Possibly Moving to Chicago

Hi D.,
I live in Homewood, IL, right downtown and can walk to the Metra station.
www.metrarail.com
www.homesweethomewood.com
www.hsd153.org
www.hfparks.org
These sites are to the train system, my town, and my kids' school district, and the park district. We are a fantastic south suburb of Chicago. I grew up near here, but moved from a West Suburb (Downers Grove). Homewood is affordable, the schools are FANTASTIC, it's diverse, it's safe, the park district is award winning in the country & top notch all around, and the housing is very affordable (especially compared to the west/north suburbs). The park district offers before & after school care that for kids, and my daughter has several friends who go. I think it's called Extra Innings, and it would be listed in the programs on the park district site (with prices). We live right downtown, as I mentioned. Homewood has many affordable homes for sale and for rent, and there are also nice apartments and condos downtown near the train station as well as in the neighborhoods (still within walking distance from the train). Homewood is friendly, and we absolutely love it. I think it's a great option for a single parent commuting to Chicago. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a private message.

i live in the western suburbs now in montgomery, other areas are oswego, naperville, aurora, plainfield, batavia, geneva....its about a 40 minute commute via train to the city......i lived in the city til my daughter was starting school then moved to the burbs because i did'nt want her living city life like i did as a child......some people don't mind it but the neighborhoods are so inconsistent that i felt as a single mother that it was safer to move to the burbs....i am married now & it's been 15 yrs that i have lived in the burbs & dont regret it......best wishes

I grew up in Evanston, north of the city, lakeside. It is expensive but you can find apt, ad there's lots of rentals properties there and good schools ( that's what my friends there say). The thing I like about Evanston, compared to the other suburbs is that is is urban, but still smaller. It is pedestrian friendly and the metra and el are easy. It is quite diverse as well. These are all things I value. It is really a matter of personal preference. One thing, we lived there when my kids were small and in daycare 2000-2002, and daycare was unbelievably expensive- they were in dc downtown Chicago.

According to salary comparisons (you can google these online), the cost of living in the Chicagoland area is 36.6% higher than in Houston. This means, if you make $50,000 salary in the Houston area, you will need to make $63,380 to live the same way in Chicagoland.

And CNN Money lists the following:
If you move from Houston, TX to Chicago, IL....
--Groceries will cost: 23% more
--Housing will cost: 73% more
--Utilities will cost: 15% more
--Transportation will cost: 21% more
--Healthcare will cost: 15% more

Start negotiating a cost of living adjustment from your employer now!!

There are wonderful areas all around Chicagoland in every direction (especially the Northern and Western suburbs). Of course, the better the school districts, the costlier the housing expense. Do you know where you are going to be working (in the city? in a particular suburb?) You really can't pick a living area until you know where you will work -- and can start looking at commute times (whether by Metro, driving, buses, etc.). Chicago is not known for its public transportation.

I wish you and your son the very best.

Hi D.-

About 5 years ago we moved from the suburbs of Chicago to Houston. There are a ton of great neighborhoods and the Metra rail system into the city stretches out to almost all of the surrounding suburbs. You will definitely be able to find a place that suits you. Where to start looking is really going to depend on where in the city you are working and how long of a commute you are happy with. Probably the best thing to do is find a realtor in the area and tell her everything you are looking for.

I am most familiar with the nortwest suburbs (Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, etc.) It's a really nice area with good schools. Per square foot it will be more expensive than what you are used to, but there is variety and you could probably find something. When we first were married we moved out to Cary which is a far northwest suburb. Wonderful area but a commute downtown would be pretty long (although the Metra does come out to Cary so you can take the train the whole way). We then moved to Naperville which is a western suburb. Another great area with wonderful schools but would also be kind of expensive. We sold our 15 year old 1800 square foot house in Naperville for about $50,000 more than we paid for a brand new 3000 square foot house in The Woodlands just to give you a point of reference.

Good luck with your move,
K.