What's so bad about Bolingbrook IL?

[LakeCountyBang]

Originally Posted by djohnson7577

Been in Bolingbrook a month, everywhere we go, people do not speak, walk past you, bump you without saying excuse me. It is a lovely area, we like living here, but the demeanor, has left much to be desired so far.

That moment when you bump a 8 year old thread...

[SporlockTheMagnificent7]

You mean other than Drew Peterson?

ZING! DATED REFERENCE!

[CozyGlass dot com]

We have lived very happily without any trouble in the northeast part of Bolingbrook for over 6 years. Now that we need to relocate, we are surprised to hear the comments we receive when we mention we have a house to sell in Bolingbrook. I have been researching this subject and found that the crime rate is much higher just north of us in Woodridge where the houses sell for about $100,000 higher on average for comparable property. On Trulia our neighborhood is showing completely green. Yellow and red areas don't show up at all until you cross the Woodridge border to our north. Stumps me why people are paying 100k more for a house in neighborhoods with crime. We walk to the promenade shopping mall and restaurants all the time and have never even seen anything to be afraid of.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by CozyGlass dot com

We have lived very happily without any trouble in the northeast part of Bolingbrook for over 6 years. Now that we need to relocate, we are surprised to hear the comments we receive when we mention we have a house to sell in Bolingbrook. I have been researching this subject and found that the crime rate is much higher just north of us in Woodridge where the houses sell for about $100,000 higher on average for comparable property. On Trulia our neighborhood is showing completely green. Yellow and red areas don't show up at all until you cross the Woodridge border to our north. Stumps me why people are paying 100k more for a house in neighborhoods with crime. We walk to the promenade shopping mall and restaurants all the time and have never even seen anything to be afraid of.

I have co-workers that live in the same part of Bolingbrook as you do and I understand the frustration you feel -- there really are some nice options in that part of town. The relative number of "police reports" that are recorded in Woodridge neighborhoods of similarly sized homes is almost identical, the incidence of police being called in the apartment and condo complexes where there are lots of renters is almost certainly what you are seeing -- that is a pretty standard pattern. Renting means more opportunities for folks to be upset by a noisy party, people feuding over a parking space, or just immature renters not respecting others privacy. The relative "target" of a parking lot full of cars means that thieves and vandals also strike in rental situations much more frequently than in areas where single family detached homes are more common.

The bigger factors that motivate folks to pay more in Woodridge tend to be the relative performance of the high schools much more so than "crime".

School quality for folks in Woodridge served by Downers Grove South that is much more well regarded than either Bolingbrook or Romeoville High -- Valley View CUSD 365u Public Schools | Illinois | Best High Schools | US News

vs

Downers Grove South High School in Downers Grove, IL | US News Best High Schools The relative desirability of DG North, as well the better access to Metra makes the northern parts of that district even more costly -- Community High School District 99 Public Schools | Illinois | Best High Schools | US News

For folks looking for relatively good value north of Bolingbrook they often consider Lisle -- Lisle High School in Lisle, IL | US News Best High Schools

There are some parts of Bolingbrook that are served by Naperville schools, and those areas tend to have solid home values.

[CozyGlass dot com]

Thanks chet,
We really felt we got a lot for our money when we bought here and we put a lot of love and money into the property since then. Whoever eventually buys it will be very lucky to get all this for what things sell for here.

[ozzie5555]

Originally Posted by lifelongchicagoland

Let me preface this by informing you that I grew up in Bolingbrook from the 3rd grade until I graduated high school and still have friends who live in the area.

Bolingbrook, although it certainly does try, is NOT a safe town by any means. I have seen more drug deals, fights, and domestic disturbances than I care to remember growing up. My parents moved from an inner suburb thinking it would be a better life for the family. Although we had a huge house for what we paid (that's what sucked them in) I would never raise my kids here nor purchase a home here. Our home got broken into three times and this was supposedly on the nicer west part of town. At BHS I witnessed beatdowns, daily fights, and general mayham. Take a look at the Illinois School report card and notice the below average test scores and high percentage of low income students. Many school also struggle with huge student turnover as Bolingbrook tends to have a more transient population than it's surrounding towns.

The weirdest memory I have is being a high school freshman talking to the gudience officer regarding what collages to look at and being told that although I was an honor roll student I should consider vocational school. Mind you I had nearly straight A's in honor roll classes. That was the mentality there. Just earn a living and get a job right out of high school. Also, it seemed that many residents HATED Chicago with a passion. When I announced I wanted to go to school there I was literally told by neighbors that I should consider going downstate because Chicago was "a dying ghetto with nothing to offer someone in their collage years."

I noticed that most people that moved in were from either Chicago, Joliet, or from out of town. You never saw anyone moving in from places like Plainfield, Naperville, Downers Grove etc. They knew better than to invest in Bolingbrook.

On a positive note there is a lot of pride in Bolingbrook toward the town. Many residents (including my parents) will probably get upset after reading this post but I am telling it like it is. I do miss all the shopping and the diversity of the residents. For someone in a lower income bracket Bolingbrook would probably be more attractive option than lets say Harvey or Calumet City. Nicer than Naperville etc? Seriously, who are you trying to kid?

[lifelongchicagoland]

After being scolded by the spelling police, I wanted to share my reflections on my hometown. It helps being a few years older and wiser.

Bolingbrook is not a bad place by any means. It’s simply has a rougher, more blue collar character to it than its surrounding communities. You’re more likely to see diverse neighbors - which is a positive. It also has more what I would consider lower class quality of life issues: pitbulls, gangs at BHS, domestic abuse, unkept yards, things of that nature. It’s certainly not the ghetto, but even 15 years after moving and coming back for Easter, it has a slightly sketchy vibe.

What I really appreciate about growing up there was the exposure I had to diverse groups of people, and a sense of pride by many of the comminity members. After moving to Chicago after college, and living in Berwyn, La Grange, and now Scottsdale AZ, I find myself missing the “ what you see is what you get” attitude that Bolingbrook has. Here in Scottsdale it’s much showier, and that took some getting used to. Bolingbrook also has great parks, something I took for granted.

Again, I stand by my comments, but realize that Bolingbrook is A-OK!

[Truthtella]

I grew up in the section 8 housing in Bolingbrook. I lived here 20 years lived in Downers Grove Aurora Joliet and Chicago. Over the past 10 years they've grown towards the positive for sure. This was 1 of the 1st chicago suburbs to offer the subsidized section 8 housing when they were moving people out from the projects in Chicago. Beaconridge , Innsbruck ( now promenade apts) Winston village , sunridge and the oaks had 4s GDS Vicelords kings stones SDs etc. I notice alot of improvement but depending where you grew up you may have a different experience i was around alot of shoot outs n fights. Murder rate not like Joliet Aurora Cicero or Maywood. Its blue collar Diverse and on the rise. The Mayor has made very smart decisions!

[doodlemagic]

I personally think Bolingbrook is really on the upswing, if I'm not mistaken they have been rated as having one of the better parks system, promendate is pretty nice, they have a great dog park off Royce Road and a little walking trail. Bolingbrook is safe and incredibly affordable for what you get.

That said Bolingbrook has this bad rap that's hard to shake. I feel like even the "sketchier" areas have improved such as near Foremost Liquors on 53 and Boughgton and even over by 53 and 55 has gotten better.

Bolingbrook has also extended in several directions to where parts of Bolingbrook are indistinguishable from Naperville ie where 95th connects to boughton and also where boughton connects to Naperville plainfield. The area over by Ikea is pretty nice and blends into whatever burb that is Darien or Westmont or something like that.

I will say Bolingbrook high school seems pretty sketchy. I remember back when I used to get the local papers a lot of stuff inthe crime section about a fight or whatever at school, I believe they had a stabbing a while back. I used to drive by that area as I had a buddy who lived in one of the apartments on Lilly Cache and when school got out it just seemed trashy, kids cussing, fighting, etc.

I think part of it is Bolingbrook will never be at Naperville's level because its not all white kids, I'm not someone whos' rah rah diversity or a social justice warrior so that means a lot me saying that, but it's the truth, when you have more than the token brown kid or two the suburb isn't gonna be on the same level as a Naperville but Bolingbrook is very nice and seems to be improving, if they could just continue to turn the high school around that would do alot IMHO

[Truthtella]

Bolingbrook was the first suburb or village in Will county with a Murder that was directly tied to gangs in the 90s. You had section 8 apartments and townhomes such as Beaconridge, Innsbruck( Now upgraded to promenade apartments) Sunridge, Riverside apartments(aka woodcreek) The oaks , and around where the now old highschool is located. It’s had Gangster Disciples, 4ch, Vice Lords, Stones, Latin Kings , Two Six, Satan Disciples, BDs, and more. The mayor stopped low income housing and section 8 years ago and they’ve cleaned up a lot of the gang activity. Bolingbrook has about half the town where crime is extremely low and a nice suburb feel. You still have certain elements now, but I’d agree it has always been a blue collar , place and job opportunities are booming. Bolingbrook has always been different and hard to put in a box. Even had many visitors back in the day when it was the location for “Old Chicago”. Overall very diverse, not much random crime , but if you want trouble you’ll definitely find it. Great jobs, people should be nicer to each other. To many people acting tough but also very open minded and inclusive community.