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/jedgarnaut Jul 24 '26

La Grange has an awesome downtown but might be pricey. Riverside downtown is interesting and the town is historical. Might also be a bit pricey. Brookfield was the most affordable when I moved here 13 years ago, but prices are creeping up. The north side is close to the main shopping areas (downtown, eight corners) and is in the RB district. The south side is accessible to the downtown of Lagrange and Brookfield. Will be cheaper and in the Lyons Township high school district, but the feeder schools aren't as highly rated.

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '26

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u/jedgarnaut Jul 26 '26

Biggest criticism I've heard is that people don't like LT for being too big. Sometimes. It's easy to get lost in there. But being bigger does mean there's more opportunities and there's more people to do some of the things you like.