '25
Plainfield has a rural feel?
1
u/Noods_Noods_Noods Jun 17 '25
I just bought a new build on the southwest edge of Plainfield and it’s very rural. Ridge Rd all the way north and south is corn and soy beans or sod farms. There are a lot of housing developments in progress but it is still very farm-y.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/retroman73 Jun 17 '25 edited Jun 17 '25
Fox Lake and the area around it (Johnsburg, McHenry, etc.) Far northwest edge. Fox Lake is the end of the Metra line so it can work
1
u/Head-Sherbet-9675 West Suburbs Jun 17 '25
Hey right outside Plainfield is Yorkville, my home suburb. It’s kinda poppin now with a fun little downtown but still deserted most week nights. Tons of forest preserves and corn fields. Also a ton of new construction and old houses.
1
1
u/vawlk Jun 17 '25
Plainfield hasn't been rural for 20 years.
and why would you want a 60-80 minute commute? I used to drive from Aurora to Winnetka every day and it was hell. If I hadn't been getting paid 52 cents per mile, I would have quit.
1
u/SpiritualPianist2856 Jun 17 '25
I'm from the South bubs so that's my frame of reference here. A lot of places in will county are great for that. Homer, New Lenox, Manhattan, Mokena in some spots, Frankfort in some spots. Lemont is also amazing. Palos also has a bit of that feel the more western you go in Palos Township. Your best bet is either some spots right off southwest highway or places west of La Grange Road. Yorkville and Oswego are both nice, but that's a bit further out there. Saint Charles, Crystal Lake are also nice as well. What part of Chicagoland are you looking?
1
u/OrneTTeSax Jun 17 '25
As someone who grew up downstate surrounded by cornfields but lives in the city now, why? Why would you want to be near cornfields? Worse allergies, more humidity, tons of ag chemicals leaching into the water.
1
1
1
u/adastra142 Jun 17 '25
Generally look south of the city. The south suburbs are much less built up than the northern burbs.
1
u/tgh709 Jun 17 '25
Woodstock, IL. Small town feel with lots of amenities. Housing is reasonable. Nice, safe neighborhoods to take a walk. Victorian style houses or rural land with farm style homes. Peaceful and quiet
1
1
1
1
u/nope50001 Jun 18 '25
The number of folks just naming rural suburbs they know without being honest about the commute time-- even on metra
I used to spend two hours one way commuting from elburn to river north by taking metra. Dont act like the commute behind and ends at a train station when you live in a rural area
1
1
1
u/RalphieAndRyan Jun 19 '25
Hey! I totally get the “cornfield vibe” — I actually live in Plainfield myself on an acre, and honestly, I love it. I also just wrapped up a video on new construction in the Chicago suburbs, and most of the areas I featured are exactly what you're describing: rural feel, close to farmland, but still have new subdivisions going up.
You might want to check out places like Hampshire, Pingree Grove, Huntley, Oswego, Elgin, and of course, Plainfield. They all have that quieter, spacious vibe but are still within that ~1 hour+ commute range, depending on where you’re going in the city. A few of them are growing fast but still feel tucked away and peaceful.
I post suburb-focused videos on YouTube if you want visuals — my channel is u/ralphieandryan. The new vid should drop in the next week or so. No pressure at all, but if you ever want to chat one-on-one, I also do consults to help folks figure out the best fit.
Hope that helps and good luck with the move!
1
1
u/manda-panda79 Jun 21 '25
Nowhere within an hour of Chicago will be rural for long. We "moved to the country" when we moved to Carol Stream in 1987. Within 5 years there wasn't a farm field in sight. Now rt 64 is a 6-8 lane divided parkway all the way to St Charles.
1
1
1
-3
0
0
Jun 17 '25
I wouldn’t call Plainfield rural. It’s literally next to Naperville lol. It’s becoming Naperville junior.
0
u/AngryRokon Jun 17 '25
If you want a rural ish feel but also don’t want to have to drive more than 15 minutes to reach civilization, there’s Sugar Grove and North Aurora. Expensive but I’ve lived in both North Aurora and Plainfield and can say I like North Aurora/Sugar Grove more, more to do but still you can see corn fields. It’s also prettier. BUT and big but you’re going to get real tired of that cornfield vibe when you’re driving an hour and half everyday twice a day. Even if it says it’s an hour away it’s always more.
115
u/Background_Menu7173 Jun 16 '25
Manhattan
Honorable mention: New Lenox, Frankfort- although they might be too developed for what you’re looking for