[meugenia]

I am from Brazil ( São Paulo- big city) and my husband received 2 offers one near Naperville and other near Midland. Now I need to know where is better to live with 3 children. All aspects, place, schools, etc..
Thanks a lot for any help!!!

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by meugenia

I am from Brazil ( São Paulo- big city) and my husband received 2 offers one near Naperville and other near Midland. Now I need to know where is better to live with 3 children. All aspects, place, schools, etc..
Thanks a lot for any help!!!

Probably not too many people on here know about life in Naperville. It is in Illinois right? Midland was recently named one of the best places to raise a family, so it cant be any worse than Naperville. And of course...Michigan is FAR better then ILL.!

[michiganbob]

Never lived in either place, but have visited both of them.

Obviously, Naperville is closer to Chicago (but still quite a drive if you want to get downtown for something) and has all of the things you would expect of suburb of a major US city. If you are used to big city life (mass transit, professional sports team, large museums, restaurants, cultural events), then it may be more of what you are looking for.

Midland, on the other hand, is mid-sized town near the center of the state with a charm all it own. If you like the quiet, slower pace of living or like to get out into parks or on a lake, then you may be happier here.

I think both towns have been ranked highly in quality of life surveys in the past, so you may want to look into the cost of living for each one as a tie-breaker. (I think City-Data.com can provide that for you and there are other online resources as well.)

But from what I recall, housing in Naperville is much more expensive and taxes are being raised in the state of Illinois to make up for some large budget deficits. If the salaries are similar, your money will go farther in Midland than in Naperville.

Hope that helps!

[magellan]

You can probably get twice the home in Midland than you can in Naperville for the same price. It's one of Chicago's more expensive suburbs I believe.

[Driller1]

I live 35 miles north of Midland.

You will not find a nicer town.

[JoePO]

If you care about schools, cultural diversity, amenities, restaurants, shopping, proximity to a world-class city, Naperville wins hands down - it has one of the best school systems in the country, and is itself rated as one of the best places to live. It also has much better shopping, amenities, cultural offerings, etc., than probably any place in Michigan (only Ann Arbor may come close).

Yes, housing is more expensive there, and taxes are higher, but - you get what you pay for. Also, the housing market is as bad there as anywhere - so you can find a pretty good deal (relatively speaking) on a house there - foreclosures, short sales, abound.

Presumably your husband's job offers' salaries reflect the difference in cost-of-living between the two places.

BTW - my basis of experience is having lived in the west suburbs of Chicago (next to Naperville) for over 20 years; I now live in the Eat Lansing/Okemos area.