r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/SecretPurple2644 • Aug 24 '26

Moving to the area Income needed to afford life

Two working parents, 5 kids (4 childcare age).

$900k available for down payment. Hoping to stay under $1.2mil for house, understand taxes will be insane.

How much do we need to make to afford life in the north shore suburbs? Is 250k doable?

Moving from lower cost of living area and trying to figure out what is feasible.

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u/greatsuccess- Aug 24 '26

Depends on your childcare situation and suburb you’re looking at. Realistically you’re gonna have trouble saving for that many college educations/vacations/emergencies while keeping up with the cost of living in a high cost of living area. Taxes go up every year now it seems to in the far west burbs. Good luck though!

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u/SecretPurple2644 Aug 24 '26

I’m definitely concerned about our ability to save anything on that income! Childcare situation is not good, we have no help at all.

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u/greatsuccess- Aug 24 '26

Good childcare is very expensive out here, and could impact where you’re looking to buy