Are there any Chicago suburbs with a lot of character, subway access, and safe yet affordable? (Maywood: live in, station)

[Tiger Beer]

I've googled and wikipediad a few places...wow, Skokie nearly 25% asian....which is cool, as my son is eurasian, etc.

Forest Park looked good....from google maps..of what I've googled so far...

[Drover]

Forest Park has a major drawback though, and that's the fact that it's in one of the worst high school districts in the state. I don't know what the grade schools are like, maybe they're not so bad. But you'll certainly want to make alternative arrangements for your kid by the time he reaches high school age because Proviso East just doesn't cut it.

[genemoira96]

Wilmette / Evanston on North Side of city

[Anthera]

To the north, Evanston, Wilmette & Skokie are served by the "el". There are a gazillion suburbs served by the Metra & South Shore Line. This question is sort of like asking what surburbs have paved roads.

[tully]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

200K is not expensive. 500K is too expensive. 300K is about the upper end for me. I'd prefer 200-250K though. Two bedroom minimum with a kid here. Don't know if that is unrealistic though.

Are you talking detached home?

Decide that first. It'll chop down the list of 'potentials' faster than anything. (Given your low upper end.)

[deechee]

Originally Posted by Drover

Forest Park has a major drawback though, and that's the fact that it's in one of the worst high school districts in the state. I don't know what the grade schools are like, maybe they're not so bad. But you'll certainly want to make alternative arrangements for your kid by the time he reaches high school age because Proviso East just doesn't cut it.

Agreed. They will be fine up until high school...hope you can go private. lol

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Drover

Forest Park has a major drawback though, and that's the fact that it's in one of the worst high school districts in the state. I don't know what the grade schools are like, maybe they're not so bad. But you'll certainly want to make alternative arrangements for your kid by the time he reaches high school age because Proviso East just doesn't cut it.

Proviso (the school district FP is in) has a relatively new magnet high school, Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA) which has decent test scores, I think. Doesn't have much of a track record, so who knows what it'll be like a decade from now.

[Venom]

I went to Proviso East.
Then they opened up the PMSA when I was a junior.
Darn them

[mas23]

el: oak park, maywood evanston skokie

metra: everywhere.

I prefer the metra more
-mas23-

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by mas23

el: oak park, maywood evanston skokie

metra: everywhere.

I prefer the metra more
-mas23-

There's no el service in Maywood.