Moving from SoCal to Chicago... Where is the best place to raise a family and still be close to the city?

[Bongu]

If you are taking the El (www.yourcta.com) from Evanston you can take the Purple Line express during rush hour times which will skip all the red line stops which some may consider to be a little sketchy. During off hours you'd have to take the purple line to Howard and then switch to the red line. It really isn't that bad but I wouldn't recommend a single woman to be riding it late at night. The purple line also stops running during the week around 12 or 1AM.

If you are just looking for a way to and from work during normal business hours the Purple Line express is easy and quick, although it can get a little crowded.

[SloopyJ]

Originally Posted by TamaraStarr

Oak Park is my second choice mainly because I've heard the train ride is faster and nicer getting into the city than from Evanston and I'm sure in the winter it's colder by the lake. Thank you all for your help... if you have any other pointers about the city I welcome them. This is going to be a huge change for me.

Tamara

In reading your posts, you seem to have a little confusion about Oak Park and Evanston. Oak Park is the first suburb west of the city, Evanston the first suburb north (along the lake). Both are served by Metra commuter rail as well as by the CTA. On the CTA, the Green Line goes to Oak Park and the Purple Line (or, in non-rush periods, the Red Line through the city connecting to the Purple Line) goes to Evanston. The ride to Oak Park is quicker, but not nicer. The West Side neighborhoods adjacent to Oak Park can be pretty rough; the north side neighborhoods on the way up to Evanston are somewhat hit-or-miss, but more "hit". There is little safety concern going north; there's a little more going west, though crime (at least serious crime) is still relatively rare.

As far as Lincoln Park goes, it's arguably the most desirable and expensive part of the city along with the Gold Coast, which abuts it. Living there would be great - the beaches, Lincoln Park Zoo, lots of shops and cafes, etc. But figuring out the school situation in time for the fall will be a big challenge. Private school admissions have passed, public school boundaries are hard to figure out, and school quality is very hit-or-miss. As I said before, most residents with kids are wealthy and opt for private schools. There are exceptions, but trying to navigate this system as a newbie will be tough (it's tough for long-time residents who have years to plan). It will be much easier for you to choose Evanston or Oak Park for public schools.

Know, however, that both Evanston and Oak Park have great areas as well as not-so-great spots. Don't be scared off by this; both towns have more nice areas than not nice ones, and home prices in both towns range from very affordable to up into the several millions. School quality somewhat follows the geography, so do a little research on the location and school of any places that you find interesting (folks on this board are usually happy to help).

[BigLake]

As long as we're talking about el lines, it's important to note that the Blue Line also services Oak Park on the south side of town (runs between/along Ike expressway). The Green Line runs loosely through the middle of Oak Park.

[oakparkdude]

On average, Oak Park real estate is cheaper than Evanston. This accounts for the lack of lake frontage, and the proximity to some not so nice Chicago neighborhoods.