Moving to Naperville - could use some advice (Chicago, Aurora: apartments, condos)

[mwk3]

My family and I are moving from the Chicago-Loop to most likely Naperville mainly for school reasons (daughter is 4yo). We'd like a newer home around $600k and it seems most of the houses we are considering are in the South Naperville area (I-59 and 95th). We want to our daughter to eventually go to Neuqua (based on rankings etc.), but the school boundaries are odd to say the least.

So my questions are as follows:

- Within what street boundaries should I look for housing to ensure I do not risk get redistricted from Neuqua to another School (Waubonsie, Plainfield, etc)?

- How is crime trending in South Naperville? I read a comment that crime has been increasing possibly due to the neighboring towns.

- Are there any less obvious considerations we may be missing with the South Naperville area especially as it relates to schools?

My wife and I have lived in the city for ~20 years and we'd like this move the burbs to be for the long haul.

We'd appreciate any advise you can provide. Thank you in advance.

[US-Traveller]

Originally Posted by mwk3

My family and I are moving from the Chicago-Loop to most likely Naperville mainly for school reasons (daughter is 4yo). We'd like a newer home around $600k and it seems most of the houses we are considering are in the South Naperville area (I-59 and 95th). We want to our daughter to eventually go to Neuqua (based on rankings etc.), but the school boundaries are odd to say the least.

So my questions are as follows:

- Within what street boundaries should I look for housing to ensure I do not risk get redistricted from Neuqua to another School (Waubonsie, Plainfield, etc)?

- How is crime trending in South Naperville? I read a comment that crime has been increasing possibly due to the neighboring towns.

- Are there any less obvious considerations we may be missing with the South Naperville area especially as it relates to schools?

My wife and I have lived in the city for ~20 years and we'd like this move the burbs to be for the long haul.

We'd appreciate any advise you can provide. Thank you in advance.

I am not very familiar with the Naperville area to help you out significantly, but just FYI, Neuqua's quality is a little overblown. It is by no means a top school in the Chicago area. I actually think that Naperville North has a better reputation than Neuqua.

[chisub]

We live in the 204 school district, but on the North side of town (Matea). I have to agree with the previous poster that Neaqua has it's own local groupies, but overall it's pretty much on par with the other 204 high schools, especially now that they rezoned the district b/c of the third high school.

It's hard to say what will happen to the district zoning by the time your child is in high school. We were just talking about this the other day b/c some of my friends live walking distance to NV, yet they will have to bus their kids over 8 miles to the new high school instead. It's a bit wonky, I agree.

[TempesT68]

Originally Posted by mwk3

My family and I are moving from the Chicago-Loop to most likely Naperville mainly for school reasons (daughter is 4yo). We'd like a newer home around $600k and it seems most of the houses we are considering are in the South Naperville area (I-59 and 95th). We want to our daughter to eventually go to Neuqua (based on rankings etc.), but the school boundaries are odd to say the least.

So my questions are as follows:

- Within what street boundaries should I look for housing to ensure I do not risk get redistricted from Neuqua to another School (Waubonsie, Plainfield, etc)?

- How is crime trending in South Naperville? I read a comment that crime has been increasing possibly due to the neighboring towns.

- Are there any less obvious considerations we may be missing with the South Naperville area especially as it relates to schools?

My wife and I have lived in the city for ~20 years and we'd like this move the burbs to be for the long haul.

We'd appreciate any advise you can provide. Thank you in advance.

Best to ask the city what exactly the school lines are but even if you do end up in a different school then neuqua valley there is nothing wrong with NN or NC. All are top notch schools

Crime is very minimum pretty much everywhere in naperville. The only somewhat questionable area that i know of in that area are some townhouse subdivisions off of normantown road near the tracks.

Only other things i can think of to consider are it's pretty much the boonies of naperville on the far south side, though there has been quite a bit of development out there. You will have to deal with the brutal 59 traffic and the highway is a bit of a drive away.

[chet everett]

The above poster clearly does not understand the municipal government of Naperville is completely separate from the governing bodies of the schools. District 203 covers Naperville North and Naperville Central while District 204 includes METEA VALLEY, NEUQUA VALLEY, and WAUBONSIE VALLE. None of these schools can rightly be called "top notch" by their performance numbers --http://iirc.niu.edu/School.aspx?schoolID=190222040260002 Interactive Illinois Report Card
Interactive Illinois Report Card
Interactive Illinois Report Card

The future performance trends of all those high schools will depend greatly on the ability of the Naperville area to remain appealing to parents that support high levels of achievement, my strong feeling is that given the immense area that 204 covers this will be much harder than the more traditional density of the area covered by 203 and I would predict over time even greater divergence of achievement unless changes are made both in the broad methods of school funding and the specific involvement of parents...

[jamaicabound60565]

Originally Posted by mwk3

My family and I are moving from the Chicago-Loop to most likely Naperville mainly for school reasons (daughter is 4yo). We'd like a newer home around $600k and it seems most of the houses we are considering are in the South Naperville area (I-59 and 95th). We want to our daughter to eventually go to Neuqua (based on rankings etc.), but the school boundaries are odd to say the least.

So my questions are as follows:

- Within what street boundaries should I look for housing to ensure I do not risk get redistricted from Neuqua to another School (Waubonsie, Plainfield, etc)?

- How is crime trending in South Naperville? I read a comment that crime has been increasing possibly due to the neighboring towns.

- Are there any less obvious considerations we may be missing with the South Naperville area especially as it relates to schools?

My wife and I have lived in the city for ~20 years and we'd like this move the burbs to be for the long haul.

We'd appreciate any advise you can provide. Thank you in advance.

Relating to school issues south Naperville is great. The boundaries in Naperville in general are kind of funny. Near Rickert and 75th street students are like 3 minutes from Naperville central yet they go to Waubonsie and all near Rt 59 the boundaries are funny with Neuqua and the new high school.

I think things are pretty well set in place but who knows what will happen in the future. I'm terrible with North South Esat west directions but I would say stay on the side of 59 closets to book rd. they will always go to Neuqua.

Ashbury is a nice neighborhood, generally not 600k but probably 400k and 500k. White Eagle with the housing market how it is you could get a very nice home for 600k and it will appreciate a ton when the market turns around. Tamarack is a nice neighborhood, ahs a nice golf course. There's alsoa neighborhood not sure the name but basically 87th street betwwen book and rt 59 thats pretty nice.

Crime in South Naperville would basically be petty vandalism and maybe some kids selling pot to each other not really much to speak of with crime. In the past few years there have been a few fluke incidents a kid was recently shot in the neck in his home tried to chase hsi attackers with a pitbull to go get them and wound up dying on a median on 87th and book. Stuff like t his si crazy for this area, he was set up by his friends to be robbed for drugs or money basically a totally isolated incident.

Only downside to this area is that traffic on rt 59, webber rd, 75th st pretty much any major street going to an expressway is terrible during rush hours.

Also, just wanted to comment on the above section. The townhomes off Normantown on the tracks are not questionable, like a block further there's some duplexes at this point its actually aurora. Its still totally safe its just that people dont take care of their yards as much, more blacks and mexicans, less curb appeal, smaller houses, etc.

The only really questionable area in Naperville is the Olive Green Apartments and those little condos or apts off of Kiowa street. The police blotter always has incidents in that area. My buddy was driving by stopped at the stop sign by 711, had his windows down b/c it was summer and a black dude ran up to his car and stole his cell phone off his pasenger seat while he was stopped at the light. I think these units are public assistance type housing. I find it odd its kinda ghetto there though b/c in generally that part of Naperville is nice and has nice homes.

[Rikki Tikki Tavi]

River Run fits what you are looking for, price wise and school wise . It is roughly bounded by 104th and 111th, Book and Naperville-Plainfield. Easy access to 55 for city trips.

Its feeds into Graham ES, Crone MS and Nequa HS. Crone and Nequa are nicer than a lot of college campuses, but be ready for the North-South issue about Naperville on this board, funny, it never comes up live in person with actual residents....me thinks its a lot of keyboard heroes..... Either way, South Naperville is good, easy, peaceful family living....When you come out to cruise the area, definitely go visit the schools, library and parks...the decision should be easy enough then.

[MannheimMadman]

Man, I hope this thread doesn't turn into a mess.

Will your kids get a bad education if they went to Neuqua? No, not by any means. To be honest, I wouldn't even say it's top 10 in the state. School-Digger.com places it at 21, and the Sun-Times ranked it tied at 19th - both are fairly accurate, I'd say.

I agree with another poster though- I'd sooner pick Naperville North over Neuqua even though I am a graduate of Neuqua Valley.

[chisub]

Good point made by others, where is work going to be? I actually have two friends who live South of 75th and they plan on moving North in the near future b/c of commuting time. We live off of N. Aurora Road and during rush hour it takes us about 5-8 min. to get on 88, but if you lived in South Naperville I'm guessing you would be adding at least 20 min. to that.

[sgresident]

The city of naperville would have nothing to do with the boundaries for the school. You would be best to verify boundaries by calling the school district office.