Best South Chicago Neighborhoods? (Lansing, South Holland: condo, crime, taxes)

[Tom Berquist]

Dear knowledgeable Chicagoans;

My daughter who will be teaching at Notre Dame in SouthBend and her spouse working downtown Chicago can't afford the expensive suburbs but want a city/cultural life. Where can you go, be close enough to South Bend to be able to do the commute and still be in a good, affordable area? Really appreciate some suggestions.

[Flatlander]

Well, I wish I could help; I've lived in the Chicago area forever and would not consider the south end. Sorry. I read the newspaper daily and most of the crime in the area comes from that corridor. I think Jim Croce said it best years ago when he sang "Well, the south side of Chicago, is the baddest part of town..." or something like that.

BUT, if I did have to live on the south side I'd look at Hyde Park. What about Hinsdale; I know you said they can't afford an expensive suburb but what about a condo? At least they'd be safe.

[NSH]

I have lived on the south side for my entire life, there is absolutely nothing wrong with living here. Who bases opinion on a song by Jim Croce from 1972?

Anywho, Beverly, Morgan Park and Mt Greenwood all offer great family atmosphere and make for an easy commute to IN.

Probably the only thing negative with living on the south side is the way you are looked at from people up north who just don't get it.

Here is a flickr link to get a flavor of the neighborhood...
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=beverly%20chicago&w=all

[garsky]

You should probably consider n'west Indiana, too. Munster is a cute little town, and Metra runs a train from downtown Chicago into Indiana (in fact, all the way to South Bend).

[MarquettePark]

Who's job pays more, daughter's or husbands,

Does Husband's job, require him to travel thruout the day once he arrives to work,

Which state has highest taxes?

I suggest looking into South Holland, Lansing, Homewood, Glenwood, regarding Illinois sites

Merriville, Scherreville, and Munster as well as Dyer, even Hammond has a lot of good parts

Remember, it snows a lot more as you get closer to south bend, whereas in the South Holland area, it snows less,

I would definitely lean towards an Indiana residence, not Illinois.

[j33]

The upside to Munster is that I know people who live there whose commute into the LOOP is quicker than people who live in the city proper, and you can get over to South Bend without having to deal with as much Chicago traffic ... and you don't have to pay Illinois taxes.

[silvermelanie]

hi,
hammond or munster are great for the commuter to chicago. my dad and cousins work in illinois but the whole family, parents and cousins liver in nw indiana.
melanie silver