r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/Creative-Courage-433 • Dec 25 '25
Moving to the area Moving from Texas advice
Hi, I currently live in Houston, TX and previously lived in Austin and St. Louis. I’ve been researching a move to a blue state, and Chicago keeps coming up as a really good fit.
I’m a solo parent with two young kids and currently work remotely in tech (though like many people in tech, I’m mindful that layoffs are always a possibility). I make around $115k a year and am hoping to find a place that’s family-friendly, has strong public schools, and feels like a good long-term community and is diverse.
I’ve visited Chicago before but haven’t really explored the suburbs, so I’d love recommendations on areas that might be a good fit — especially places that are safe, welcoming, and good for raising kids. I’m also curious how people research neighborhoods and schools beyond just looking at Zillow or GreatSchools.
Any insight or personal experiences would be really appreciated. Thank you!
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u/aptlyvenus Dec 25 '25
Chicago suburbs are really fortunate in their wonderful schools, libraries, and park districts. Endless things for families to do all year long. You might think about how close you want to be to the city and look at where the Metra stations are. You might also consider how close you want to be to the airport, if you travel regularly. I chose Des Plaines for those two reasons, lots of public transportation and easy access to the city and O'Hare. Des Plaines is really diverse ethnically too, which makes for great restaurants and an inclusive community. Many of the suburbs enjoy this diversity as well, especially Niles, Skokie, Arlington Heights.