Moving within Chicago Suburbs (Naperville, Arlington Heights: home, school districts, closing)

[JABCTB]

Currently we live in Naperville but I will need to start commuting to Addison and possibly Northbrook. Is there a good option that is nearby or between the two?
Elements we are looking for:
Good schools
Affordable housing ($350-$425K) 3-4 bed/2.5 bath
active health/fitness culture
Town center (not just a bedroom community)

My husband is a stay-at-home Dad and teaches yoga, boxing, martial arts, and is a trainer.
Naperville has not been great for oppportunities for him so we are hoping that a move might offer more possibilities, plus be a little less conservative than Naperville. (more accepting of stay at home Dad's who teach yoga/martial arts) (more facilities to teach in)

We have been looking around but it seems like open minded suburbs like Evanston are super expensive. Other Northshore suburbs get more expensive and more conservative. St. Charlies seems like it might be closer to what we are seeking but it is nowhere near Addison or Northbrook.
Is there something out there for what we are looking for or are all the elements I am trying to fit together just not possible?

[cubssoxfan]

This should be on the Chicago Suburbs forum.
Unless you are commuting to Northbrook often, why move because you are doing a Naperville to Addison commute? Are you looking for justifications to move because you don't like where you live or are you trying to trim your 40 minute commute to a 15-20 minute commute? Or are you going to Northbrook often? Moving is expensive! I always figure $5-10K minimum to move when you add moving costs, fixing up new place, closing costs etc......
Depending on where in Addison, parts of Arlington Heights/Prospect Heights/Mt. Prospect will put you 20-30 minutes from both and in good school districts. I'm near Rte 83 & palatine Rd and it is about 30 minutes to Rohlwing & North (quicker sometimes) and about 20 minutes to many parts of Northbrook (sometimes a little longer getting through traffic backup at Palatine between Milwaukee and Sanders or Euclid between Rte 45 and Milwaukee)

[chet everett]

When it comes to towns with active people I just do not think you are going to find more folks into fitness than any other suburb smaller than Naperville.

If you want to be closer to Northbrook and still within acceptable distance of Addison about the only town that I would recommend woukd be DesPlaines, but I doubt there is any more of fitness scene there than N'ville... Schools are not at the same level either.


While Naperville is no Berkely CA, Madison WI or Ann Arbor MI I don't think you'll find a place in the region any more open to a SAHD running ia yoga / martial arts business...