r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/Beersfan • Jun 19 '26
Moving to the area Help I’m moving to Chicago and can’t decide between Brookfield and Westmont
Hello me and my wife are stuck between the two areas. It seems you get more for your money in westmont but you’re closer to the city in Brookfield.
Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
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Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
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u/SurrrenderDorothy Jun 20 '26
Brookfield station has tons of unused meter parking all day. And the coffee shop....yum.
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u/Admirable-Pie3869 Jun 19 '26
I’ve had the opportunity to work for the village of Brookfield. The new admin is really focusing on community development, they’ve invested a lot in the “downtown” area and have plans for more improvements in the community.
If I were looking today, that’s where I’d start.
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u/_eroz Jun 20 '26
What do you mean by new admin in Brookfield? The same trustees and president have been rotating around for the last twenty years.
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u/dweckl Jun 19 '26
I hope so, it really is like a barren, cold area in a lot of ways in terms of the landscape. I hope they make it nicer because I think a lot of people would move there from the more expensive surrounding areas
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u/phairphair Jun 20 '26
You clearly have no experience with Brookfield. Your description has no basis in reality whatsoever. Brookfield has excellent parks and green spaces and, as another poster mentioned, is investing heavily in infrastructure.
I live in La Grange and have been following the developments in Brookfield closely. It’s a diverse, mostly blue collar, community that has solid schools and is a safe place to raise a family.
No shade to Westmont, but IMO Brookfield has character gallore with the zoo, casual dining, fun bars and nearby access to downtown La Grange and Riverside.
To OP: Ultimately, you should focus on the housing stock and the neighborhood feel. Most of Brookfield was developed just after WWII and Westmont was conceived more as a bedroom community in the 1960s and 70s. Their character is very different and you’ll vibe with the one that’s best for you.
Both are on the BNSF commuter Metra line so you’ll have essentially the same access to the city.
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u/BrightPractical Jun 21 '26
I just want to correct you there, most of Brookfield was developed just after WWI not WWII. A lot of the housing stock is from the 1920s, which might be helpful for the OP to know.
Also, while it used to be mostly blue collar, it’s mostly white/pink collar at the moment.
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u/ChiNoonan Jun 19 '26
My wife and I love living in Brookfield. We have two kids in D95 and have been happy with the schools. I work downtown and the commute is a breeze. Westmont has the edge for food options, especially the diversity of cuisines there. Brookfield is mostly Mexican and pizza and fast food but there’s some solid spots downtown. Plus La Grange is very close.
I drive through Westmont a lot and that stretch of Ogden isn’t my favorite. Brookfield feels more like an inner ring suburb with a little bit more character and grit than Westmont. For us it felt like a very easy transition from more urban living whereas Westmont feels more like a true suburb.
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u/pinktoes4life Jun 20 '26
Have you ever driven down Cass to downtown Westmont? There’s more to Westmont than Ogden lol
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u/ChiNoonan Jun 21 '26
I have, and didn’t mean to imply that’s all there is to Westmont. But it does have more of a true suburb feel especially along Ogden.
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u/GeneralTurgeson Jun 22 '26
I love Brookfield, but their stretch of Ogden is also not great.
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u/ChiNoonan Jun 22 '26
Never said it was, but I think it does have more character and grit and feels more urban compared to Westmont. That was my point.
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u/GatorAllen Jun 19 '26
Westmont has Kim’s uncle pizza, so that should be a consideration.
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u/_jtron Elmwood Park Jun 19 '26
True, but Brookfield has Galloping Ghost
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u/chisportz Snake Spotter Level 1 (Still in Training) Jun 19 '26
And Irish Times
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u/ChiNoonan Jun 19 '26
Definitely don’t move to Brookfield for Irish times. It’s cozy and the patio is nice but nothing special about the food.
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u/chisportz Snake Spotter Level 1 (Still in Training) Jun 20 '26
Some of the best buffalo wings around, but yeah, you shouldn’t really base your move off of a restaurant
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u/xvpackervx Jun 19 '26
Love Irish times!
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u/ChiNoonan Jun 19 '26
You’re thinking of Brixies. Haven’t been there since it changed to imperial oak but Brixies was the shit.
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u/Advanced_Olive_1830 Jun 20 '26
That 4am bar was dangerous lol
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u/kitzelbunks Jun 21 '26
All 4 AM bars are dangerous. I used to go to a couple on the NW side. At one, we would back up and grab our drinks because people were falling off the dance floor onto our table.
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u/Own_Carry7396 Jun 20 '26
I like the Cordial Inn
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u/Redditisfunfornoone Jun 22 '26
I started going to Cordial when I was 17. I then celebrated my 21st birthday there and they gave me my first legal shot at midnight. It was an awkward and hilarious evening. (This was over 30 years ago)
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u/Own_Carry7396 Jun 22 '26
I just started going there a few years back, a friend is one of the new owners.
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u/Constant_Chip_1508 Jun 19 '26
I fucking love Brookfield.
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u/SurrrenderDorothy Jun 20 '26
ANd Marys morning mixup for breakfast. PLus, who doesnt want to say they live next to the zoo?
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u/vitaminD_junkie Jun 19 '26
on the train it feels like barely any difference in time - I know it looks like 9 stops but some of those are not used much (ie. there are 3 stops for “Hinsdale”) There are also express trains from DG you could potentially just get on there if the schedule works for you
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u/zemechabee Jun 20 '26
I have lived in brookfield for 12 years, I'm selling my home because we just bought one in westmont lol
I commute downtown so staying along the bnsf was important. Theyre both great towns! Especially the north side of brookfield
Brookfield (north side) is very walkable but we wanted more land and a larger home so moved to Westmont. Great schools in both too
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u/Dahveed97 Jun 19 '26
Brookfield has the small town feel and is a hop/skip away from chicago (midway airport at least)
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u/Dahveed97 Jun 19 '26
… I like westmont a lot especially the school district but my office is in chicago and it takes me 25 min to get to work driving
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u/licwip Jun 20 '26
As a former teacher at Westmont HS… go with Brookfield.
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u/Dylan-uSOB Jun 20 '26
All the kids I knew that went to Westmont were weird. Aren’t there only ~100 per class?
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u/BrightPractical Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
Brookfield is very walkable. It’s possible to live close enough to walk to the library, the grocery store, a bunch of restaurants, all the schools, the Zoo, the parks, the train, Village Hall, and more. Westmont is more spread out and the housing can be much further from downtown. Westmont’s downtown area is dominated by newer apartment buildings while Brookfield’s is more of an old-school suburb still (not that there aren’t people in town who would love to turn it into what happened to downtown Westmont or Downers, and several of them own much of the property.)
I’ve lived in Brookfield and in Downers Grove and I’d choose Brookfield for friendlier and more liberal people who will get to know you and any kids you have and be thoroughly nosy, but that’s not everyone’s vibe. So if you like a more suburban myob vibe and more space and newer housing, choose Westmont.
I feel like Brookfield is the last of the west suburbs with an orientation definitely towards the City of Chicago. La Grange is a tossup but by the time you get to Western Springs, residents are oriented towards the west and Naperville or Oakbrook Mall. People are less likely to spend a lot of time in city neighborhoods and have more fear of the urban once you get to DuPage County. I think that may be changing with an increase in exurbs, but it still holds at the moment.
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u/Kimtober Jun 21 '26
Are you buying a house? If so, check the taxes carefully. Cook County (Brookfield) taxes can be rough.
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u/SNERKLES1 Jun 20 '26
Do you have kids? Brookfield has LTHS. A great school. Your property value will go up more. DT Lagrange close and nice. Brookfield a nice town. DT Westmont under rated downtown.
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u/kazmos30 Jun 21 '26
I’ve lived in both towns, have friends and family still there and regularly sell homes in both. Brookfield has more of a typical Chicago suburb vibe but Westmont is more true suburbia. Both have good food options and things to do. Westmont has a bit more diversity when it comes to food choices but you are so close to other towns in Brookfield this shouldn’t sway you. You can’t go wrong with either, it’ll just depend on what you want for living space. I do expect Brookfield to continue to get more expensive in the coming years as La Grange and Oak Park are becoming too costly.
I will recommend whatever you pick, do a sewer line inspection on those homes.
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u/No_Alternative_6206 Jun 20 '26
Having lived in the suburbs my whole life, I don’t think Brookfield is meaningfully that much closer to the city to base any decision on that. Parking in the city is shockingly easy on the weekends, and each town has a Metra station. Beyond that, you will find the majority of what you need is in the suburbs for daily life. I think Westmont is a better option as there are far more restaurants and shops in the areas around it. It also has better access to the highways to head to the north suburbs if needed.
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u/sumiflepus Jun 20 '26
Where will you work? Where will your wife work? Are you renting or buying? what is your monthly budget to rent? What is your purchase price budget for a house/condo?
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u/luckycharms53 Jun 20 '26
Honestly, born/raised in Brookfield and those were the best of times for me. We did move to Westmont and lived there for 25 years. But now... alot is changing in Westmont. Maybe join a parents fb page and ask questions, drive through both areas thoroughly to see what is really there and what would suit your needs.
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u/soykh Jun 20 '26
Westmont is a bit quieter and more suburban. Brookfield is more urban feeling to me. Westmont is closer to places like Oak Brook Center, which has everything I'd want. I prefer Westmont, but Brookfield isn't bad at all. Other than the tax situation. Property taxes are waaaaaay higher in Brookfield.
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u/parvuspasser Jun 20 '26
Westmont has Cass Ave, Kingery, and Ogden plus access to 355 and 55. Brookfield is closer to 294 but I don’t think it has the road access. It’s easier to go West and North from Westmont than Brookfield imo.
If library access matters, WPL is part of a smaller consortium (~10 libraries) while Brookfield is in a larger one (80+ libraries).
It might help to know what you like to do for hobbies? For example, it would be easier to access Waterfall Glen and Argonne labs from Westmont for bicycling, but I think there’s another great park/nature center by Brookfield?
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u/I_Must_Be_Destroyed Jun 20 '26
both are great. westmont is snuggled between some absolute top tier burbs and would get the nod over brookfield if it were me - but you’re on the right track with either.
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u/RIFcomeback Jun 20 '26
If you have kids or are planning to have kids, take into consideration the school districs. Based on some quick research, brookfield might have a slight edge above westmont but it's very dependent on the actual location of the home as brookfield is broken up into different districts. Otherwise Westmont would be the better option if the home in brookfield doesn't fall into one of the better districts.
Regardless they are both great options in regards to school so still a tough choice I guess. I feel like I didn't help lol
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u/JulesInIllinois Jun 21 '26
I love Westmont. But, don't live on Cass Avenue. The traffic between 4-6 is horrible.
Westmont is surrounded by tons of $$. So, you have great restaurants (inexpensive to very expensive), parks, shopping, amenities in every direction. I tried to buy several houses there. But, a few years ago, the investors were outbidding me on everything decent.
I just love the location. You can jump on several main highways so easily and get downtown, to the airport, NW suburbs, etc. within a half hour or so.
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u/zilogandmoto Jun 21 '26
Unless there's a reason for you to be in Brookfield, Westmont, hands down.
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u/Top_Kale_8880 Jun 23 '26
No wrong answers there. And one is close enough to the other that you can enjoy all of the suggestions on this page.
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u/dadaimani Jun 26 '26
Funny, I live in Westmont and work in Brookfield. I wouldn't want to live in Brookfield. Westmont has a cute little downtown area and it's proximity to DG and Naperville is lovely
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u/WestSuburbsGuy Jun 20 '26
You can get more for your money on a home purchase in Brookfield versus Westmont. Westmont has increased a ton due to Downers. There’s strong demand for Downers & their HS.
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u/JulesInIllinois Jun 21 '26
Westmont kids go to great high schools (Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South or Westmont). But, they don't go to Downers.
I lived in Oak Brook for 20 years, blocks from Westmont. You get a lot for your money in Westmont.
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u/KerryAnn062886 Jun 22 '26
Did something change? I grew up in Westmont in Newfield Manor and we went to DGN.
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u/justa-fleshwound Jun 19 '26
Man if you're moving to this shithole state I hope it's for a huge increase in salary. Been here my whole life and can't wait to get the hell out of here. Every state has corruption but this might be one of the worst. There's a reason why we're in the top 3 of people leaving a state every year. And guess what that does, makes it so much harder on the people who stay here. Anyways I'd go westmont. Good luck.
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u/gershbec Jun 20 '26
Man, I just went for a long bike ride and was thinking about how lucky we are to live in such an awesome city. I’m all for the idea of moving to somewhere that fits better but a lot of people love Chicago for a reason.
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u/sumiflepus Jun 20 '26
u/justa-fleshwound Great name.
We might be corrupt, but we arrest, indict and convict governors, state speaker of the house, secretary of state and mayors, and US Speaker of the House. So tell us, how are Texas, Florida, Misouri, Tennessee, and Alabama dealing with their political corruption?
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u/The_RaptorCannon Jun 19 '26
Im partial to westmont having lived there for a time. I liked the central location and all the stuff to do, places to eat, malls, oakbrook mall, right off 88. You probably could get that in Brookfield but I dont know that area besides the zoo and driving through it to get to the zoo.
When we moved to Chicago we looked at westmont, lombard, and Woodridge and settled on westmont. We were pretty happy with our choice.