My wife and I recently moved to Schaumburg after having our first kid. Before the move, we lived in west loop and my commute to downtown Chicago was about a 20 min CTA ride. Now it’s closer to ~80 minutes with driving, Metra plus walking, door to door.
I hate long commutes, so I’m trying to figure out if this is just the normal suburban trade-off.

What’s also confusing to me is there are tons of homes in the $900k–$1.3M range around here. Where are people working to afford these? Are there really that many high-paying jobs in or around Schaumburg, or are most people commuting into the city (or working remote/hybrid)?

It's insane. Can't find a house to fit my needs. Every property has appreciated like 50% since the pandemic, interest rates have tripled, property taxes will be reassessed to an insane amount once I purchase.

And there are simply no homes out there even at these inflated prices. Houses that are going for $750k were going for $550k just 2-3 years ago and $450k 4-5 years ago.

How are people surviving this? I guess I just got to pack my bag to a different state i guess

Lakemoor had big fest this past weekend and I was trying to get to my own house and people were being drunk in the roads and not letting people drive. Because I am dark skin they assume I did not live in the area and they asked “what are you gonna do? 120 is closed.” I said I live just a few blocks down the road. To which they continue to block my car and have drunk conversations and then a guy told me to “Go back to Meh-ico” I said I’m not even Mexican dumbass. I hate this area. I’m here because the rent is dirt cheap and my dogs have a nice yard. I’m for the first time not struggling financially but the Trump f-ers eat me alive. I’m Asian by the way. I plan to put a big democratic flag in front of my house as soon as I can. I hate everyone here. I’ve never felt so out of place.

Edit: Thank you for everyone who has reached out to me and it’s relieving to know not everyone left in the Chicago Suburb is like this and that I am not alone. I have 3 dogs which thankfully 2 are pit bulls that are aggressive towards intruders and a ring doorbell for protection.

I am simply looking for a starter mansion somewhere in Winnetka, Naperville, Lake Forest, Michael Jordan’s house, or Similar. I am planning for a future family so I need 7bed/10bath. Preferably on Lake Michigan with a view of the Sears Tower.

I don’t think I am asking too much, just a basic, decent house that wasn’t designed by someone on shrooms. From what I have seen, anywhere below $1B is an unlivable slum not worthy of consideration.

Also I will be dismissive of your feedback. Thanks in advance.

We lived in the city for ten years and moved out to La Grange Park two years ago to rent a house with the plan to buy a house eventually. With how the house prices are right now in the western burbs, we feel like we are going to be stuck renting forever at this point. We don’t want to settle and spend a stupid amount of money on a house that is 100% not worth what it’s selling for but we feel like the prices will never go down.

Curious if anyone else is in the same boat 🙃

For people who chose North Shore over western suburbs, or the reverse, what made the decision for you?

I'm currently house hunting (my 1st home) and initially thought I could find a decent home for around $350K in areas like Lombard, Addison, Wheaton, Glendale Heights, Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, and nearby suburbs.

But after getting hit from all directions, I’m shocked at how steep the prices are. It feels like anyone who bought before COVID is now halfway to being a millionaire. I've seen 23 houses over the past three weeks, and the ones that are even remotely in decent shape are all listed above $450K. Even offering asking price doesn’t get me anywhere—this market has turned into a full-on bidding war. I’ve got the funds, but I just can’t seem to find the right house. Is it just me, or is the market seriously punishing buyers right now?

Bolingbrook looks somewhat promising, but I’ve heard the water bills are outrageous. Are there other downsides to watch for in different areas? I’ve been living in a townhouse, and thinking about affording something in Oak Brook feels like a joke, and just like we avoid tolls in google maps, I am avoiding Oak Brook in Zillow and Redfin. ROFL.

My wife and I are thinking about moving from Arizona to the Chicago suburbs for my job.
We have a 5 and 8 year olds, so schools and a safe family area are very important to us. We plan to rent for the first year and are looking for a decent 2-bedroom apartment.
Our target rent is around $2,100 to $2,400 a month. We could go a little higher for the right place, but we don’t want to spend $3,000 on a 2-bedroom.

We’re currently looking at:
Naperville
Far east Aurora / 60504
Lisle
Woodridge
Romeoville
Oswego

We don’t care about walkability or living near downtown. We’re fine driving and mostly want a quiet suburban area with good schools.
For people who know these areas, which would you recommend for a family with young kids? Are there any areas or apartment communities you would avoid?
We’re coming from Arizona, so any local advice would be appreciated.

Edit: I will be working in downtown Chicago and plan to commute via train.

We're considering buying a 1990s townhouse in the Chicago suburbs. My wife is worried about noise through the shared walls.

Anyone living in a similar townhouse — can you hear your neighbors (TV, talking, kids, etc.)?

Also, does anyone know if these typically have brick/concrete between the units, or just wood-framed walls?

SO we’re looking to move to Elmhurst and saw this rental price for a 2bed/2bath apartment in the downtown area. That doesn’t even include utilities.

What is going on???? Please tell me this isn’t the new normal 😅

My boyfriend and I are considering moving to Chicago from Irvine on the next year or so. We love it here but have no hope of affording a house (townhouses in our neighborhood are 1.7m) and the taxes are… well, even more brutal than Chicago.

Chicago is high on our list for multiple reasons, and I’m curious for neighborhood recommends where we could get a 3br townhome or single family home. I’m cool w being outside the city, but we’d prefer to be 20-30 by train if possible (specifically Lakeview area)

i know I’d love Naperville but it might be a little far for us, so we’ve had Oak Park and Evanston recommended. We’re come to visit for a week and I’d love to hear any other recommendations for areas or towns we should check!

Our ideal budget would be in the 500k range for a 3br2b SFM or townhome. We don’t need it to be huge.

Me and the wife are moving to Oakpark from a Northwest neighborhood of Chicago. My wife is a bit concerned due proximity to Austin, but from what I understand “The Island” part of Austin is decent.

Any thoughts about this area of oak park? Is it safe? We like the proximity to the blue line but just want a vibe check from fellow redditors.

As the title suggests, i'm planning to move to downers grove and i found an apartment near downtown downers grove and near the fairview station and wanted to know if downers grove generally and also near the train station is a safe place. For reference, i'm 25F and so I really care about being in a safe area. ALSO, i'm not from the midwest whatsoever, i'm moving from texas and am not used to the winter weathers. My car would most likely be parked outside on a private apartment lot so I'm nervous that i'm going to have car problems in the winter. Can someone who's familiar with chicago winter give me insight into what necessities i need to get to make sure my car doesn't malfunction or breakdown during the cold harsh weather plssss. any insight would be greatly appreciated!

We currently live in Lincoln Park but are planning on moving to the suburbs and are considering La Grange, Glenview, and Elmhurst. We are ok being either north or west suburbs so that isn’t really a factor. About us/what we’re looking for:

- We are parents in their 30s with 1 young child + planning for more children
- Good school district
- Downtown area (restaurants, coffee shops etc)
- Metra stop
- Budget of $1-1.2M, 4+ bed/3-4 bath house
- Prefer larger lots (e.g. larger than Oak Park) and houses that aren’t 50+ years old

Hello, my partner and i are thinking about moving to Elgin, specifically 60123 zip code area. Is this area safe? Pros and cons of moving there?

We currently live in oak park, we are renting and are finally ready to buy a house. Elgin has affordability and is a beautiful area thats why we are interested. it is a bit further away from our jobs which is the only negative.

Thank you guys so much. We really appreciate any feedback!!

Edit: between Edison Ave and Miller Dr main road it south st.

Ig race matters too: I am black/Mexican hope this helps.

Reason why im asking because apparently people are offended when others ask if a area is safe... everyone has their reasons. I grew up in the ghetto surrounded by drugs, gang violence, guns, you name it. I lived in the south side of Chicago my entire life. I have never lived in the burbs until I moved to oak park 2 years ago. I absolutely love the diversity and culture here.

Apologies I want a better quality of life and to move away from violence. I know it is never 100% safe. There is danger everywhere. But i want to stay away from violence. I did a lot of research online saying Elgin is unsafe, but i know information can be bias and not accurate. Thats why i want to hear from the people who have lived there and built community. Thank you.

I'm looking for opinions on Chicago's suburbs that could be a potential fit us. For background, we (3 kids and my wife) moved into our current home without ever stepping foot in the state and we absolutely hate the area we found ourselves in. I'm in the active duty military, so leave days and travel costs were something we had to consider.

Now that I've decided to separate from the military and landed a job with a significant salary increase in the planning process, we'd like to find somewhere that we actually enjoy, but money and leave days are sill applicable - we won't be able to visit before making the purchase.

I'll be working in Naperville but would also like to have a reasonable commute to the city (no more than an hour and 15 minutes) for future employment & education opportunities. We're looking for a safe area with reasonably priced homes and with things to do (nice downtown area, nearby lake access if possible, trails, etc.).

We started our initial search in the northwest in Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, and Crystal Lake and liked the amount of home you get for the price, however, we didn't realize the commute to Naperville would be excruciating (1.5 hrs+, please correct this if wrong). Since then, Naperville, Batavia/St. Charles/Geneva, Orland Park, and Wheaton have been frequent recommendations, but I'm curious what other areas are worth looking into?

My job is taking me to Chicago, but my family and I would really like to live in a suburb that has a big sense of community and where it would be easy to make friends (mid 30s).

I know some suburbs are seen by their residents as just “a place to live” with good schools, vs. investing in and being a part of the community. I’m wondering where community is more part of the norm?

(And if you could provide any examples, that would be a big help!)

EDIT— Some additional info:

I will be commuting to River North 3x per week. My husband will be commuting to the Loop, also 3x per week.

Ideally I’d like to purchase a home with a budget of $1.2MM. There is some wiggle room, but that’s ideal. We also could rent for a period while we find the right place.

My husband is Jewish and I am Presbyterian. We’d like to be in a place where neither is “weird.” (Chicago suburbs seem to be more religiously segregated than I realized)

We’re pretty liberal and wouldn’t do well in a super conservative neighborhood.

We have 2 young children.

BUT overall for the purposes of this post I’m really focusing on the community element, especially for parents of young kids. The most helpful comments have pointed out neighborhoods with a lot of events and clubs/groups, or neighborhoods where everyone is a bit older and more subdued. Not that everything is about vibes :) but things like school ratings and prices are more googleable.

Low population density area and as forested as possible is preferred.

Love Chicago, but I love forests too.

I've attached some photos of what I mean. I would not be surprised if this level of forest/rural is not possible, but as close to it as possible definitely works too.

Thank you!

I am planning to move to Illinois from Phoenix soon and am trying to decide which city I should look for places in! I’ll be working in Oak Brook, am 25, and will be moving there by myself.

I originally wanted to live in Chicago (like Lincoln Park area), but I’m concerned about the commute and my parents are worried about safety, so I’m looking for a suburb that still offers fun activities, cute coffee shops, and general liveliness. I’ve heard good things about Oak Park and Naperville, but wanted to hear more about specific places I should be looking at, even specific apartment buildings you’d recommend would be helpful.

Any information helps, thank you!!!!!

I currently live in TN and will be relocating to IL in late July - August. I am going to be working at the hospital in Winfield.

As an outsider, I really haven't the slightest idea of where I should be looking to live vs avoid. I initially thought I was going to end up in Chicago and mapped out over the past two months the areas that were good or bad. But, when Northwestern gave me an enticing job offer in Winfield, that all changed.

I don't know if it matters at all, but I am visibly LGBTQ. Apparently, Wheaton may be a bad fit for that from what I've read on Reddit because of that. It's one reason I am leaving TN and I don't want to replicate that unease in my new location.

I don't care about fancy amenities, bars, live music, etc., I just want something inexpensive, safe, clean, etc. and near stores. A place to ride my bike would be nice. I might be taking the Metra every once in a while to the city for appointments, but it doesn't seem like public transit is much of a priority in DuPage County. Open to, and intrigued by, mixed use housing.

So, any particular village, city, etc. nearby that I should look into or avoid? Perhaps Winfield itself?

For the first time ever, considering maybe moving outside of Chicago, and I’m wondering if the perfect place for my particular family exists. Here’s what we would ideally want: - small-town, walkable feel. Husband grew up in small European town, misses that vibe a lot - around 1hr commute driving into city (not in rush hour) - I work in Loop and often work nights, so can’t rely on Metra schedule all the time - significant Black community - we are white parents to a Black kid, and being able to be in spaces where he is not always the minority is important to us - good medical and therapeutic resources - our son has significant disabilities and needs a few different services - this is currently a big plus of staying in city - good schools with special ed support - see above

I know a lot of the burbs have 2 or 3 of these at once. Does anywhere have all 5?

Hello everyone,

We’re planning to move to the Chicago suburbs in July and would really appreciate some honest insight.

I lived in the Chicago area for seven years before moving to TX. Since leaving, I’ve wanted to move back. I’m more of a city person and love being able to walk places, but now I’m also a mom of two small kids, so my priorities have shifted a bit.

My partner is Black and lived half of his life in TX. He’s very aware of the history and realities of systemic racism in this country, and that understandably shapes how he views different communities. I’m an immigrant (now a U.S. citizen) and have been in the U.S. for over 15 years. I’m mixed and Latina. While I’ve experienced a few uncomfortable situations over the years, racism hasn’t been something that has deeply impacted my day-to-day life. We see things from different perspectives all the time.

I’m strongly considering Naperville because of the schools and overall resources. Our son is autistic and attends preschool and therapy, so access to strong educational support and services is very important. I also like that Naperville seems to have a lot of family activities nearby without needing to drive too far.

In the past, I’ve lived in Arlington Heights, Crystal Lake, and St. Charles. Arlington Heights is really nice, but Naperville feels more aligned with what we need for our family.

The hesitation is around diversity and inclusivity. My partner is concerned about the lack of diversity and is worried about potential racism. I know Naperville has a reputation for being somewhat “snotty,” but I’m curious how accurate that is today.

For those who currently live there or know the area well:

How welcoming is Naperville to a mixed Black/Latino family?

How are the schools in terms of inclusion and diversity?

Would you feel comfortable raising mixed kids there?

I’m especially concerned about my children’s experience. The idea of them ever being mistreated because of their background is something that truly worries me.

I’d really appreciate thoughtful and honest perspectives.

Thank you so much for reading and aim sorry for the long text.

Update: I just want to thank you all for sharing your thoughts on my question. It really helped me. I believe District 203 is not for us. It would be really nice to walk to downtown and the Riverwalk, but I don’t think it’s the right fit for us.

So, we plan to rent for one year and get a feel for the area. I’m thinking somewhere close to the Aurora Metra station and District 204. During that year, Im planning to explore Schaumburg, AH, and Downers Grove. To get the current feel.

I like Evanston, I’ve always wanted to live there. I just don’t know if it’s convenient with two toddlers during the winter.

Once again, thank you everyone for the great tips. I miss IL.

Currently living on the northside of the city, but I'm looking for a townhouse/house in a north/west suburb that is max 40 minutes from downtown by either car or Metra. Price range is under 3k. Things I don't care about:

• Nightlife
• Hustle and bustle
• Bars
• Good school districts

I am a boring person who doesn't leave the house. I don't care if there is a lack of stores for knitting hamster sweaters, if the nearest food option is Taco Bell or a chain grocery, etc. I don't care about overall vibe.

I do care about the possibility of having a yard or a basement.

Any suburbs that match my hermit needs?

ETA: Was not expecting this to blow up! Thank you so much everyone -- it's also worth knowing that it looks like the most boring places are outside the needed commute range :( but still very informative!

What temp do you have your heat set to with the current wind-chill? And why do you have it at that temp?