Relocating to Joliet area, need help. (Chicago, Naperville: fit in, affordable houses, magnet school) - Chicago Suburbs - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

Mbalmer · 06-18-2011, 08:09 AM

My wife and I (2 kids, 4 and 2 years old) are thinking of moving to Joliet because I have a job offer there that looks very good. However, I don't think that Joliet looks very good. Is it unreasonable to work in Joliet but live somewhere else?

I have been doing some research, but it is a little overwhelming. Plainfield looked nice, but we didn't know about commuting for work.

We are looking for a place that is safe, clean, with lots of families.

What are your thoughts on Joliet? Plainfield? Is Naperville to far to commute?

Anything about this would be helpful.

Thanks.

sunnyandcloudydays · 06-19-2011, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mbalmer

My wife and I (2 kids, 4 and 2 years old) are thinking of moving to Joliet because I have a job offer there that looks very good. However, I don't think that Joliet looks very good. Is it unreasonable to work in Joliet but live somewhere else?

I have been doing some research, but it is a little overwhelming. Plainfield looked nice, but we didn't know about commuting for work.

We are looking for a place that is safe, clean, with lots of families.

What are your thoughts on Joliet? Plainfield? Is Naperville to far to commute?

Anything about this would be helpful.

Thanks.

Hi,
Where are you moving from and what are your likes
What is most important to you
What does your family enjoy

Fortunatley Joliet is close to many area including the areas you had mentioned.

Here is a a short list of cities and villages that would be within easy striking distance of Joliet

Shorewood, Plainfield, Mokena, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Oak Forest,
New Lenox, Bolingbrook, Lemont, Homer Glen.
If your looking for a smaller area that is growing and in a more rural type setting I would mention Manhattan , IL too.

These suburbs are all nice and close to Joliiet via Interstate 80 for the most part

Personally I would choose Tinely Park , Orland Prak , Oak Forest
I like the areas because they have easy access to Chicago and in todays
work environment the last thing you want to do is be boxed in if something would happen to your job.

Please do not overlook the other areas as they will probably have something you like and to be honest they are all very nice and very safe communities that you and your family would be love

Mbalmer · 06-19-2011, 09:25 AM

I am moving from a small town in Iowa. I would love to keep that small town feel and ability to be active in the community.

I would be working in Joliet, and I don't know about my wife.

I really, really, really, HAVE to have good public schools that I would feel safe sending my children too. It is overwhelming when you come from a small town.

I will check out the towns you listed. It looks like New Lenox and Manhattan have the Lincoln-Way Schools? I have read that they are very good, is that the general feeling that you get?

Thanks for replying!!

jan41978 · 06-19-2011, 12:47 PM

I live in Joliet with Plainfield schools. We live in a wonderful safe subdivision with excellent public schools. There are some areas of Joliet that I personally would avoid living in and would never send my kids to Joliet public schools. Others may disagree but that's my opinion. The Plainfield school district is outstanding and there are many affordable houses either in Plainfield or Joliet that are in that district. Shorewood sends their kids to Joliet schools. What price range are you looking in? I'd be happy to recommend some subdivisions to look at in the Joliet/Plainfiled are with Plainfield schools.

Mbalmer · 06-19-2011, 02:36 PM

As far as price range goes for a home, I would like to be around the 200,000 mark, give or take 25,000.

The most important thing for me is to have a safe subdivision that is in a good, safe public school district.

I checked out Manhattan a little bit and it looks really nice. I have heard mixed things about the Plainfield school system. Are there some schools in Plainfield that I would want to stay away from? Also, as communities grow and change do they often "re-district" the schools where one year my kids would be in a good system, and then the next year they could be in a not-so-good system?

Manhattan looks like the kids (high school, which is a long way off) go to the Lincoln-Way Schools. Is that correct?

If you want to suggest some subdivisions that would be great.

jan41978 · 06-19-2011, 05:34 PM

I don't know much about Manhatten so I can't say too much about that. The thing about Plainfield schools is some of the schools are very large and the kids seem to sometimes get lost in the shuffle. However the newer subdivisions don't seem to experience this as the majority have elementry schools within them, with several sharing middle schools, and then two middle schools feeding into 1 high school. The thing I like about this is in grade school my kids can walk to play with just about everyone in their class. At least that's how it works in my area which is the southwest Plainfield/Joliet border. It's almost a rural area to a certain extent with quite a few corn fields still surronding the subdivisions yet everything you could possibly want as far as shopping and entertainment is within a 10 to 15 minute drive. Some of the subdivisions that would fit in your price range would be Wesmere(Plainfield), Clublands(Plainfield), Theodore's Ridge(Joliet), and Greywall Club(Joliet). All of these are Plainfield school district 202. Hope some of this helps!

jan41978 · 06-19-2011, 05:37 PM

As far as redistricting I have not personally experienced that in the 5 years we've been in the Plainfield school district. We have kids in grade school, jr high, and high school and overall it's been a very positive experience. The schools have a lot of great activities and resources for the kids and I've been very happy with their progress and quality of education.

sunnyandcloudydays · 06-20-2011, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mbalmer

I am moving from a small town in Iowa. I would love to keep that small town feel and ability to be active in the community.

I would be working in Joliet, and I don't know about my wife.

I really, really, really, HAVE to have good public schools that I would feel safe sending my children too. It is overwhelming when you come from a small town.

I will check out the towns you listed. It looks like New Lenox and Manhattan have the Lincoln-Way Schools? I have read that they are very good, is that the general feeling that you get?

Thanks for replying!!

http://www.tinleypark.org/

Yes the schools are top notch
I did notice I had forgot to mention Frankfort- Frankfort might be exactly what you are looking for in your search.Frankfort School District 157-C
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/IL/sc...67/school.aspx
Frankfort School District 157-C

Vlajos · 06-20-2011, 03:21 PM

I wouldn't live in Joliet.

MannheimMadman · 06-20-2011, 08:44 PM

The general vibe you'd get from these forums is to not live in Joliet. For the most part, it's true. Even if you were to strip away all the financial problems the city has, there isn't much going for it. Not a lot of good jobs for the most part and a pretty terrible public school system on the whole. They have one excellent magnet school for K-5, but for 6-12 you're at the mercy of their system. My wife went to Joliet Catholic Academy, which is a great school if you've got the cash.

Like I've written before - Joliet has such great history and some beautiful architecture. It's a shame it's all tumbling downhill. You can get a beautiful 19th century victorian home for nothing down there. So much wasted opportunity.