# Moving to Chicago suburbs



## hibiscus11 (Dec 28, 2012)

Hi,

My husband has been offered a transfer to Chicago from the UK. We will be moving in the next few months. I have a 3 and 5 yr old. I've been doing a bit of research about where to live. Evanston and Oak Park seem to tick a lot of the boxes - near Chicago, lively suburbs, good elementary schools??, interesting architecture... 

Does anyone have any views on which place is best to live? Or maybe there are other great suburbs I haven't though about. I don't want to be too far from the city and northern suburbs are probably better for my husband's commute to I'm not really sure how expensive it will be to live. We will be renting but I understand taxes are quite high but I don't really understand the tax system.

I am grateful for any advice you can offer.

Thanks!


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## ventus2c (Sep 11, 2012)

Depending on your budget, any of the North Shore suburbs from Evanston all the way up to Lake Forest can all be wonderful places to live with excellent public schools - Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest are all on the lake; when we moved to the US from UK 25 years ago with a 7 year-old, we chose Northbrook which is just inland from Winnetka/Glencoe, before moving to Lake Forest a few years later. 

I would choose Northbrook again with a young child - the Glenbrook North school district is consistently ranked among the best in the country. 

Metra transit trains make commuting very easy. Driving into Chicago along the Edens expressway can be slow at times.

Good luck - you'll love Chicago, particularly in summer. Depending on budget and how long you are expecting to stay, you might also consider living downtown, although that would mean using private schools.


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## hibiscus11 (Dec 28, 2012)

Thanks for the advice! 

What is Northbrook like, in terms of things to do? Schools are, of course, very important to us, but I imagine myself in a place that has a busy centre where I can walk to cafes etc and generally has a vibrant feeling. We are also looking to rent a 3-4 bed house, rather than an apartment. Do these areas exist? .

Private schools won't be in budget although I will need to start thinking about preschools...we are leaving just when my nearly 3 yr old would be getting 15 hrs free preschool per week!

I am really looking forward to moving and new experiences. 

Thanks.


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## ventus2c (Sep 11, 2012)

'Vibrant' may be a stretch... the aforenamed towns each have one or more pleasant town center(s) where you'll find a comprehensive selection of shops, but I would describe them more as subdued. They are simply nice suburbs, perfect for young families to raise their kids in relative safety. But on the other hand, you will find excellent sports and other facilities which the children will benefit from, and the schools will provide an instant group of parent friends. In our own case we very quickly joined up with a group of other expats from several European countries, India and Japan, which provided just the right antidote to U.S.-overload.

For vibrancy, downtown Chicago is the place to be, even in the winter months. I prefer it to New York because it is more compact and has the very accessible lake front with beaches, miles of bike paths along the lake front, Navy Pier, the Air and Water show, lots of theaters, etc etc (OK I'm based, we lived downtown for a few years).

Rentals in the suburbs should not be a problem. We actually bought a house on a pre-transfer visit, but had also looked at a good selection of rentals.

One point about starting schools in the burbs: kindergarten and grade school start at a later age than one might be used to in the UK, and we noted a few parents holding their kids back one year to start grade school to give them a perceived advantage (!!). Don't hesitate to spar with the school principal to get your children into the school grade that's right for them and for you. For the first few years you'll think their education is lagging the UK equivalent (it will), but things catch up by mid-Junior high and the best High Schools provide virtually unlimited opportunities.

Depending on how long you expect to stay in the U.S., the initial education drag could be an issue for kids returning to a European education before about 12 years old.


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## JennYoungUBS (Dec 31, 2012)

Be prepared to take lots of buses and shuttles..traffic there stinks but other than that, fantastic place!


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## Finp06 (Apr 11, 2013)

Hi can I ask how you got on. We are moving to Chicago at the end of this year and the schooling situation is freaking me out! My kids' school is Ofsted outstanding and my kids are 2 years ahead of national average according to teachers testing / reports. As the kids in the US don't start until they are 5 that means potentially my kids are 3 years ahead.,.
How did you choose a school and area. We were looking at the areas you had been advised to but they also seem a little suburban? We are near to London and enjoy good restaurants, culture, museums for the kids etc etc. but have a lot of green space (we are in surrey)


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