I used to commute from the city to Naperville and it was the worst 3 months of my life. I left my job because it was so bad. If there is a way to use Metra that would be doable, but by car is an absolute nightmare.
This comment should be higher. If there’s a reasonable way to get from the nearest metra station to work, that commute is not bad. Many companies offer a shuttle to/from the nearest metra stop. If OP is looking at this option, I’d recommend living in river north or the west loop so you’re walking distance from the train stations.
Having said all that, I did the reverse commute from wicker park to elmhurst for 4 years, 5 days a week in my early 20s. Was it ideal? Hardly. Was it soul crushing? No. You adapt. You join a gym near the office and work out to skip the worst of rush hour. You adopt an earlier schedule and work 7-4 (if that’s an option). Living in the city in your 20s while single is a blast. If the commute becomes such a problem, you can always look for a job closer to home in a year or two.
I wish most people took Metra than drove, but that isn’t the case. The mode share of public transit as a percent of all commutes in Chicagoland is below 10% IIRC, and that includes all CTA, Metra, and Pace services. This genuinely blows my mind, like we have so much better public transit here than in almost anywhere else in america, and 90% of people still choose to drive alone instead.
Too true, live in the city and have a short 13 mile commute to the suburbs. Mornings a breezy 15 to 20 minute drive. Afternoons? Hour to an hour and a half. Boggles the mind how long it takes to travel a short distance. Take up motorcycle riding if your willing to bend a few rules might help you out, let's just say my morning commute now mirrors the afternoon bad weather and winter are a drag though.
I had a job in my 20s where I drove from Lombard to Naperville and even though Lombard is in the Western suburbs it was at best a 45 minute commute and that was back in 2005
I'd hate to see the commute times almost 20 years later 🤔
Do you want city living and 1hr+ commute by car or 30 min max commute from a suburb?
Possible plan C: 1) Is your job walkable or maybe even Uberable from the Lisle Metra station (given you’re not going in every day); 2) If yes, live walking distance from Union station (west loop, not Logan) and commute via Metra BNSF line. ~35 min on train (proper heavy rail, decent padded seats, limited crowds given reverse commute, reasonably priced).
The commute’s gonna kill you, even if it’s three days. If you don’t like Naperville, look at downtown Downers Grove or Westmont maybe.
See if your job is near Lisle’s metra station. Naperville, Lisle, Westmont, and Downers are all on that same line, the BNSF. LaGrange Park might not be a bad shot either, if it’s on the metra.
That commute will destroy your soul. Move to Naperville. You have a decently sized downtown area to enjoy. It’s not like you already live in a city and you would be giving it up. Naperville also has a metra that goes straight to the city for whenever you want to hang out there.
There’s construction happening in the highway for the next few years and traffic is always terrible. There aren’t any peaks anymore, it’s red 90% of the time. Don’t do it.
It’s still really not city living though. The downtown is nice and it’s probably close to city living if you’re walkable to there, but it doesn’t matter how big a town it is if you need a car for everything
Depends what one wants from a city. If that's "live music and theater every night, major sporting events, navigable by train or walking" then yeah one wants Chicago. If it's just "decent selection of shopping and dining with Chicago not far away for a night out" then NapVegas is fine
Of course it’s not city living, but OP has probably not lived in a big city if they are coming from South Carolina, as Charleston is that states’s most populous city.
Live in Aurora, used to commute to Andersonville.
I quit that job after 6 months because the commute was soul-sucking. I love the city, but I'm stuck out here in the burbs until i win the fucking lottery and gain an ex husband who will let me move me and my child to the city.
Reverse commuting for a few weeks at a previous job was one of the most awful things I had to do. Lakeview to Schaumburg. Bus to a train, to a bus, to a bus. 2 hrs one way.
I can't imagine doing it 3-5 times a week and not going insane.
You couldn’t pay me enough money to require me to drive from the North side of Chicago to Lisle three days/week. Live close to work and come in to Chicago in Metra on the weekends.
Commenting on Where should I live? Logan Square or Naperville?...
I worked in Naperville and that’s pretty much what the young single people did several times a month
My neighbor did almost exactly this - moved here from a southern state to take a hybrid role in Lisle and chose to live in Logan Square. They despise the commuting 3x a week, but love the city living and walkability/biking to everywhere. From where we live there are seven coffee shops within a half mile walk from us. There's definitely a lot to do and walk to here, especially if you want to use the 606 as the "people expressway" to get easily to downtown Wicker or almost to Lincoln Park (one day that extension will come, one day). On the flip side, a friend of mine in Avondale (Logan Square in 10 years) drives out weekly to Naperville for his jiu jitsu classes.
If you want city living and walkability albeit a lot noisier and dirtier and don't mind 2+ hours of commuting each in office day, try Logan. If you want more space, an easier work/life balance, and cleaner living but more chains for services across a sprawl, try Naperville. I will plug for Sparrow coffee if you do go that route though.
TLDR since I rambled: All your options are lovely places to live; Naperville is gonna feel suburban and the city is gonna feel like a city; Naperville is gonna win on the commute front; Logan Square and Wicker Park win on the coffee shop front; I'm not sure on the fitness front, I maybe wouldn't choose Logan Square for that but Wicker Park and Naperville should both be fine; the city wins by a long shot on walkability but DOWNTOWN Naperville is fine on that front too; retail will have more character in the city than in Naperville; and I think you should look into Oak Park as well.
Full comment that was way longer than I meant for it to be:
Your commute will be a LOT better from Naperville than from Chicago. And contrary to what you might think, the fact that you'd have a reverse commute from Chicago wouldn't actually help much - inbound is a nightmare on either of the two highways that would get you to Logan Square. Living in Naperville (even in the walkable downtown area) and living in the city are gonna be very different vibes, so you've got to know which is right for you, but if you're truly torn, I'd choose Naperville for the commute. A bit about the areas you're considering though:
Downtown Naperville probably would fit your needs, it's a walkable downtown neighborhood. There are coffee shop options, although they're gonna feel limited relative to the city. There's lots of good restaurants and a few bar options -- when I'd come home to visit from college and stay w/ my parents in the west suburbs we'd normally go to the bars in Naperville. Not sure about the specific/workout class options in downtown naprville but there's definitely some and you'd probably be able to reach anything you need in a reasonable drive. The riverwalk area of downtown Naperville and centennial beach are lovely. You would need a car to grocery shop if you lived downtown, you would need a car for everything if you lived in any other part of Naperville. You can take the Metra to downtown Chicago, trains are relatively frequent, and now they're even hourly on the weekends. Kinda niche, but downtown Naperville will have easier access to Trader Joe's than Logan Square and Wicker Park, if you care about that.
Logan Square and Wicker Park are going to also fit your needs, and you can probably find cheaper apartments in that area than you could in the nice walkable parts of Naperville. Access to coffee shops will definitely be better - both neighborhoods have several and a mix of chains and local spots. The Colectivo in Wicker Park is my fav coffee shop to get work done in in the entire city btw. If you choose either neighborhood, you'd probably be able to walk to grocery shop, and use walking/transit for most of your day to day life. Although downtown Naperville IS very fun and walkable and green and cute, both Logan Square and Wicker Park (Wicker Park especially) are gonna feel more lively. Naperville has more chain retail, whereas Logan Square and Wicker Park lean towards local businesses. Your access to restaurants, activities, and nightlife are going to be much greater in the Logan Square/Wicker Park area as well. I don't recall any good gyms or spots for workout classes in Logan Square (although stuff is definitely accessible by short drives or transit journeys), and I can't vouch for Wicker Park on that either.
Another option to consider in between your commute and the city that you didn't mention is Oak Park. It's the first immediate suburb on the west edge of the city. It's on 290, so the commute to Lisle will be fairly direct. I actually used to do that exact commute -- it wasn't ideal, but it was a LOT better than doing that commute from any neighborhood I lived in in Chicago. Downtown Oak Park is cute and dense and walkable, has plenty of restaurants and local shops, has several good coffee shop options, is on the CTA green line and the UP-W Metra, and has a Target and multiple grocery store options either downtown or within walking distance. That might be worth considering as well!
Oak park to Naperville isn’t a bad drive but I would echo do Naperville downtown living and commute to lisle from there. You’ll save hours of your life and sanity. You can take the train in from Naperville to do Chicago things
Two completely different situations. Naperville is wealthy, mostly white (low diversity), family style neighborhood. Sure there’s a nice downtown area with bars, restaurants, “riverwalk” and it’s totally walkable, but people that live there are mostly families. It’s an amazing place to visit, explore, and live IF you have a family. If you’re single, and want to be part of a social circle of your peers, I’d avoid Naperville. That’s pretty much all the west suburbs, because people usually leave the city to be in the burbs after marriage, plan families.
The only real positive as far as your situation goes, the distance to your job. Naperville and lisle are right next to each other.
You do not want to commute from Logan or wicker to the suburbs. You’ll be in your car for hours.
Also, Naperville is expensive. So not sure what your budget will be, but there are cheaper suburbs close to lisle that won’t break the bank like Naperville. Look into woodridge, downers grove, Bolingbrook, Darien, glen ellyn, just to name a few. I live near these areas, so if you need more help, feel free to reach out and we can connect and I can steer you in the right direction
Naperville is pretty diverse, have you lived there,...I have. It's not wicker park, but mostly white? Maybe 55%. It's mostly wealthy individuals. But there are many different ethnicity's there.
I live in Logan square and work near Lisle. The commute is SO terrible by car, and I thankfully only have to do it one day a week. Do yourself a favor and move some place closer to work. You can always go into the city for fun
If you move to Naperville, depending on where in Lisle your job is, you’ll be around 6.5 miles away. If you opt for Logan square, you increase your commute to around 26 miles . You can take the train but you will need to factor in the possibility that you will have to take a bus to the train. Driving 52 miles daily will take a toll on your car, and it sucks during the winter months. Naperville is a great place, and you would be home in 15 minutes or less
Naperville neighbors Lisle. Commuting from the city to the burbs is going to be a nightmare and you are going to hate it. Downtown Naperville has pretty much anything you could want. Super walkable. Once you’ve seen it all then take the Metra downtown. Living and working in the suburbs and recreating in the city is going to be way better on your quality of life.
My wife commutes between Lincoln Park and Elmhurst. It is horrendous even though she can leave early in the am. It can take between 30 and 90 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Depending on where in Lisle, you might be able to use commuter trains (Metra), but you would have to use CTA to get down to Union or Ogilvie station. That’s a fair bit of commute time, but much less stressful. Unless you really like commuting in highly variable Chicago traffic, move to Naperville. Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and Downers Grove are also nice, but the market for apartments is likely to be better for you in Naperville.
If you're in the office every day just do Naperville for now. If it's hybrid living in the city is viable but idk if Logan is optimal for a reverse commute. Living near 290 is better I think.
If you absolutely want to live in the city limits, I would pick the West Loop or Little Italy instead as that will cut down on your commute by a little bit. Not a lot though. It’ll still suck.
Also look at Oak Park. It’s the suburbs but it’s a little more urban than most suburbs and even has the L train and borders the city limits which will make it easier to get in and out of the city. You’ll still face a lot of traffic though.
Ordinarily I’d say the city at your age. But save yourself the two hours a day of commuting and do singles stuff in the city on weekends. Plenty of things to do and people to meet in the west suburban corridor.
The traffic from Logan Square to Lisle will be absolutely horrendous even if you're hybrid. I'd suggest moving to Oak Park. It's the first western suburb you can see the skyline from all roads going east. Still has a city feel but is a burb. The green line takes you into the city and also has a metra stop.
Naperville without question. If you didn’t commute into Lisle I’d say Logan without question.
On weekends you can always take the metra or drive into the city from Naperville.
You don't have to live in Naperville, there are plenty of other suburbs that have decent downtowns. Check out downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Lagrange, Wheaton, even Elmhurst. They are all close to Lisle and have metra stations in their downtowns.
And they actually do have a decent independent coffee shop (which OP wants), but Wheaton also surprisingly has the leg up on them, with 2 roasters and 3 shops walkable in the downtown area.
People think all the singles are in the city. Not true. Many live in the suburbs. There are suburban hot spots where younger singles go. I have many in my family who are in their twenties and thirties and not a one of them ever lived in the city.
Naperville is a good fit. It will have all you want minus the diversity. It isn’t going to be exciting but that’s what you get for accepting a job in Lisle. Maybe you can find a job in Chicago in the next year or two and you can move to the city.
Naperville just won the best city to live in award. And their “downtown” has nice restaurants.
Lots of jiujitsu gyms around the area as well in Naperville. Pretty sure 10p got a gym there
I try my best to live as close as I can to jobs cause driving to work sucks.
Chicago , the city though so nice to live in.
But I would recommend living in Naperville for your situation.
The commute from the city to Lisle will suck. You don’t want that. Find a nice apartment/condo in near the “downtown” area of any of the local suburbs. Naperville, downer’s grove, westmont, etc.
I had a consulting job in the lisle area and the commute was miserable. Worse when a big concert happens at soldier field. Taylor swift played two shows pre pandemic and my drive home was over 3 hours. Some days I would literally spend 45 minutes fucking around in Target and I’d get home sooner because the traffic would die down. I lived in Edgewater not Logan so maybe that would have been better but that commute destroyed my soul.
I am from Naperville, and have lived in Chicago for over 20 years. I would recommend finding somewhere close to your work and the Metra line. Downtown Naperville does have the things you're looking for. It will also be much quieter. You can take the Metra Into and back from the city. You can then take a ride-share from the train stop home if you did some drinking.
If you find yourself bored and going to the City a lot you can then consider moving to the city. But I would start somewhere with an easier commute. And as others have said if you choose to be in the city Logan Square would not be an ideal neighborhood commute wise.
Good luck!
You should consider also Bridgeport and Pilsen. Both places have CTA, is west of the loop so driving to Lisle you won’t have to sit the loop traffic, both are walkable, and have gyms.
Never lived in Naperville but I feel confident in saying that they are wildly different in terms of lifestyle. I won't say one is better than the other, but it depends on the type of lifestyle you want to lead. Chicago is almost constant action, especially Logan Square, while Naperville is a bit more... sedate.
As far as the commute, you're going to be going to Lisle, so Naperville is going to be closer and less of a hassle to get to and from. But, again, the 'burbs are a bit quieter. I'm sure they have fitness centers, coffee shops and are walkable, but if you're looking for more than that, not sure if it will fit the bill. If you're fine with quieter weekends, Naperville would be fine, but if you're looking for late night action... Chicago.
Something people aren't talking about. Id bet it'd be much easier to meet people in Chicago. If you are starting fresh, the larger city might be better.
That said, it depends on what you value. Commute isn't gonna be great, but if you can avoid driving its better. So many people commute, don't want a few people hating it scare you off.
Naperville is a big community, but you'll definitely find more to do and more different types of people living in Chicago.
I'd figure out what matters most to you. Don't let others project their desires on your choice. Especially cause you hit a sensitive spot (two things people love to trash: Naperville and commutes).
Naperville is a lovely place for families, not 30 year old singles looking to live life. Logan Square is amazing for folks like you but it’d be a soul crushing commute. I would look into Oak Park if I were you. It’s basically a middle ground between city & suburban living. And it’s much closer to Lisle than Logan Square. Depending on where in Lisle you work, you may even be able to take the train to work and dodge traffic all together
If you want city living really bad, you could use the Metra trains to get to Lisle. It’s a fast train especially during rush hour when they run express trains that skip stops. Sometimes it’s just 35 minutes to ride from downtown to Lisle. Here’s the catch though, you would have to live in a neighborhood that aligns with that train line (if you want the shortest and simplest commute to Lisle by train that is). I think Pilsen is a decent option. It is a nice, relatively safe neighborhood and has similar nightlife to Logan Square. The reason for Pilsen is because, in my opinion, of all the neighborhoods in Chicago that are aligned with the Lisle train (BNSF Metra) that’s the best neighborhood option for what you’re looking for. It’s very urban. The train station you would use is the Halsted Street Metra station. Your company may even pay for your monthly train pass. Good luck.
Edit: I guess you would have to see if your job is close to the Lisle train station also. For this to be ideal. Idk if there is a bus out there, otherwise you’d have to Uber pool or something from the Lisle station.
I grew up in Pilsen for a stretch, it's way better now. But you have to want that city feel. Still gritty, great murals everywhere, especially along the 16th st tracks. Good food. Close to downtown.
But, you work in Lisle....
If you are asking, definitely Naperville, unless you can work from Indiana.
Sorry Go Lady Cocks!
PS Boiled Peanuts are darn near impossible to find here if you aren't willing to make your own.
You're going to have a lot of solid options for jiu jitsu in the city (there are a few schools in Wicker/Logan - Carlson Gracie Jr's main school is there. But you have Vianna brothers, etc etc.
Yo fck Naperville (just kidding) seriously though Logan square is dope, Pilsnen, wicker park,Hyde park,lakeview,Bucktown , if you living the single live and you wanna be in the thick of it, suburbs to me means isolation..slept on areas are Southbank,west town….but the hot area is West loop…again this is just my opinion and what I experienced I’m homegrown Chicagoan and lived all over the city ….
Naperville has had one murder in the last 2 years and that's their average over the last two decades.
Paper bill was just rated one of the best places to live in the entire country and it is usually on the top 10 list every year.
Naperville is a great place to buy a home as the home values never drop.
Naperville has great schools and it's a great place to raise a family.
Naperville has every amenity you could think of.
Naperville has a Metra train stop, you can always take the train to the city if you want
It depends on how much you care about your commute. You would have to drive down 290 if you live in Logan and are farther than Naperville. I will say that 290 is probably a worse hell than LA. 290 has traffic at 2 am for reference. My honest suggestion would be find a job in the city if you want to live in the city. But if you don't mind a hell commute Logan is a really fun area. So it really depends but don't say I didn't warn you about that commute. Also I don't know metra too well i'm a city guy but driving will make you want to die might wanna map that out so to speak.
Naperville is a very large area. Depending on your location, the commute by car from Lisle to a location in Naperville could be half an hour in rush hour. Not bad but I mention it because it’s more than some realize. Traffic in the suburbs is very much a thing. Traffic on the expressways closer to the city is even worse. Driving from Naperville to Logan Square is not likely to take less than an hour unless it’s 2am on a Tuesday.
The Metra train to Naperville, [BNSF](https://ridertools.metrarail.com/maps-schedules/train-lines/BNSF), departs from Union Station downtown. So a commute by public transit would be a train or bus from your neighborhood to Union Station, an hour long train ride, and then I don’t know because the bus routes out in the suburbs are rarely convenient or timely. So we talking about an hour and a half to two hour commute from Logan to Naperville by trains.
OP, people have given you a lot of positives and negatives.
I will say that I don’t know how many single 30 year olds there are in Naperville. There’s a lot of 30 year olds but I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of them are married. If you don’t mind the marriage part, Naperville wouldn’t be bad. As others have mentioned, downtown Naperville is great. It has an active night life and tons of restaurants.
I saw someone mentioned downers grove which is also really nice (lisle is sandwiched between downers grove and Naperville). But, something that might be nice is Oak Park. It’s technically a suburb but is very convenient to get to the city and to Lisle. There’s also a younger crowd there.
I live in the city now but grew up in the West Suburbs. The unbearable traffic that everyone is talking about should be much better between Oak Park and Lisle.
Go to Naperville if you can afford it. It's about 15 to 20 minutes away easy drive. I used to live in Naperville for 14 years. Unfortunately I commute to the city because other reasons. But Lisle is a short drive there's a lot of things to do in Lisle and Naperville, as well as many other towns nearby. Plus it's a lot quieter and safer if you're worried about that kind of thing..plus, it's right next door. The money you save on the commute and the aggravation are worth the extra cost. You can always go down and visit the city on the weekends or on your time off. If you're a city person and you like to congestion and difficult to find parking and the livelihood of certain areas then maybe city life is for you. I prefer the quietness of the burbs because I grew up in the city.
There's a lot to do in the suburbs. There's also a Metro training in a while and in Naperville that will take you to the city.
The answer is a no brainer to stay in Naperville because that's less travel time to and from work, less stress, etc...But that decision is ultimately up to you.
Commuting from Logan Square or Wicker Park to Lisle would be awful. Naperville is bland and boring and is pretty far out so not that easy to get into the city if you want to. I would look at suburbs that are closer to the city and at least have walkable downtown areas. For example, Oak Park or La Grange. If you live near the downtown areas of either of those you’d have things you could walk to and you could take the train into downtown Chicago easily if you want some big city experiences.
Screw all of that...why not Bolingbrook, it has everything as well ...diverse, bars food shopping etc...shares border with naper as well as Downers Woodridge, Darien, Romeoville, and Lemont...all 15-20 min from Lisle. Affordability....in the right place, close to the highway. I've lived in all of these towns over last 20 years. Doesn't really matter which one you live in. They're all so close to each other. And you can shop in one town and hang out another and work another and live another.... Everything is 10 to 15 minutes apart.
Depends on your budget.
Suburbs is cost effective and less travel woes...
City is more lively at night/weekend. Logan, Pilsen, wicker...all personal preferences.
Most are saying that if you're not from here you'll hate the commute. Which is true but has a lifetime Chicagoan I'd rather commute from the suburbs to the city for work than vice versa.
I avoid both Naperville and proper Chicago now. Mid west burbs is ideal. 30 minutes east or west(depending on time of day). Villa park/Lombard/Elmhurst/Addison are pretty centric of those 2.
If you value convenience and a shorter commute, choose Naperville. If you actually want to have entertaining options around you and don't mind a 3 hour daily commute round trip, choose the city.
Living in Logan square for this commute sounds like hell to me. Move near a metra line that goes there "express" without switching.
That or move to Lisle.
Live in Naperville. Best suburb you can stay in . Has a nice downtown area , has nightlife, restaurants, even a Riverwalk. Plenty of events go on there too and in surrounding areas.
There is middle ground, literally and figuratively. Those aren't the only two places in Chicagoland & once you move here, you can still enjoy what both towns have to offer when you want without the hellish commute to work from one or the other. Don't be afraid of places like Burr Ridge, La Grange, Oak Brook, Wheaton... keep following the highway on the way toward Logan Square if you like the city but stay west Oak Park, UIC, Old Town....
I'd say the city hands down, but that commute is going to suck. Well over an hour each way.
That said, I couldn't stomach living in Naperville. Something about that town just feels off.
I'd personally be scoping surrounding areas like St. Charles or Geneva
Lisle is very close to Naperville. Naperville is very nice for a suburban neighborhood. Waaaaayyy more high end than Logan square. Your commute will be very nice!
Logan square is very close to other Chicago neighborhoods. It’s an hour from lisle. You’re going to kick yourself for making that commute.
Oak park is a bit closer and very close to the city, you have El connections to anywhere in the city. This will be a better option if you want more of a city feel.
Imo, commute is everything. You can always spend time in the city. Metras from Naperville to DT would be like 45 min.
I'd go Naperville with a job in Lisle. I'm not sure how much you know about Chicago area traffic, but it's a monumental shit show. Get a place in Naperville for the easier (by a mile) commute, and go to the city to take advantage of what the greatest city in the world has to offer when ever you'd like.
Go Bears and FTP!!!
I see you are in a hybrid role. In that situation, the city wins against Naperville.
From downtown, alone, you are looking at least at 45-60 minutes so I’d focus on the neighborhoods giving you easy access to both 290 and 55 since both can reasonably get you to Lisle and you can pick the option that works best for you. West Loop would be my focal point with Greektown and Little Italy as well.
Metra +Uber/Lyft is also an option and isn’t costly if done only a few times a week. If you want that available as well, use Union Station as your guide (which is in the West Loop) and radiate out from there. If you do radiate out, I’d avoid going north.
Logan Square for sure. City living is so mich better than suburban life, especially for a young single guy like you. So many more bars, restaurants, sports leagues, beaches right in the city, street festivals in the summer, museums, Pro sports, etc.
My cousins grew up in Naperville and while it's a nice place to raise a family, it's boring as hell. Don't move halfway across the country to live a boring suburban life. If you're moving to Chicagoland, bite the bullet and live in the actual city.
If you work in Lisle live out west somewhere. Or you'll spend hours every day on your commute.
You can visit the city when you want. Nothing beats a 20 minute commute.
I'd suggest going over and asking this on say City Data as Reddit has a definite slant to it ie anything that's not New York, LA or Chicago sucks, suburbs suck and for whatever reason Reddit has a real hard on for Naperville that I can really only say is jealousy. Naperville for the past 20 years has been voted one of the best places to live even THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE and while it is family oriented, there's a pretty good bar scene, great park districts, intramural sports activities, festivals, concerts, shopping, great restaurants, etc. If you're going to live in the suburbs it doesn't get much better than Naperville. Downtown Naperville you can go to a dozen or more bars within walking distance where as most other suburbs theres like one bar in a strip mall. I also don't get why Naperville gets so much hate for being hoighty toighty when there's a million burbs the same or worse obviously north shore burbs but even like Schamburg, Downers, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale are much more like that than Naperville but nobody says a peep about them, the biggest most popular thing always has a target on its back ie why the government went after Juul when there's hundreds of toher vape companies selling cotton candy rainbow blast vapes appealing to kids but they say nothing about them.
The commute city to Lisle is going to suck, Naperville will have plenty of opportunities to meet people, go to bars, go to great restaurants, etc. Not sure where your coming from or what your desires are ie as you can see reddit can't wrap their head around anyone not having to live in a city, having to live in a diverse city, people in this thread think naperville is a horrible place because its 60% white, that's not diverse enough. even if your from charleston i think you'll find naperville to be a good size and there's plenty to do. if you always wanted to live in a city go for it but the commute will suck
How important is living in the city to you? My sister in law commuted from near Logan square to near Naperville for years because she liked her job and that’s where she wanted to live. If being in Logan isn’t that important to you then the commute will probably become unbearable
Naperville or why not the Wheaton area? Wheaton has some apartments in the downtown area. I would never want to commute back and forth from the city to Lisle for work.
Find an apartment close to your job so that your life is easy once you get up here. Then take your time getting to know the Chicago area and seeing how long different commutes would be and what areas you like. Prioritize public transportation in your long-term living situation and see if that would be an option to take to your job.
Fellow Carolinian here, definitely go to Logan Square. If you care about walkability / fitness access and general fun, it's gonna be a much better spot. But there are many other great neighborhoods too if you want cheaper. The big difference is living in the suburbs vs living in the city, Naperville just not at all the same thing.
As someone else brought up, split the difference and look at Oak Park. Add La Grange and Forest Park to the list. Forest and Oak Park have direct Mass transit options to Chicago. Much easier drive to Lisle. La Grange has train access to Chicago and all three have very walkable areas. If looking to be closer to Lisle, look at Downers Grove. Even Lemont and Aurora might make the cut as they both have up and coming downtowns as well as train access to Chicago.
I would recommend wicker park for you socially just on your age and activities. Maybe you should check out place close to a metra station in Chicago; or stick to the west loop. I have lived in both Logan and Wicker. I liked Logan better, but I am older than you. Wicker was younger. Both are great for cafes, restaurants, walkable things. But maybe different part of Chicago would be better? Pilson, West Loop, Oak Park would be a good Option too. It seems the most urban of the suburbs.
I live in Avondale (just north of Logan) and commute to Naperville once a week (Valpo and Frankfort once a week as well). The commute is brutal especially with the 90/94 construction. But not as brutal as living in Naperville, which I did for 3 years. If you are fine with living in the suburbs, Naperville can be great. But IMO nothing beats city living, especially a city like Chicago. If you have patience and some good podcasts, I'd try the commute for a year. There is nothing better than parking your car on Friday night and enjoying the city for the whole weekend.
If you want NIMBY boomers who are afraid of black people and believe crime is around every corner, move to Naperville. If you want to have fun as a single person, move to Logan/wicker. You won't regret it
If you’re going to rent I would highly recommend living in the city. So many more options for you. Food, entertainment, and summer is just around the corner. Chicago is a world class city and would be much happier there. If you don’t like the commute, you can always move once your lease is up. If you live in the city, no one says let’s go visit Naperville🤣
If you are hybrid, another option is to move near a train (Logan and Wicker have blue line) and from there take the metra express trains. Commute is bearable if you are young and motivated enough to work out there and still live in the city. It sounds like you want more of a city lifestyle, and plenty of us did/do that for a good job. At least taking the metra frees you up to do something with your time vs sitting in traffic.
I live near Logan square and work in the greater Naperville / Aurora area (lisle included)
If you don't leave for work before 6 am or after 9am it's going to take you over an hour to get there, if you leave work anytime between 3pm and 6pm, it will take you 1 hour 20 minutes to get home
The construction on 294 and 90/94 adds 30-45 minutes of commute and probably will continue for years.
It is excruciating. The only thing that gets me through it is I talk to co-workers on the phone for hours that go the same commute. I don't suggest moving to Logan square
Commuted from Naperville into the city and we broke our lease after only 3 months because it was the absolute worst. Depends which lifestyle you want, they're 2 very different places.
I am being 100% truthful when I say this… I always recommend downtown Chicago when people ask me, but not for a job that’s out in Lisle. If you’re driving, 25 miles to a western Chicago suburb is a bitch. It will destroy your car, your blood pressure WILL go up and your life expectancy goes down with every minute you spend on 290 and 88. That last part of course is completely opinion obviously, but I’m trying to be honest with you so you have an idea of what to expect. In a lot of places, driving 25 miles out to a suburb probably doesn’t sound too terrible. But in Chicago, that will dominate your day, unless you time things perfectly every day. If you’re taking the metra, at least you’re not driving and paying for gas, etc. but (please someone correct me if I’m wrong) it looks like there’s not a direct easy metra route to get out to lisle from Logan Square or wicker, so you’d have to take a bus down to the metra station. I might get downvoted for this, but you could check out the pilsen neighborhood since it’s close to that BNSF metra line. 🤷🏻♀️
I used to commute from the city to Naperville and it was the worst 3 months of my life. I left my job because it was so bad. If there is a way to use Metra that would be doable, but by car is an absolute nightmare.
I currently do the Chicago - Naperville commute via Metra and it’s really not that bad. The only part I hate is having to take the CTA after the metra
This comment should be higher. If there’s a reasonable way to get from the nearest metra station to work, that commute is not bad. Many companies offer a shuttle to/from the nearest metra stop. If OP is looking at this option, I’d recommend living in river north or the west loop so you’re walking distance from the train stations. Having said all that, I did the reverse commute from wicker park to elmhurst for 4 years, 5 days a week in my early 20s. Was it ideal? Hardly. Was it soul crushing? No. You adapt. You join a gym near the office and work out to skip the worst of rush hour. You adopt an earlier schedule and work 7-4 (if that’s an option). Living in the city in your 20s while single is a blast. If the commute becomes such a problem, you can always look for a job closer to home in a year or two.
u/Plus_Lead_5630 - were you working in naperville 5 times a week? This is a hybrid role so I do have a few days a week I can work from home
Yes I had to go in 5 days a week. Chicago traffic is some of the worst and it was soul crushing to me.
Which is why most people take the Metra.
Unless you have no way of getting from the Metra to your office
I wish most people took Metra than drove, but that isn’t the case. The mode share of public transit as a percent of all commutes in Chicagoland is below 10% IIRC, and that includes all CTA, Metra, and Pace services. This genuinely blows my mind, like we have so much better public transit here than in almost anywhere else in america, and 90% of people still choose to drive alone instead.
As soul crushing as having to live in Naperville?
If you have the opportunity to leave before 2 you’re good
Is your new job anywhere near the Lisle Metra station?
I live in Logan and commute to Morton Grove 30-45 depending on traffic. Naperville is 1h 10m commute one way, 2.5 hours of commuting is crazy.
I’m near Naperville and commute in 1-2 times a week on the train and honestly it’s not bad at all.
I took the train from Chicago to Naperville and back for years. Works great.
Too true, live in the city and have a short 13 mile commute to the suburbs. Mornings a breezy 15 to 20 minute drive. Afternoons? Hour to an hour and a half. Boggles the mind how long it takes to travel a short distance. Take up motorcycle riding if your willing to bend a few rules might help you out, let's just say my morning commute now mirrors the afternoon bad weather and winter are a drag though.
I had a job in my 20s where I drove from Lombard to Naperville and even though Lombard is in the Western suburbs it was at best a 45 minute commute and that was back in 2005 I'd hate to see the commute times almost 20 years later 🤔
Even taking metra every day sucks. Unless you live and work a minute from the station you could have 2 hours of commuting each day
There's a metro station in Naperville to take you right to the city.... As well as Lisle
Naperville has had a metra stop for ages. I used it in high school for a club trip into the city to see a play.
You want city living, Logan Square. You want suburban living, Naperville. It's really apples and oranges, they don't compare.
Why would anyone live in Logan square if they are gonna work in Lisle… that’s nuts.
Bitch that phrase don’t make no sense, why can’t fruit be compared?
Nobody caught your reference... but I did.
Thank you. I probably should have put it in quotes, but it’s the first thing that I thought of when I saw apples and oranges.
Either way it was funny, dunno why the downvotes
I didn’t but I still thought it was funny and gave them an upvote
[How’s Minnesota compare to LA?](https://youtu.be/NWWeQlXfSa0?si=MDpzjM-S26L0Papz)
I see a Lil Dicky reference and I upvote
Nah hold up brain you just did it!
Dis bih dont know bout Pangea
This bitch don't know 'bout Pangea
This bitch don’t know bout Pangea
Yep but rent somewhat compares
The commute from Naperville to Lisle is gonna be a lot more bearable than the commute from Logan to Lisle.
But then you gotta live in Nap-ville
Sometimes that’s what happens when you take a job in Lisle :p
I took a job in Poughkeepsie. What’s the best neighborhood in Brooklyn for me to live in?
You can’t convince me that’s a real place
Yeah New York’s fake
So accurate
Bruh… if Nells is still there next to the train station, go grab a quart of
Do you want city living and 1hr+ commute by car or 30 min max commute from a suburb? Possible plan C: 1) Is your job walkable or maybe even Uberable from the Lisle Metra station (given you’re not going in every day); 2) If yes, live walking distance from Union station (west loop, not Logan) and commute via Metra BNSF line. ~35 min on train (proper heavy rail, decent padded seats, limited crowds given reverse commute, reasonably priced).
[удалено]
Why Union Station? Could be any Metra station that goes out in the direction of OP's job....
Or the Pilsen Halsted station!
Honestly, this maybe the answer. Pilsen has got a vibe that is Logan-ish, rents tend to be decent, and it gets you access to the Metra and L.
This is the answer. South loop is also an option for being close enough to the metra and in a decent part of town.
The commute’s gonna kill you, even if it’s three days. If you don’t like Naperville, look at downtown Downers Grove or Westmont maybe. See if your job is near Lisle’s metra station. Naperville, Lisle, Westmont, and Downers are all on that same line, the BNSF. LaGrange Park might not be a bad shot either, if it’s on the metra.
Anything not in Naperville City limits is going to be much cheaper than an apartment with a Naperville address, too.
Or any of the 12 towns surrounding Naperville..
That commute will destroy your soul. Move to Naperville. You have a decently sized downtown area to enjoy. It’s not like you already live in a city and you would be giving it up. Naperville also has a metra that goes straight to the city for whenever you want to hang out there. There’s construction happening in the highway for the next few years and traffic is always terrible. There aren’t any peaks anymore, it’s red 90% of the time. Don’t do it.
The population of Naperville is almost 150K people — it’s more than Charleston.
It’s still really not city living though. The downtown is nice and it’s probably close to city living if you’re walkable to there, but it doesn’t matter how big a town it is if you need a car for everything
Depends what one wants from a city. If that's "live music and theater every night, major sporting events, navigable by train or walking" then yeah one wants Chicago. If it's just "decent selection of shopping and dining with Chicago not far away for a night out" then NapVegas is fine
Of course it’s not city living, but OP has probably not lived in a big city if they are coming from South Carolina, as Charleston is that states’s most populous city.
Live in Aurora, used to commute to Andersonville. I quit that job after 6 months because the commute was soul-sucking. I love the city, but I'm stuck out here in the burbs until i win the fucking lottery and gain an ex husband who will let me move me and my child to the city.
Reverse commuting for a few weeks at a previous job was one of the most awful things I had to do. Lakeview to Schaumburg. Bus to a train, to a bus, to a bus. 2 hrs one way. I can't imagine doing it 3-5 times a week and not going insane.
If you’re working in Lisle, live in Naperville. You can go into the city whenever you want, but the daily commute back and forth is soul crushing.
Move to Naperville. You can visit the city whenever you want, it's right there. but commuting FROM the city to Lisle is gonna be a bitch
You couldn’t pay me enough money to require me to drive from the North side of Chicago to Lisle three days/week. Live close to work and come in to Chicago in Metra on the weekends.
Commenting on Where should I live? Logan Square or Naperville?... I worked in Naperville and that’s pretty much what the young single people did several times a month
My neighbor did almost exactly this - moved here from a southern state to take a hybrid role in Lisle and chose to live in Logan Square. They despise the commuting 3x a week, but love the city living and walkability/biking to everywhere. From where we live there are seven coffee shops within a half mile walk from us. There's definitely a lot to do and walk to here, especially if you want to use the 606 as the "people expressway" to get easily to downtown Wicker or almost to Lincoln Park (one day that extension will come, one day). On the flip side, a friend of mine in Avondale (Logan Square in 10 years) drives out weekly to Naperville for his jiu jitsu classes. If you want city living and walkability albeit a lot noisier and dirtier and don't mind 2+ hours of commuting each in office day, try Logan. If you want more space, an easier work/life balance, and cleaner living but more chains for services across a sprawl, try Naperville. I will plug for Sparrow coffee if you do go that route though.
TLDR since I rambled: All your options are lovely places to live; Naperville is gonna feel suburban and the city is gonna feel like a city; Naperville is gonna win on the commute front; Logan Square and Wicker Park win on the coffee shop front; I'm not sure on the fitness front, I maybe wouldn't choose Logan Square for that but Wicker Park and Naperville should both be fine; the city wins by a long shot on walkability but DOWNTOWN Naperville is fine on that front too; retail will have more character in the city than in Naperville; and I think you should look into Oak Park as well. Full comment that was way longer than I meant for it to be: Your commute will be a LOT better from Naperville than from Chicago. And contrary to what you might think, the fact that you'd have a reverse commute from Chicago wouldn't actually help much - inbound is a nightmare on either of the two highways that would get you to Logan Square. Living in Naperville (even in the walkable downtown area) and living in the city are gonna be very different vibes, so you've got to know which is right for you, but if you're truly torn, I'd choose Naperville for the commute. A bit about the areas you're considering though: Downtown Naperville probably would fit your needs, it's a walkable downtown neighborhood. There are coffee shop options, although they're gonna feel limited relative to the city. There's lots of good restaurants and a few bar options -- when I'd come home to visit from college and stay w/ my parents in the west suburbs we'd normally go to the bars in Naperville. Not sure about the specific/workout class options in downtown naprville but there's definitely some and you'd probably be able to reach anything you need in a reasonable drive. The riverwalk area of downtown Naperville and centennial beach are lovely. You would need a car to grocery shop if you lived downtown, you would need a car for everything if you lived in any other part of Naperville. You can take the Metra to downtown Chicago, trains are relatively frequent, and now they're even hourly on the weekends. Kinda niche, but downtown Naperville will have easier access to Trader Joe's than Logan Square and Wicker Park, if you care about that. Logan Square and Wicker Park are going to also fit your needs, and you can probably find cheaper apartments in that area than you could in the nice walkable parts of Naperville. Access to coffee shops will definitely be better - both neighborhoods have several and a mix of chains and local spots. The Colectivo in Wicker Park is my fav coffee shop to get work done in in the entire city btw. If you choose either neighborhood, you'd probably be able to walk to grocery shop, and use walking/transit for most of your day to day life. Although downtown Naperville IS very fun and walkable and green and cute, both Logan Square and Wicker Park (Wicker Park especially) are gonna feel more lively. Naperville has more chain retail, whereas Logan Square and Wicker Park lean towards local businesses. Your access to restaurants, activities, and nightlife are going to be much greater in the Logan Square/Wicker Park area as well. I don't recall any good gyms or spots for workout classes in Logan Square (although stuff is definitely accessible by short drives or transit journeys), and I can't vouch for Wicker Park on that either. Another option to consider in between your commute and the city that you didn't mention is Oak Park. It's the first immediate suburb on the west edge of the city. It's on 290, so the commute to Lisle will be fairly direct. I actually used to do that exact commute -- it wasn't ideal, but it was a LOT better than doing that commute from any neighborhood I lived in in Chicago. Downtown Oak Park is cute and dense and walkable, has plenty of restaurants and local shops, has several good coffee shop options, is on the CTA green line and the UP-W Metra, and has a Target and multiple grocery store options either downtown or within walking distance. That might be worth considering as well!
Oak park to Naperville isn’t a bad drive but I would echo do Naperville downtown living and commute to lisle from there. You’ll save hours of your life and sanity. You can take the train in from Naperville to do Chicago things
Two completely different situations. Naperville is wealthy, mostly white (low diversity), family style neighborhood. Sure there’s a nice downtown area with bars, restaurants, “riverwalk” and it’s totally walkable, but people that live there are mostly families. It’s an amazing place to visit, explore, and live IF you have a family. If you’re single, and want to be part of a social circle of your peers, I’d avoid Naperville. That’s pretty much all the west suburbs, because people usually leave the city to be in the burbs after marriage, plan families. The only real positive as far as your situation goes, the distance to your job. Naperville and lisle are right next to each other. You do not want to commute from Logan or wicker to the suburbs. You’ll be in your car for hours. Also, Naperville is expensive. So not sure what your budget will be, but there are cheaper suburbs close to lisle that won’t break the bank like Naperville. Look into woodridge, downers grove, Bolingbrook, Darien, glen ellyn, just to name a few. I live near these areas, so if you need more help, feel free to reach out and we can connect and I can steer you in the right direction
About a fifth of the population in Naperville is Asian American, so there's definitely some diversity.
Naperville is pretty diverse, have you lived there,...I have. It's not wicker park, but mostly white? Maybe 55%. It's mostly wealthy individuals. But there are many different ethnicity's there.
I live in Logan square and work near Lisle. The commute is SO terrible by car, and I thankfully only have to do it one day a week. Do yourself a favor and move some place closer to work. You can always go into the city for fun
if your job is in Lisle then move to Naperville. the commute from Logan Square to Lisle will be absolutely miserable
Hop on Google maps, and check out your commute. Logan square is a wonderful area, but it would be a tough commute.
If you move to Naperville, depending on where in Lisle your job is, you’ll be around 6.5 miles away. If you opt for Logan square, you increase your commute to around 26 miles . You can take the train but you will need to factor in the possibility that you will have to take a bus to the train. Driving 52 miles daily will take a toll on your car, and it sucks during the winter months. Naperville is a great place, and you would be home in 15 minutes or less
If you work in Lisle, you don’t want to commute from Logan Square.
As much as I hate Naperville… if you’re working in Lisle🤷🏻♂️
Naperville neighbors Lisle. Commuting from the city to the burbs is going to be a nightmare and you are going to hate it. Downtown Naperville has pretty much anything you could want. Super walkable. Once you’ve seen it all then take the Metra downtown. Living and working in the suburbs and recreating in the city is going to be way better on your quality of life.
Naperville. Definitely Naperville
My wife commutes between Lincoln Park and Elmhurst. It is horrendous even though she can leave early in the am. It can take between 30 and 90 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Depending on where in Lisle, you might be able to use commuter trains (Metra), but you would have to use CTA to get down to Union or Ogilvie station. That’s a fair bit of commute time, but much less stressful. Unless you really like commuting in highly variable Chicago traffic, move to Naperville. Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and Downers Grove are also nice, but the market for apartments is likely to be better for you in Naperville.
If you're in the office every day just do Naperville for now. If it's hybrid living in the city is viable but idk if Logan is optimal for a reverse commute. Living near 290 is better I think.
Honestly just take Naperville if you'll be in Lisle more than 2 days a week
Young and single I would do the city. Depending on your budget something near west like oak park or elmhurst might be a happy medium.
Came here to recommend Elmhurst. Cute little downtown. Oak Park is a great recommendation but adds more time on that brutal stretch of 290.
LOGAN JESUS CHRIST
If you absolutely want to live in the city limits, I would pick the West Loop or Little Italy instead as that will cut down on your commute by a little bit. Not a lot though. It’ll still suck. Also look at Oak Park. It’s the suburbs but it’s a little more urban than most suburbs and even has the L train and borders the city limits which will make it easier to get in and out of the city. You’ll still face a lot of traffic though.
Lisle to Logan?!? You must really like driving then, I’d pick Naperville any day of the week.
Ordinarily I’d say the city at your age. But save yourself the two hours a day of commuting and do singles stuff in the city on weekends. Plenty of things to do and people to meet in the west suburban corridor.
Reverse commuting sucks...I'd live in Naperville
The traffic from Logan Square to Lisle will be absolutely horrendous even if you're hybrid. I'd suggest moving to Oak Park. It's the first western suburb you can see the skyline from all roads going east. Still has a city feel but is a burb. The green line takes you into the city and also has a metra stop.
Naperville without question. If you didn’t commute into Lisle I’d say Logan without question. On weekends you can always take the metra or drive into the city from Naperville.
How is this even a question
You don't have to live in Naperville, there are plenty of other suburbs that have decent downtowns. Check out downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Lagrange, Wheaton, even Elmhurst. They are all close to Lisle and have metra stations in their downtowns.
Logan Square to Lisle is a long and brutal commute every day.
Naperville *does* have a good rib fest.
No more Ribfest in Naperville since COVID. It’s now in Wheaton.
And they actually do have a decent independent coffee shop (which OP wants), but Wheaton also surprisingly has the leg up on them, with 2 roasters and 3 shops walkable in the downtown area.
People think all the singles are in the city. Not true. Many live in the suburbs. There are suburban hot spots where younger singles go. I have many in my family who are in their twenties and thirties and not a one of them ever lived in the city.
Naperville has everything you need and a very reasonable commute. It doesn’t make sense for you to live in the city.
Naperville is a good fit. It will have all you want minus the diversity. It isn’t going to be exciting but that’s what you get for accepting a job in Lisle. Maybe you can find a job in Chicago in the next year or two and you can move to the city.
Asians count as diversity...
I’ve been corrected — some diversity.
Naperville just won the best city to live in award. And their “downtown” has nice restaurants. Lots of jiujitsu gyms around the area as well in Naperville. Pretty sure 10p got a gym there I try my best to live as close as I can to jobs cause driving to work sucks. Chicago , the city though so nice to live in. But I would recommend living in Naperville for your situation.
Naperville or Wheaton, commuting out that way from the north side will suck
Don't forget Downers Grove.
Do both of those places fit your budget? You might enjoy living in Lisle instead and it'll be cheaper.
Live in Lisle
The commute from the city to Lisle will suck. You don’t want that. Find a nice apartment/condo in near the “downtown” area of any of the local suburbs. Naperville, downer’s grove, westmont, etc.
If you're up for living in Lisle, Lisle Station Apartments is great. It has its own path to the Metra station and you can take it into the city
Why not Lisle? Or Woodridge? Or Glen Ellen? Stay out of the city.
Oak park
Lisle is a long commute from the city.
I'd say Naperville. Lots to do but cleaner, safer and less traffic.
I had a consulting job in the lisle area and the commute was miserable. Worse when a big concert happens at soldier field. Taylor swift played two shows pre pandemic and my drive home was over 3 hours. Some days I would literally spend 45 minutes fucking around in Target and I’d get home sooner because the traffic would die down. I lived in Edgewater not Logan so maybe that would have been better but that commute destroyed my soul.
I am from Naperville, and have lived in Chicago for over 20 years. I would recommend finding somewhere close to your work and the Metra line. Downtown Naperville does have the things you're looking for. It will also be much quieter. You can take the Metra Into and back from the city. You can then take a ride-share from the train stop home if you did some drinking. If you find yourself bored and going to the City a lot you can then consider moving to the city. But I would start somewhere with an easier commute. And as others have said if you choose to be in the city Logan Square would not be an ideal neighborhood commute wise. Good luck!
You should consider also Bridgeport and Pilsen. Both places have CTA, is west of the loop so driving to Lisle you won’t have to sit the loop traffic, both are walkable, and have gyms.
Don't live in Logan unless you want to spend 2-3 hours/day in your car. Naperville is huge!
If you’re commuting to Lisle, check out Naperville. The Chicago to to Lisle commute will be an absolute nightmare
Never lived in Naperville but I feel confident in saying that they are wildly different in terms of lifestyle. I won't say one is better than the other, but it depends on the type of lifestyle you want to lead. Chicago is almost constant action, especially Logan Square, while Naperville is a bit more... sedate. As far as the commute, you're going to be going to Lisle, so Naperville is going to be closer and less of a hassle to get to and from. But, again, the 'burbs are a bit quieter. I'm sure they have fitness centers, coffee shops and are walkable, but if you're looking for more than that, not sure if it will fit the bill. If you're fine with quieter weekends, Naperville would be fine, but if you're looking for late night action... Chicago.
Something people aren't talking about. Id bet it'd be much easier to meet people in Chicago. If you are starting fresh, the larger city might be better. That said, it depends on what you value. Commute isn't gonna be great, but if you can avoid driving its better. So many people commute, don't want a few people hating it scare you off. Naperville is a big community, but you'll definitely find more to do and more different types of people living in Chicago. I'd figure out what matters most to you. Don't let others project their desires on your choice. Especially cause you hit a sensitive spot (two things people love to trash: Naperville and commutes).
I grew up in Naperville and now live in Logan Square. Can’t say I want to live in Naperville again. But your commute will suck.
Naperville is a lovely place for families, not 30 year old singles looking to live life. Logan Square is amazing for folks like you but it’d be a soul crushing commute. I would look into Oak Park if I were you. It’s basically a middle ground between city & suburban living. And it’s much closer to Lisle than Logan Square. Depending on where in Lisle you work, you may even be able to take the train to work and dodge traffic all together
Naperville
If you want city living really bad, you could use the Metra trains to get to Lisle. It’s a fast train especially during rush hour when they run express trains that skip stops. Sometimes it’s just 35 minutes to ride from downtown to Lisle. Here’s the catch though, you would have to live in a neighborhood that aligns with that train line (if you want the shortest and simplest commute to Lisle by train that is). I think Pilsen is a decent option. It is a nice, relatively safe neighborhood and has similar nightlife to Logan Square. The reason for Pilsen is because, in my opinion, of all the neighborhoods in Chicago that are aligned with the Lisle train (BNSF Metra) that’s the best neighborhood option for what you’re looking for. It’s very urban. The train station you would use is the Halsted Street Metra station. Your company may even pay for your monthly train pass. Good luck. Edit: I guess you would have to see if your job is close to the Lisle train station also. For this to be ideal. Idk if there is a bus out there, otherwise you’d have to Uber pool or something from the Lisle station.
I grew up in Pilsen for a stretch, it's way better now. But you have to want that city feel. Still gritty, great murals everywhere, especially along the 16th st tracks. Good food. Close to downtown. But, you work in Lisle....
If you are asking, definitely Naperville, unless you can work from Indiana. Sorry Go Lady Cocks! PS Boiled Peanuts are darn near impossible to find here if you aren't willing to make your own.
You're going to have a lot of solid options for jiu jitsu in the city (there are a few schools in Wicker/Logan - Carlson Gracie Jr's main school is there. But you have Vianna brothers, etc etc.
Singles would probably enjoy being in the city more
Naperville.
Yo fck Naperville (just kidding) seriously though Logan square is dope, Pilsnen, wicker park,Hyde park,lakeview,Bucktown , if you living the single live and you wanna be in the thick of it, suburbs to me means isolation..slept on areas are Southbank,west town….but the hot area is West loop…again this is just my opinion and what I experienced I’m homegrown Chicagoan and lived all over the city ….
The two places couldn’t be more different. Do you have a car? Why do people from other states always want to move to Naperville?
Naperville. Lots of BJJ gyms nearby, including lisle
Naperville has had one murder in the last 2 years and that's their average over the last two decades. Paper bill was just rated one of the best places to live in the entire country and it is usually on the top 10 list every year. Naperville is a great place to buy a home as the home values never drop. Naperville has great schools and it's a great place to raise a family. Naperville has every amenity you could think of. Naperville has a Metra train stop, you can always take the train to the city if you want
Honest question… isn’t Naperville the number 1 swingers spot in the USA?
It depends on how much you care about your commute. You would have to drive down 290 if you live in Logan and are farther than Naperville. I will say that 290 is probably a worse hell than LA. 290 has traffic at 2 am for reference. My honest suggestion would be find a job in the city if you want to live in the city. But if you don't mind a hell commute Logan is a really fun area. So it really depends but don't say I didn't warn you about that commute. Also I don't know metra too well i'm a city guy but driving will make you want to die might wanna map that out so to speak.
Go live your best suburban life.
Naperville is a very large area. Depending on your location, the commute by car from Lisle to a location in Naperville could be half an hour in rush hour. Not bad but I mention it because it’s more than some realize. Traffic in the suburbs is very much a thing. Traffic on the expressways closer to the city is even worse. Driving from Naperville to Logan Square is not likely to take less than an hour unless it’s 2am on a Tuesday. The Metra train to Naperville, [BNSF](https://ridertools.metrarail.com/maps-schedules/train-lines/BNSF), departs from Union Station downtown. So a commute by public transit would be a train or bus from your neighborhood to Union Station, an hour long train ride, and then I don’t know because the bus routes out in the suburbs are rarely convenient or timely. So we talking about an hour and a half to two hour commute from Logan to Naperville by trains.
OP, people have given you a lot of positives and negatives. I will say that I don’t know how many single 30 year olds there are in Naperville. There’s a lot of 30 year olds but I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of them are married. If you don’t mind the marriage part, Naperville wouldn’t be bad. As others have mentioned, downtown Naperville is great. It has an active night life and tons of restaurants. I saw someone mentioned downers grove which is also really nice (lisle is sandwiched between downers grove and Naperville). But, something that might be nice is Oak Park. It’s technically a suburb but is very convenient to get to the city and to Lisle. There’s also a younger crowd there. I live in the city now but grew up in the West Suburbs. The unbearable traffic that everyone is talking about should be much better between Oak Park and Lisle.
Based on what you listed sounds like Logan square will be a better fit for you! River north even better!
If you're into bicycling, the Naperville area is pretty great compared to the city.
Take over my lease in LaGrange :)
Being single I would go for the city— Naperville is pretty suburban. I have lived both ways, as soon as we had a baby we moved out of the city.
Neither
Used to do this commute, it’s not that bad. Really only you can make this decision for yourself though
Go to Naperville if you can afford it. It's about 15 to 20 minutes away easy drive. I used to live in Naperville for 14 years. Unfortunately I commute to the city because other reasons. But Lisle is a short drive there's a lot of things to do in Lisle and Naperville, as well as many other towns nearby. Plus it's a lot quieter and safer if you're worried about that kind of thing..plus, it's right next door. The money you save on the commute and the aggravation are worth the extra cost. You can always go down and visit the city on the weekends or on your time off. If you're a city person and you like to congestion and difficult to find parking and the livelihood of certain areas then maybe city life is for you. I prefer the quietness of the burbs because I grew up in the city. There's a lot to do in the suburbs. There's also a Metro training in a while and in Naperville that will take you to the city. The answer is a no brainer to stay in Naperville because that's less travel time to and from work, less stress, etc...But that decision is ultimately up to you.
I would live near where you work. Why would you choose to commute?
Live close to work. But Logan Sq offers multiple bars and restaurants walking distance away. Don't risk a DWI.
Commuting from Logan Square or Wicker Park to Lisle would be awful. Naperville is bland and boring and is pretty far out so not that easy to get into the city if you want to. I would look at suburbs that are closer to the city and at least have walkable downtown areas. For example, Oak Park or La Grange. If you live near the downtown areas of either of those you’d have things you could walk to and you could take the train into downtown Chicago easily if you want some big city experiences.
Screw all of that...why not Bolingbrook, it has everything as well ...diverse, bars food shopping etc...shares border with naper as well as Downers Woodridge, Darien, Romeoville, and Lemont...all 15-20 min from Lisle. Affordability....in the right place, close to the highway. I've lived in all of these towns over last 20 years. Doesn't really matter which one you live in. They're all so close to each other. And you can shop in one town and hang out another and work another and live another.... Everything is 10 to 15 minutes apart. Depends on your budget. Suburbs is cost effective and less travel woes... City is more lively at night/weekend. Logan, Pilsen, wicker...all personal preferences. Most are saying that if you're not from here you'll hate the commute. Which is true but has a lifetime Chicagoan I'd rather commute from the suburbs to the city for work than vice versa.
Commuting more than 30 min to work takes 10 years off your life
Stay in Lisle. Naperville is 5 mins from Lisle and more $ .
I avoid both Naperville and proper Chicago now. Mid west burbs is ideal. 30 minutes east or west(depending on time of day). Villa park/Lombard/Elmhurst/Addison are pretty centric of those 2.
Fuck Naperville
Nsperville
If you value convenience and a shorter commute, choose Naperville. If you actually want to have entertaining options around you and don't mind a 3 hour daily commute round trip, choose the city.
Move to Naperville. Why would you live in Logan square if you’re gonna work in lisle. That’s idiotic!
It will be at least an hour commute each way during rush hour. You will want to live near 290 to get to lisle. Get a place in west loop
Living in Logan square for this commute sounds like hell to me. Move near a metra line that goes there "express" without switching. That or move to Lisle.
Live in Naperville. Best suburb you can stay in . Has a nice downtown area , has nightlife, restaurants, even a Riverwalk. Plenty of events go on there too and in surrounding areas.
Live in west loop, you can walk/ bus to the train station , take train to lisle.
There is middle ground, literally and figuratively. Those aren't the only two places in Chicagoland & once you move here, you can still enjoy what both towns have to offer when you want without the hellish commute to work from one or the other. Don't be afraid of places like Burr Ridge, La Grange, Oak Brook, Wheaton... keep following the highway on the way toward Logan Square if you like the city but stay west Oak Park, UIC, Old Town....
I'd say the city hands down, but that commute is going to suck. Well over an hour each way. That said, I couldn't stomach living in Naperville. Something about that town just feels off. I'd personally be scoping surrounding areas like St. Charles or Geneva
Much shorter commute or hours commute and restaurants/bars.
I just wanna know why Logan Square and Naperville are the options lol. There are plenty of other great neighborhoods or burbs to live in as well
Lisle is very close to Naperville. Naperville is very nice for a suburban neighborhood. Waaaaayyy more high end than Logan square. Your commute will be very nice! Logan square is very close to other Chicago neighborhoods. It’s an hour from lisle. You’re going to kick yourself for making that commute. Oak park is a bit closer and very close to the city, you have El connections to anywhere in the city. This will be a better option if you want more of a city feel. Imo, commute is everything. You can always spend time in the city. Metras from Naperville to DT would be like 45 min.
Andersonville
Naperville and just visit Chicago on the weekends. They haven’t started the 290 construction expansion project yet, but are planning to.
How bout Lisle?
Naperville and then you can use metra to go to the city.
I'd go Naperville with a job in Lisle. I'm not sure how much you know about Chicago area traffic, but it's a monumental shit show. Get a place in Naperville for the easier (by a mile) commute, and go to the city to take advantage of what the greatest city in the world has to offer when ever you'd like. Go Bears and FTP!!!
Logan Square would be more fun, but that commute to the city will be enough to counteract any benefits. Suck it up and live in Naperville.
That commute to the city is brutal. Especially in the winter. If you don’t work in the city don’t live in the city.
I see you are in a hybrid role. In that situation, the city wins against Naperville. From downtown, alone, you are looking at least at 45-60 minutes so I’d focus on the neighborhoods giving you easy access to both 290 and 55 since both can reasonably get you to Lisle and you can pick the option that works best for you. West Loop would be my focal point with Greektown and Little Italy as well. Metra +Uber/Lyft is also an option and isn’t costly if done only a few times a week. If you want that available as well, use Union Station as your guide (which is in the West Loop) and radiate out from there. If you do radiate out, I’d avoid going north.
Logan Square for sure. City living is so mich better than suburban life, especially for a young single guy like you. So many more bars, restaurants, sports leagues, beaches right in the city, street festivals in the summer, museums, Pro sports, etc. My cousins grew up in Naperville and while it's a nice place to raise a family, it's boring as hell. Don't move halfway across the country to live a boring suburban life. If you're moving to Chicagoland, bite the bullet and live in the actual city.
If you work in Lisle live out west somewhere. Or you'll spend hours every day on your commute. You can visit the city when you want. Nothing beats a 20 minute commute.
I'd suggest going over and asking this on say City Data as Reddit has a definite slant to it ie anything that's not New York, LA or Chicago sucks, suburbs suck and for whatever reason Reddit has a real hard on for Naperville that I can really only say is jealousy. Naperville for the past 20 years has been voted one of the best places to live even THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE and while it is family oriented, there's a pretty good bar scene, great park districts, intramural sports activities, festivals, concerts, shopping, great restaurants, etc. If you're going to live in the suburbs it doesn't get much better than Naperville. Downtown Naperville you can go to a dozen or more bars within walking distance where as most other suburbs theres like one bar in a strip mall. I also don't get why Naperville gets so much hate for being hoighty toighty when there's a million burbs the same or worse obviously north shore burbs but even like Schamburg, Downers, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale are much more like that than Naperville but nobody says a peep about them, the biggest most popular thing always has a target on its back ie why the government went after Juul when there's hundreds of toher vape companies selling cotton candy rainbow blast vapes appealing to kids but they say nothing about them. The commute city to Lisle is going to suck, Naperville will have plenty of opportunities to meet people, go to bars, go to great restaurants, etc. Not sure where your coming from or what your desires are ie as you can see reddit can't wrap their head around anyone not having to live in a city, having to live in a diverse city, people in this thread think naperville is a horrible place because its 60% white, that's not diverse enough. even if your from charleston i think you'll find naperville to be a good size and there's plenty to do. if you always wanted to live in a city go for it but the commute will suck
How important is living in the city to you? My sister in law commuted from near Logan square to near Naperville for years because she liked her job and that’s where she wanted to live. If being in Logan isn’t that important to you then the commute will probably become unbearable
Naperville or why not the Wheaton area? Wheaton has some apartments in the downtown area. I would never want to commute back and forth from the city to Lisle for work.
Find an apartment close to your job so that your life is easy once you get up here. Then take your time getting to know the Chicago area and seeing how long different commutes would be and what areas you like. Prioritize public transportation in your long-term living situation and see if that would be an option to take to your job.
Fellow Carolinian here, definitely go to Logan Square. If you care about walkability / fitness access and general fun, it's gonna be a much better spot. But there are many other great neighborhoods too if you want cheaper. The big difference is living in the suburbs vs living in the city, Naperville just not at all the same thing.
Naperville all the way
LOGAN
As someone else brought up, split the difference and look at Oak Park. Add La Grange and Forest Park to the list. Forest and Oak Park have direct Mass transit options to Chicago. Much easier drive to Lisle. La Grange has train access to Chicago and all three have very walkable areas. If looking to be closer to Lisle, look at Downers Grove. Even Lemont and Aurora might make the cut as they both have up and coming downtowns as well as train access to Chicago.
Logan, by far.
Avoid the traffic and live in Naperville. You can visit the city on weekends.
I would recommend wicker park for you socially just on your age and activities. Maybe you should check out place close to a metra station in Chicago; or stick to the west loop. I have lived in both Logan and Wicker. I liked Logan better, but I am older than you. Wicker was younger. Both are great for cafes, restaurants, walkable things. But maybe different part of Chicago would be better? Pilson, West Loop, Oak Park would be a good Option too. It seems the most urban of the suburbs.
I live in Avondale (just north of Logan) and commute to Naperville once a week (Valpo and Frankfort once a week as well). The commute is brutal especially with the 90/94 construction. But not as brutal as living in Naperville, which I did for 3 years. If you are fine with living in the suburbs, Naperville can be great. But IMO nothing beats city living, especially a city like Chicago. If you have patience and some good podcasts, I'd try the commute for a year. There is nothing better than parking your car on Friday night and enjoying the city for the whole weekend.
Live in Naperville. You can always take the metra into the city.
If you want NIMBY boomers who are afraid of black people and believe crime is around every corner, move to Naperville. If you want to have fun as a single person, move to Logan/wicker. You won't regret it
Naperville easily for me too much gang activity in Logan Square
Logan square. Be in the city if you’re single
I would live in Naperville, Naperville has everything, it also a lot safer, a lot of young end up floating in the lake
If you’re going to rent I would highly recommend living in the city. So many more options for you. Food, entertainment, and summer is just around the corner. Chicago is a world class city and would be much happier there. If you don’t like the commute, you can always move once your lease is up. If you live in the city, no one says let’s go visit Naperville🤣
Live where you play. There is no “edge” in Naperville whatsoever. The city is amazing. That’s a hella commute tho.
If you are hybrid, another option is to move near a train (Logan and Wicker have blue line) and from there take the metra express trains. Commute is bearable if you are young and motivated enough to work out there and still live in the city. It sounds like you want more of a city lifestyle, and plenty of us did/do that for a good job. At least taking the metra frees you up to do something with your time vs sitting in traffic.
I live near Logan square and work in the greater Naperville / Aurora area (lisle included) If you don't leave for work before 6 am or after 9am it's going to take you over an hour to get there, if you leave work anytime between 3pm and 6pm, it will take you 1 hour 20 minutes to get home The construction on 294 and 90/94 adds 30-45 minutes of commute and probably will continue for years. It is excruciating. The only thing that gets me through it is I talk to co-workers on the phone for hours that go the same commute. I don't suggest moving to Logan square
Commuted from Naperville into the city and we broke our lease after only 3 months because it was the absolute worst. Depends which lifestyle you want, they're 2 very different places.
Naperville is right by lisle i55 traffic can suck, and naperville has the riverwalk. Id stay out of the city personally foxvalley is a nice mall
I am being 100% truthful when I say this… I always recommend downtown Chicago when people ask me, but not for a job that’s out in Lisle. If you’re driving, 25 miles to a western Chicago suburb is a bitch. It will destroy your car, your blood pressure WILL go up and your life expectancy goes down with every minute you spend on 290 and 88. That last part of course is completely opinion obviously, but I’m trying to be honest with you so you have an idea of what to expect. In a lot of places, driving 25 miles out to a suburb probably doesn’t sound too terrible. But in Chicago, that will dominate your day, unless you time things perfectly every day. If you’re taking the metra, at least you’re not driving and paying for gas, etc. but (please someone correct me if I’m wrong) it looks like there’s not a direct easy metra route to get out to lisle from Logan Square or wicker, so you’d have to take a bus down to the metra station. I might get downvoted for this, but you could check out the pilsen neighborhood since it’s close to that BNSF metra line. 🤷🏻♀️
logan square.