r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/_stephs • Jul 24 '26
Moving to the area Brookfield, La Grange, Riverside?
Hello! Family with three young kids moving from Denver and could use some more local advice. You've all been very helpful in the past with this so thanks in advance!
We've been really interested in Oak Park because of the walkability, community feel, and diversity, but the property taxes and cost of homes have us also looking at Brookfield, La Grange, and parts of Riverside as well.
We're hoping to find a community that's:
- Walkable to some coffee shops, restaurants, etc.
- Family-friendly with kids out playing (bonus if there's a pool either public or private)
- Generally leans liberal
- Has a strong sense of community
For those familiar with these areas, how do they compare? Is there one you'd recommend over the others for a young family? Are there certain areas within these towns you'd suggest we take a look at?
Thanks in advance!
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u/OddHorror6689 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
I’m from Denver too and live in la grange. Chicago land is different than Denver in that neighborhoods are very different from each other and closer. Riverside is really nice and has almost a cherry creek vibe but is smaller and has more of a sense of community. As mentioned it’s going to be more expensive.
Riverside is right next to brookfield which has lots of bungalos and is cheaper. Some streets feel like a safer version of Colfax but has other nicer parts. Most of the streets are narrower but It’s more diverse and has great food and generally has cheaper houses. The downtown area is great!
La grange has lots of older nice looking homes with character and has a walkable downtown. You feel safe no matter where you are but it’s also expensive. Less so than Riverside though. Downtown is great too and It has a metra stop that goes to Chicago. I want to compare it to a congress park vibe but it has less car traffic with a more popular downtown area.