North suburbs vs West suburbs vs South suburbs (Chicago, Aurora: homes, find a job)

[ColdAilment]

When comparing these three suburban regions of Chicagoland which area do you think offers the most and best in amenities, quality of life, and overall capacity and potential?

For purposes of establishing boundaries for each region, the South Side suburbs extend east to include the neighboring Indiana counties of Lake and Porter county, and obviously southern Cook County. The North Side suburbs extend north into southern Wisconsin, including Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha, etc. The West Side suburbs extend westward towards Aurora, obviously. As far as drawing the line between West and North and West and South I'll leave that up to the more long time residents, as I've only moved here in the last 6 months and am still becoming familiar with the Western and Northern suburbs.

[mr roboto]

On this board? West burbs will run away. Bunch Stepford Napervillians and Glen Ellyians.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

On this board? West burbs will run away. Bunch Stepford Napervillians and Glen Ellyians.

I'm just trying to get a good idea on where most Chicago suburbanites prefer to live I guess, I thought Evanston had a lot going for it? Then you have Wilmette, Ravinia, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Grayslake, and Gurnee with Six Flags Great America, they've got to count for something I would think.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

I'm just trying to get a good idea on where most Chicago suburbanites prefer to live I guess, I thought Evanston had a lot going for it? Then you have Wilmette, Ravinia, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Grayslake, and Gurnee with Six Flags Great America, they've got to count for something I would think.

I love Evanston. Lots of people love Wilmette and other north shore suburbs, but they tend to be expensive and really if you want night life, the only suburb that has that on the north is Evanston. A lot really depends on what you want in a town.

[4122]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

I'm just trying to get a good idea on where most Chicago suburbanites prefer to live I guess, I thought Evanston had a lot going for it? Then you have Wilmette, Ravinia, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Grayslake, and Gurnee with Six Flags Great America, they've got to count for something I would think.

Ravinia isn't actually a town. It actually used to be a very long time ago, but now it's part of Highland Park. For me, I would pick Southeastern Wisconsin because the cost of living is better and Wisconsin's economy is way better than Illinois'. Northwest Indiana is a nice alternative to living outside of Illinois yet still being in the Chicagoland, but I like Southeastern Wisconsin better, although a plus side to living in NWI would be lower property taxes. If I had to pick a region overall, it would be the north suburbs. The west suburbs are nice too and so are the southwest suburbs imo.

[mr roboto]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

I'm just trying to get a good idea on where most Chicago suburbanites prefer to live I guess, I thought Evanston had a lot going for it? Then you have Wilmette, Ravinia, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Grayslake, and Gurnee with Six Flags Great America, they've got to count for something I would think.

I prefer the northern burns but that's cause I know them better. I was mostly kidding with my comment above.

Theres a ton in both the north and west burbs. For me nothing competes with the lake though.

[BrianHunter]

Each direction has good suburbs with good schools so you have to look at amenities that are only available in a particular direction. For me living in a suburb that borders lake Michigan is huge because i lIke to fish aND hAve a boat. the near west burbs are most central for getting around the chicago area and airports etc. But that is not something I need to do.

[nikitakolata]

Well, personally, I loved living in Evanston except for when I had to get anywhere else in the region. The lack of expressway access there is a problem. Downtown Evanston is the best suburban downtown in the region though, IMO.

Now we're live in Elmhurst and I love it here. It is much easier to get around and that is a definite plus. Downtown Elmhurst is not as grand as Evanston, but it has enough for us.

If we had unlimited money then we would probably live in the northern suburbs, but that just isn't reality. So, I think the lower cost gives the western suburbs the edge for me.

[ToriaT]

About the only thing the north suburbs have over the western suburbs is the lake and the huge lakeside mansions and estates of old money which really don't exist in the same way in the western suburb, although there are a lot of people with cash here. Otherwise I think the western burbs have them beat as a whole. Really, if you have to pick you can't really lose much because they are both nice. I think the western suburbs has better modern homes and mc mansion type places. Shopping...I think we have either equal or a little better. I was at Oakbrook Mall yesterday and its truly beautiful in the warm weather.

[cpm55]

Originally Posted by 4122

Ravinia isn't actually a town. It actually used to be a very long time ago, but now it's part of Highland Park. For me, I would pick Southeastern Wisconsin because the cost of living is better and Wisconsin's economy is way better than Illinois'. Northwest Indiana is a nice alternative to living outside of Illinois yet still being in the Chicagoland, but I like Southeastern Wisconsin better, although a plus side to living in NWI would be lower property taxes. If I had to pick a region overall, it would be the north suburbs. The west suburbs are nice too and so are the southwest suburbs imo.

I don't know if Wisconsin has a better economy, I couldn't find a job in WI that pays anything like what I get in Chicagoland, plus the number of employers are way less. I think you may be referring to pension crisis and bond rating, but our income taxes are still lower and the northern burbs (further away from WI) have much much higher performing schools.

WI does offer cheaper housing and more space but that is about all these days.