Which west or southwest Chicago suburbs to live in?

[WildWestDude]

Well, do look into areas in NW Indiana! Yes Indiana. It sounds far but its closer to Chicago than many of its IL suburbs and its within an hours drive to Midway.
You will get much much more of a house there, much lower property taxes and an overall lower cost of living. There is a NW Indiana section in the Indiana city-data forum you could look for more info. Suburbs like Munster, Schererville and St. John are fantastic places to live with excellent schools.

[XoMommaBearXo]

Budget is around 300+ for buying. Wouldn't be buying for a year. We actually found a house to rent in Darien for the year well we get antiquated to the area. Looking for a good schools, close to bars/restaurants, etc.

[maybetoday]

We live in Frankfort and my husband goes to midway often, not a bad commute, great community feel and good schools.

[holl1ngsworth]

If you are considering the Western burbs, I would recommend Wheaton. In their April issue of this year, Chicago Mag ranked Wheaton as one of the best places to live in the Chicago area.

I would recommend checking out the Chicago Mag article. It's a great place to start your search. Then hit the ground and check out the towns first hand.

Wheaton and La Grange are probably the best fit for your wants. La Grange is closer to the city and feels like it. Tight lots on a rigid grid, but it's downtown is second to none. Wheaton is lovely and green, tons of parks and tons of active young families. It has a picturesque downtown which also serves has the hub for all three branches of the Illinois Prairie Path.

Many Southwest burbs are great too, but they tend to feel like bedroom communities and lack vibrant downtown areas. Burbs in the West are more mature and many were built around a central downtown.