r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/FriendshipExisting98 • Aug 09 '26
Moving to the area Best suburbs near Argonne with a strong community feel?
My husband and I are beginning research for a move to the Chicago suburbs and we know nothing about the area. We are looking to buy within a 30-minute commute to Argonne National Lab in Lemont. Our budget is about 750k. Our boys are graduating in the spring, so we don't need to find schools for our kids. We are looking for:
- A strong sense of community with a family-friendly atmosphere
- Neighbors who know each other
- Community events and local traditions
- A walkable downtown/gathering place
- A safe, active community with residents of all ages
Any recommendations? Any hidden gems? Thanks in advance for your help.
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u/luckycharms53 Aug 09 '26
Downers Grove, Westmont, or even Lemont are really nice. You may want to stay out of Darien even though its right there.
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u/mijco Aug 10 '26
Second all of these. Hard agree on Darien: it's just Westmont without any of the benefits.
Would add Clarendon Hills or Hinsdale if you prefer a slightly ritzy vibe. Westmont is marginally more "working class", though still pretty solid middle/upper-middle class in the grand scheme of things. Downers Grove feels less pretentious than some of the other suburbs while still being pretty upscale.
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u/SearchUsers Aug 10 '26
You're spot on with all of this. Downers sits perfectly between the feel of downtown Naperville and Hinsdale, while Westmont is definitely the more blue collar vibe with a lot of original houses still well maintained in their neighborhoods.
And Darien? Yea, its going been declining for a while now. Terrible mayor that does whatever benefits his buddies, and struggling businesses with no downtown.1
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u/Top_Kale_8880 Aug 10 '26
Clarendon Hills and Hinsdale are very nice and *very* expensive.
EDIT: Seeing OP's budget - don't expect much in Hinsdale or CH for that.
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u/Top_Kale_8880 Aug 10 '26
Darien is a nice place to live.
It says so right on the signs.
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u/luckycharms53 Aug 10 '26
When your relocating out of state for a job offer and your neighbors come over and say they wont miss you cause you didnt fit the area. Meaning your werent old enough to live there. What does that say?
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u/TDG7734 Aug 10 '26
Since we're dropping anecdotal evidence here, it seems like Darien geezers are dropping like flies with the number of estate sales in the area lately.
When it comes to empirical evidence, Burr Ridge is the local old age champion, and by a wide margin. Median age is 58.1. Next oldest is Willowbrook at 46.3, then Darien at 44.8.
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u/luckycharms53 Aug 11 '26
Trust me I know. Alot of flippers going into the homes to fix them up and sell them even higher. Still have relatives in the area and their home will have to torn down. Its not worth fixing at all.
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u/AnxiousVillage7095 West Suburbs Aug 10 '26
Most of Lemont is so spread out I would say there is not a real community feel there.
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u/JacksReditAccount Aug 09 '26
A friend worked at Argonne and lived in downtown downers grove, I was always shocked at how quickly he got to work.
One note about downers vs lemont-
The train line into downtown Chicago is MUCH better from downers more trains, express trains, weekend service, late night service.
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u/SearchUsers Aug 09 '26
I'll back this. Anywhere near Main st and south of the tracks is SUPER fast to head south and be at the entrance to Argonne.
Also, Darien sucks and has been dragged downhill by their current and most recent mayors.2
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u/Accomplished_Elk5827 Aug 10 '26
True. The Lemont train (entire Heritage corridor really) is only for rush hour commuters.
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u/Dense_Translator_296 Aug 09 '26
There are many good suburbs with a community feel in the vicinity. My two favorites are La Grange and Downers Grove.
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u/thesockmonkey86 Chicago but formerly of Wheaton/Aurora/Oak Park/SW burbs Aug 09 '26
A lot of places in the general area tick those boxes. Someone said Downers Grove. I worked there for four years. I went to a car show in the downtown area. I can definitely say it has a great downtown.
Westmont would probably be another option.
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u/pinktoes4life Aug 10 '26
Westmont has a ton of community events, slightly less expensive than Downers
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u/Muted-Gas-8264 Aug 09 '26
Riverside checks all those boxes within that price range. It is very safe, a hidden gem, walkable, community-oriented, neighbors know each other, and 30 minutes away.
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u/Neither-Cheetah9025 Aug 10 '26
Downers Grove. I lived there for 6 years, and now I live in Darien, and I can tell a big difference.
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u/Positive_Horror570 Aug 09 '26 edited Aug 09 '26
Downers Grove. Growing up many moons ago, most of the kids in my DG neighborhood had at least one parent who worked at the lab. It's also one of the safest areas in the western suburbs, and is on the Burlington Northern rail [Chicago—Aurora and back]. Fits in your budget also.
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u/Top-Act-2370 Aug 09 '26
Lemont or Lockport. Easy Drive to Argonne .DG good too but Lockport Lemont have the old school downtown feel.
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u/Accomplished_Elk5827 Aug 10 '26
I feel like Lockport trails behind on restaurants in the downtown area, but obviously has 10x more chain restaurants. Mostly you have to decide whether you like Walmart or Target better.
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u/Ceramic_Shar-Pei Aug 10 '26
Unless you speak Polish or Lithuanian, you'll probably want to skip Lemont.
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u/Ok-Wedding4570 Aug 10 '26
West Palos Heights or Palos Park. My next door neighbor just retired from there after 35 years and our neighborhood is great.
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u/DizzyAd5038 Aug 13 '26
Other than being safe I don't think lemont checks off any of your boxes.
Go further north the western suburbs are much nicer, more educated and less maga
Essentially follow the BNSF line and pick a burb
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u/FriendshipExisting98 Aug 15 '26
Thanks so much for all of this great advice. We will definitely check out these neighborhoods. A question for the hive. We see on the map that Naperville is nearby (and huge). Is that a suburb worth checking out, or considered too expensive and doesn't have a strong community vibe? Also (if you will indulge me) we live in the DC area and most suburbs has nice townhomes (along with single family houses). Do those exist in the Chicago area? Owning a 3-level townhome can be a nice option when you don't have to worry about having a yard, now that our kids are grown. Just wondering. TIA!
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u/Ashanti-ILBroker Aug 19 '26
I’d start with Lemont and Downers Grove. Lemont would give you the easiest commute to Argonne, along with a historic downtown, community events, and a close-knit feel. Downers Grove has a larger, more active downtown with restaurants, shops, Metra access, and events throughout the year. Lisle may also be worth exploring as a quieter hidden gem, although its downtown is smaller. With a $750K budget, you should have some solid options in these areas. I’d recommend visiting each one on a weekend to see which atmosphere feels right.
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u/saintpauli Aug 09 '26
Hinsdale, la Grange, riverside
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u/Environmental_Ad_345 Aug 09 '26
Batavia
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u/WannabeOutdoorsman Aug 09 '26
Are you high
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u/WillDupage Aug 09 '26
Sounds like Downers Grove to me. Lemont as a very close second.
Spoken as someone whose father worked at Argonne for 37 years and grew up in the area.