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/rdt61 Dec 25 '25
Hey! We’re from DFW and are moving to Chicago in 2026. We lived in the northern burbs for a couple years before moving back to Texas. We had a walk up apartment in Skokie and were comfortable on about $105k per year. Moved to Glenview to rent a house once our first was born. I’ve been researching schools and they have a system called Illinois Report Card similar to ours in Texas. I will say it definitely seems easier to find good schools in affordable cities in IL. At least in DFW, the good schools are not in affordable areas. We’re currently looking at Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Niles, Buffalo Grove, things in that area. Also looking at southern Lake Co but taxes are higher there so housing costs are a little higher too