Looking for a suburb near Indiana - southern Chicagoland area (Tinley Park: crime rate, homes)

[deechee]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

That quote sums it up in a nutshell. We all have our different comfort levels that influence where we live. It goes beyond demographics and can include density, mix of housing, lot sizes, how wooded or un-woooded an area is, how new or old and many others.
I do not know enough about the south suburbs to draw a comparison, but I can say that I see a lot of similarities between Naperville and Orland Park.

Lol not sure how I missed that one. Orland is very much like Naperville.

Originally Posted by linicx

I think for anyone who is interested in demographics a link can be posted to each town. I supose if a white millionaire business owner is offended by living next to a black millionaire business owner (or vice versa) it could be a problem, but I don't know why. You can pick your neighbor today but you can't ten years from today or when demographics change.

I do not see anything to be gained by dragging racism in to every post about H-F or OF. I live in a rural community 50 miles from any town of size.that is comprised mainly of while farmers. Yet we have Black, Indian, Oriental, Native American and Hispanic residents. Unless you live in a farming town that has a population of 100 or less you are probably not going to find a lilly white community in Illinois. It is certainly unlikely it can found in Chicago or its suburbs.

THANK YOU

[Wessel]

Originally Posted by linicx

Yet we have Black, Indian, Oriental, Native American and Hispanic residents.

People are Asian.

A rug is oriental.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by linicx

I think for anyone who is interested in demographics a link can be posted to each town.

But isn't the City-Data forum here to discuss city data? This can be said about anything. Why have a forum at all? Just look up these links.

Originally Posted by linicx

I supose if a white millionaire business owner is offended by living next to a black millionaire business owner (or vice versa) it could be a problem, but I don't know why.

Well, Lininx, the reason why is because there are a lot more than two people living in a block. Even the zaniest City-Data postings about the south suburbs have not been complaints about one single solitary neighbor. Have you ever been the minority? Most of the white folks in Olympia Fields live on blocks where black households clearly outnumber the white households. It's human nature to to not like to be singled out. I'm from the south suburbs and I've been the only white kid on the block, sat in almost entirely black classrooms and gone to jobs where I was the only white guy in my department. I know how it is and I wouldn't judge someone from Naperville, Arlington Heights or rural IL who feels a little bit uncomfortable in Olympia Fields. My problem is when people are ignorant and talk like a place is oh-so-ghetto just because they were passing though one day and saw a bunch of black people. Or when people who lived there come up with excuses and can't just come out an honestly say, "I DIDN'T LIKE BEING THE MINORITY". It kinda pisses me off, actually.

Originally Posted by linicx

I do not see anything to be gained by dragging racism in to every post about H-F or OF.

H-F High School and Olympia Fields? Actually, in my recollection and in my opinion, as far as heated discussions about race go, these should prabobly go down in the hall of fame:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...down-tube.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...umet-city.html

Notice how neither of these threads have Olympia Fields, Homewood or Flossmoor in the title. In fact, let's face it. Those who bash the south suburbs have been pretty easy on Homewood, Flossmoor and Olympia Fields. While towns like Lansing have been accused of being crime-ridden slums full of "section 8" even if they aren't.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by urza216

But isn't the City-Data forum here to discuss city data? This can be said about anything. Why have a forum at all? Just look up these links.
Notice how neither of these threads have Olympia Fields, Homewood or Flossmoor in the title. In fact, let's face it. Those who bash the south suburbs have been pretty easy on Homewood, Flossmoor and Olympia Fields. While towns like Lansing have been accused of being crime-ridden slums full of "section 8" even if they aren't.

Hey, I like Lansing.

I wouldn't say HF and OF have had it easy, but they are getting a regular beating here on the forum. Mostly unnecessary.

[linicx]

Urza, you are not alone. I was the only white guy in a black business. It didn't bother me one bit because I grew up in an integrated town. Surely by now everyone in the world knows Chicago is not Easter lily white, and it was founded by a black French-Canadian that lived in Peoria, Illinois.

Please explain to me why it is absolutely necessary to discuss color in every post specifically focused on the South Suburbs? I don't understand it, I really don't. If I live in a million dollar house in OF and my neighbor doesn't look me, I will celebrate the diversity; maybe I can learn something new and exciting.

I not 16; I don't know everythingl, and I do not have a closed mind to education. Explain this phenomenon to me.

Originally Posted by urza216

But isn't the City-Data forum here to discuss city data? This can be said about anything. Why have a forum at all? Just look up these links.



Well, Lininx, the reason why is because there are a lot more than two people living in a block. Even the zaniest City-Data postings about the south suburbs have not been complaints about one single solitary neighbor. Have you ever been the minority? Most of the white folks in Olympia Fields live on blocks where black households clearly outnumber the white households. It's human nature to to not like to be singled out. I'm from the south suburbs and I've been the only white kid on the block, sat in almost entirely black classrooms and gone to jobs where I was the only white guy in my department. I know how it is and I wouldn't judge someone from Naperville, Arlington Heights or rural IL who feels a little bit uncomfortable in Olympia Fields. My problem is when people are ignorant and talk like a place is oh-so-ghetto just because they were passing though one day and saw a bunch of black people. Or when people who lived there come up with excuses and can't just come out an honestly say, "I DIDN'T LIKE BEING THE MINORITY". It kinda pisses me off, actually.



H-F High School and Olympia Fields? Actually, in my recollection and in my opinion, as far as heated discussions about race go, these should prabobly go down in the hall of fame:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...down-tube.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...umet-city.html

Notice how neither of these threads have Olympia Fields, Homewood or Flossmoor in the title. In fact, let's face it. Those who bash the south suburbs have been pretty easy on Homewood, Flossmoor and Olympia Fields. While towns like Lansing have been accused of being crime-ridden slums full of "section 8" even if they aren't.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by linicx

urza, you are not alone. I was the only white guy in a black business. It didn't bother me one bit because i grew up in an integrated town. Surely by now everyone in the world knows chicago is not easter lily white, and it was founded by a black french-canadian that lived in peoria, illinois.

Please explain to me why it is absolutely necessary to discuss color in every post specifically focused on the south suburbs? I don't understand it, i really don't. If i live in a million dollar house in of and my neighbor doesn't look me, i will celebrate the diversity; maybe i can learn something new and exciting.

I not 16; i don't know everythingl, and i do not have a closed mind to education. Explain this phenomenon to me.

again, thank you!

[sunnyandcloudydays]

hey deechee- I agree with you. The south burbs get slammed. You never hear good things about the south burbs its kind of sad . but these places have some hidden gems. even Steger- I was driving thru that area north of steger and the homes easily were nicer than some homes in Frankfort that are put on a pedestal and the lots were 5 times larger and wooded.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by linicx

Surely by now everyone in the world knows Chicago is not Easter lily white, and it was founded by a black French-Canadian that lived in Peoria, Illinois.

I hate to say it, but it is not certain he was part black. The only thing that is certain is that he had a French name and spoke French.

[Wessel]

Originally Posted by linicx

Please explain to me why it is absolutely necessary to discuss color in every post specifically focused on the South Suburbs? I don't understand it, I really don't. If I live in a million dollar house in OF and my neighbor doesn't look me, I will celebrate the diversity; maybe I can learn something new and exciting.

I not 16; I don't know everythingl, and I do not have a closed mind to education. Explain this phenomenon to me.

I've lurked here for a while before I decided to join. And what I've observed during that time is when posters do try and explain the long standing racial issues that are specific to Chicago's south suburban area, their posts are removed.

And others views are allowed to remain though the picture they paint may be more palatable, they are lacking in truth.

There are serious problems in the south suburbs and none of them have to do with race. There are crime issues, poverty issues, lack of quality education issues, lack of high income opportunity issues. A majority of the problems got worse when the black/white dynamic flip flopped.

It would be easy - and false - to say "oh, blacks brought down the south side." On the surface, that's the easy answer. But it's also completely untrue.

The problem with south burbs like Calumet City, Dolton, Riverdale and the like is the QUALITY of the recent residents of the last decade, not the COLOR. And when it comes to the few upscale areas like Flossmoor and Homewood, they're not cesspools. But will those towns mirror the decline of the surrounding areas? One would have to have their head buried in the sand to not think that there may be issues in the years ahead.

[allen2323]

For anyone who bothers to take a gander at the actual income and poverty statistics and not just making there assumption based on what they see as far as race. The far southern suburbs has four times as many middle class areas as it has lower income areas. And with the exception of solidly middle class, closer in south holland. What some people hate to admit is most of the worst south suburbs are just as close to, if not even closer to middle class Northwest indiana towns and nearby southwest suburbs as they are to most of the nicer far southern suburbs. Which maybe plays into the distorted perception mostly coming from people who live in towns in NWI as they seem to be a lot closer and more familiar with the problem areas. Ford heights and east chicago heights for example, sits along the indiana border. In close proximity to several middle class NWI towns such as dyer. Calumet city borders hammond. Not that calumet city is a completely low income area. Infact hammond residents have a much lower median income and a higher murder rate, and is located right next to munster. Harvey, phoenix, robbins and riverdale are just as close to both NWI towns such as munster and to middle class southwest suburbs such as oak forest, tinley park, and crestwood. As they are to middle class and affluent far southern suburbs such as is to flossmoor, olympia fields, homewood, or matteson.

And as for high crime rates, for chicagoland as a whole the crime in the far southern suburbs is not higher. West suburban Hinsdale has about the same crime rate as flossmoor. Oak brook has about the same crime rate as olympia fields. The crime rate in oak park is comparable to homewood. And the crime rate in affluent west suburban river forest is double the crime rate in flossmoor.