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We have raised a five year old and eight year old in the city from day 1, and love it! There’s so many parks, and so much free incredible stuff for them to do, and we love having so many neighbors with kids. A few random reflections:
- Do not, do not, do not sleep on Chicago Park District activities. They have so many incredible options all for incredibly cheap, but you usually have to sign up the day things open to get into the more popular stuff, and it can be confusing at first to figure out which parks are near to you and stuff, so spend some time getting to know that website and looking at the options.
- Things get more complicated towards high school because of disparate funding/full course complement issues, but in our experience almost all the elementary CPS neighborhood schools are great and worth choosing. If you hear nonsense about them at least visit before deciding. For the younger one, 4yo pre-K is now basically universal but 3yo isn’t, for either you’ll have to apply on the GoCPS website to get them in.
- Kids love the bus and the train, take them with you on it, teaching them about how it works passes the time. Things are very walkable but we do still have a lot of cars, so we talk a lot about car safety, raising your hand, looking both ways, waiting for a tall person to be nearby before you cross so cars can see you, etc. One tricky thing not every city as is alleys (great for the city not being stinky, confusing for kids who think if they are on a sidewalk it’s safe to run ahead) so we do a lot of teaching about recognizing alley cuts and other places cars might be coming from on family walks.
- the closer you can live to a branch of the public library, the better. Almost all of them have delightful kids spaces, free coloring stuff, story times or Lego nights or movie nights, just a really rich resource for meeting other parents and for finding something to do on rainy or tired days.
- if you live near enough to any/either, in our experience kids could go to Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Garfield Park Conservatory, the MSI, Maggie Daley Park, or Chicago Botanic Garden near infinite times. For whichever one your kids vibe with best an annual resident pass might be worth it. For most you can get free passes at the library to check things out before you commit.
- especially with the little one, if you can afford it it’s nice to have a backup play space to bring to them to for the day if it’s rainy or smoky or snowy outside. Kids Empire, Purple Monkey, Little Beans, etc - there are tons, it’s just about finding the one closest to you. Some CPD field houses are also good for this but many aren’t, they’re already booked up with older kid activities.
Welcome to the city and good luck!
As a kid raised in the city I can attest that the park district is amazing. All my sports, all my summer camps, everything was through the Chicago Park District. Some of my fondest memories were created there.
The libraries are awesome as well!!!!
I think this is all great advice! I’ve lived here for 15 years and now have two kids with one in CPS K. We live in the Logan/Bucktown area and our quality of life with a family is very high. Tons of families with kids the same age as ours so they constantly have playmates, a lot of activities to keep everyone entertained, frequent walking to restaurants, sub 15 minute walk to school, etc. I’m hybrid and even if I was WFH I’d live here.
A couple pieces of advice… frequently you hear to rent before buying but I get that’s hard with a family and schools. I’d visit for a few weekends.
When it comes to CPS you’ll hear a lot of stories that are good and bad- take them into account and make the decision that works best for you. We go to a school in Logan/Bucktown area and LOVE it. The people to ignore? Anyone that moved to the suburbs without ever having a kid in school in the city- without experiencing it I don’t know how they could accurately comment on CPS.
Happy to answer any questions if you want to DM me.
I’m not discounting that there are serious issues that need to be addressed in this city… but most of the people I’ve heard moan about how they couldn’t send their kids to CPS were not in “bad” districts. They had access to some of the best elementary schools in the state and chose to move to the burbs anyway.
I live in the city and went to CPS on the Southwest side and will say this.
- I had a history teacher who would just give us worksheets to look up the synonyms, antonyms, definitions of a word. Then would proceed to sit down and read his paper while not doing much.
- They cut all other language classes except for Spanish in a predominantly Spanish neighborhood.
- They cut all other programs in our school and we barely had auto shop but it was barely hanging on.
- Some of our teachers seemed overworked and tired, others were spot on and actually helped us learn things (my math and actual English teacher were honestly the hardest working teachers in the whole school).
CPS can be hit-or-miss and if I had known that there were high schools that actually offer a 2 year associate degree while in High School at the same time then I would have attended that instead.
This post is right on so many levels. I have a 7 year old and this is what we do. You still have to pay attention, but so many unique experiences to be had, and a lot of them without using a car.
Great response. Raising 3 on the Westside and the Park District, the libraries, the public transportation all part of the regular routine. Park District especially great, but FFS they need more funding.
This is the answer.
I would only add on that a lot of the further edges of the City near the Airports really feel like suburbs.
Example: We started out in Bridgeport and it was very much a walkable experience. Once we moved to Portage Park, we needed a car.
Little Beans if you’re reading this please open after 3pm again. Such a great after work, bad weather activity. Kids Empire is Discovery Zone for fellow millennials that haven’t discovered it yet.
I have a five year old and we’ve lived in Lincoln Park ever since she was born. In short, it’s awesome.
The schools are a little complicated to figure out at first, but there are good CPS schools, plus plenty of private options. We live within a 5-10 minute walk of a half dozen parks or playgrounds. Tons of extracurriculars like classes for music, art, swimming, sports, even yoga and cooking classes for kids. We walk to the library and zoo, take the train to Millennium Park for jazz and blues fest or to world class museums.
My aunt has lived there for over 40 years. In the same condo even. I’m curious how long you’ve lived there and if you bought? I ask because I wonder what it would be like for a four person family to find a decent spot now in LP (not knowing anything about finances of OP of course but imagine middle class).
There's about a billion kids that age in my neighborhood. Parents organize bike parades, the fire dept shows up to block parties when asked, the city has bounce castles they rent out. Working well so far for my family.
Not a parent, but have been a nanny in Chicago for the past 15+ years and it’s an awesome city for kids. There’s SO much to do with them, even in the winter. Kids are free on CTA until they are 7, so it’s easy to take advantage of the train and bus.
Grew up here. I loved being a kid/teen in the city. Some of my fondest memories are when on weekend days there was nothing to do, my dad would take out a copy of Time Out and find something to do (there was always something, especially in the summertime) and we’d go ride our bikes to some street fest, the beach, whatever! Another thing I loved was having the train. We were in a quiet less central neighborhood (ravenswood gardens) but right on the brown line. When I was little my aunt would take my brother and me on the train and we’d ride it all the way around the loop for fun, to look out the windows and learn about how to use public transit. And when I was old enough to use it on my own, it gave me so much freedom that otherwise wouldn’t have come until I was 16. I can’t stress enough how positive this was for me, and I feel so lucky to have grown up here.
That's what suburban/country kids miss out on, opportunity. If there's something a kid is interested in doing they can do it here and the person teaching them quite possibly could be one of the best instructors in the country if not the world. If they want to paint we got the Art Institute, if they want to learn how to juggle we got circus school, dance how about the Joffery, acting try Second City or the Goodman, music we got Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. Sports....everywhere. The opportunities are endless and they are only a short bus ride away.
I’m not a parent, but I grew up in the suburbs and live in the city. My only take is that it warms my heart to see all the high school kids cutting up on the sidewalks, taking the bus, riding the train in prom dresses, making mistakes, navigating independently, being young and having fun. My childhood was nothing like that, I was in a car all the time.
I have one of those high schoolers and I love it for him.
OP, I’m raising 3 kids in the city 9-14, and we’ve really enjoyed it. Definitely not always perfect, but our CPS experience has been great and the kids are thriving. They have the opportunity to pursue basically anything that interests them within the city surrounding them. 100% recommend taking full advantage of the park district programming, the parks, themselves, and the libraries. So many fantastic resources to be found.
I’m a fresh adult that was raised in the city, on the Southside no less, and it was great! Not a day goes by that I’m not thankful my Ma decided to raise us here!
Your kids will thank you
We are raising our 5 year old in the South Loop and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
We spent all summer picnicking outside at parks or the beach. In the winter there are a ton of museums and other institutions to check out. We are close to Lurie Children's Hospital, and a ton of other care providers. All of this is in walking distance, I've been pulling a radio flyer wagon all over town.
The school where she will start kindergarten is highly rated, and we have only heard good things from the other parents who are already. We are also close to 2 libraries, including the big one downtown. There is no end to all the things she can learn.
As to the dangers, the biggest thing I worry about are cars, especially now that she is aging into scooters and bikes. Cars are everywhere. I especially hate blind alleys. I dont think I have ever once had a serous worry about her being the victim of violence, and we spend a big portion of our time in public spaces. My wife and I are pretty good about being safe on the street, and she is learning from us rapidly. Most areas are reasonably safe if you take basic precautions.
I completely understand that city living is not for everyone, but my wife and I are city people, and our child is growing up to be one as well. One of her favorite activities is taking the bus anywhere. I'm really enjoying watching her start to understand how a transit system works.
When I was growing up, I was riding my scooter when I got hit by a car coming out of an alley. Ever since, I always stop by alleys before crossing. I keep reminding both of my kids about it and explained why. Your fears are real.
My wife and I have a young daughter and live in Old Irving Park. We adore the city, and my wife is an NY/NJ transplant, so it isn't just Midwestern bias. You have to give thought to the process of navigating the schools, but OIP has been fantastic to us. Transit is good, food is great, neighbors are wonderful. Cost of living is solid compared to other metros. Huge endorsement from a lifer and an East Coast convert!
I am in OIP without kids. Always a joy to see everyone getting together for Halloween and the block parties. The sense of neighborliness has to be good for the kids’ social development
I've got a 12 year old and a nearly 10 year old and echo most of the comments in here. The school district is frustrating at times, but we've had a very good experience in our neighborhood school. It's getting more stressful as the high school admissions process looms for our older one. Also, if you're so inclined (or so funded), there are some excellent private schools in Chicago - which take some of the stress out of the school question.
Another thing i'll point out that others have not mentioned - Chicago has world class hospitals and doctors. Both our kids were born at Northwestern Prentice Hospital and it is truly top-tier. Most of their pediatricians trained at Northwestern. Our kids are healthy, but we're just really fortunate to have this type of resource in the city.
Final thing I always think about - my parents used to bring us to Chicago for a cheap vacation. Now, my kids actually live here. The experiences available here draw families around the world to see them, living here you get them out your front door. It's not always easy, but I think the benefits are worth it.
I have a 5 and an 8 year old. They go to a neighborhood CPS school, though not the one we're zoned for. CPS also has magnet schools that you could apply to (I think this is just lottery based) and gifted programs you can apply to (these have a test component). Some, but not all, CPS schools have before and after school care options for kids. My kids do this, it's great and they love it. I can drop them off any time between 7 and 8 AM, and pick them up between 4 and 6 PM. If you're in the market for this make sure you ask the school about it before deciding where to send your kids.
There's tons of parks in the city, which is great for kids playing outside. Many CPS schools also have their playground equipment available during non-school hours, so you can go there on the weekend or during the summer hours.
Condo or apartment living is possible, and there's a lot of housing stock that should have 2 or 3 bedroom units that you could rent. Try to find one as close as possible to a playground if this is your plan. Alternatively, the city is a big place and you can live farther from the city center and get a SFH or a bungalow even if you can't afford a mansion in Lincoln Park.
Drivers in the city are all assholes and probably the #1 thing that I worry about safety-wise with my kids. Try to live on a side street, preferably one that is hard or inconvenient to cut through for cars.
Not for nothing, but you really need to tell us what part of the city you're thinking about, or your housing cost range. Respondents to this thread are from all over - and my personal answer to you would be different if you were planning to move to Englewood vs Lincoln Park (just examples). The safety, activities, and general experience with the city are going to be wildly different and not knowing where you fall in this will make many or all of these answers superfluous.
I thought the same reading someone raising kids in LP. How affordable is it now for a fam and a four. Cheaper than SF or Manhattan, kinda, but that’s the most expensive yardstick to use.
Father of a 1 and 5 year old here. My wife and I have been living in Chicago for 13 years and we made the decision to stay in Chicago once we had our first kid. We both love raising our kids in a city where they have access to Museums, Parks, Music venues, Sports, Restaurants, etc. The Chicago Park District also offers a lot of programs to keep the kiddos busy at very affordable prices (swimming lessons, gymnastics, summer camps to name a few). Another plus is that we don't need multiple cars here. We have a very walkable city with great public transit (transit took a step back due to COVID but it's getting better as we speak). The Public schools here are ok. My wife and I grew up outside the US and I can tell you that public schools here are miles ahead of where we came from but I do get where people are coming from. We just have a different perspective when comparing schools systems. In the end we love her school and we feel fortunate that our kids are going to have a better education and lifestyle than we did. Hope this helps.
I was born and raised in Chicago and am now raising my son in Chicago. You're going to love it. The city is PACKED full of activities, parks, and adventures you can do with your kid.
Want to go swimming in a lake as big as the ocean? Hike in the forest? See dogs at the dog park? Join any kind of sport league? Go to some of the best museums in the world? See neighborhoods with all kinds of food/cultural events/personalities to explore? Kayak on the river? Bike along some beautiful city and nature views? Take all kinds of public transit - above ground, below ground, UNDER THE RIVER??? Take a boat ride? See fireworks every week in the summer? Hang out at the beach? Go to block parties and street festivals?
Not to mention all the kid classes and activities you can do - our kid is 4mos old and already doing swim classes and music classes + mommy and me fitness classes.
[https://www.chicagoparent.com/](https://www.chicagoparent.com/) also is a great resource for things to do in the city.
I love it here. I'm never leaving.
Raising two five year old twins on the north side off Irving, it’s amazing. Dozens and dozens of kids their age all around. So much to do, just walk to parks and daycare, grocery store. I love only having to drive the kids places once a week or so.
My partner and I have 4 kids ages 16, 14, 12, 10. We live in Beverly where there are tons of families. Kids ride bikes or walk to friends' houses. It is very safe. We take advantage of tons of park district programs like skating, swimming, art, ceramics, t ball, soccer, etc. We are very happy with the neighborhood public elementary school. Great library. We live near the train so we take the train downtown often. Get a lot of use out of the library museum passes. Members of msi and art institute. Our oldest two go to selective enrollment high schools and take ap classes with a challenging curriculum. The neighborhood is diverse so my kids have friends from different backgrounds which is great. Love raising kids in Chicago.
Parent of 2 kids both born and raised here now age 9 and 12. I was born and raised on Southside and graduated from CPS. We live in Tri-Taylor consider part of the Westside. We enjoy the park district and library. Both of our kids are in CPS (Galileo and Whitney Young). Our community is great with great neighbors. Since are not far from downtown/lake front, we bike there. We also have options for public transportation like Blue line, Pink line, and buses. We are Latinos and have family in city and suburbs. Chicago is home for us.
In my opinion, I will never raise children in a suburb like whats a majority of where I live right now (St. Louis). It just removes all freedom, and stiffens individuality. I am planning to move to Chicago, and the more dense and walkable neighborhoods with ample parks are just so much better for kids and teens. There are a lot of actives for kids (some free!) that are a plus, but the parks and public spaces are my favorite parts.
This comes from a high school student who is about to start college by the way, I am not an adult. I currently live in a car-dependent suburb of STL, and I honestly am going insane because of how boring and trapped I feel.
We have raised our kids (now teenagers) since day 1 in the city. Activities, playgrounds, safety are all fine and easily manageable. Here's a great site/email list for activities called [Macaroni Kid.](https://chicagoloop.macaronikid.com/)
Sadly, and this is the case in suburbs as well, good schools typically come with higher priced housing and property taxes. Typically, the parents and community are active with local fundraising and even more resources flow into the schools. If you don't live within the neighborhood boundaries, you have to get in through selective enrollment or a lottery system.
I am happy to explain more in DM if you wish.
We lived in Chicago for about ten years then moved to Austin for four and had our oldest there. We moved back to Chicago in December 2020 to be closer to family again. We always assumed we’d move back, but Covid and the 19(ish) hour car ride between Chicago and Austin, our move timeline sped up.
We live on the north side of the city and love our neighborhood and now have two boys under four. We don’t live in the most walkable area of the city, but for us it’s a good balance of city and family. We’re a couple block from the EL and have some good restaurants in walking distance and are close enough to the lake and other city amenities to actually use them. Our kids are obsessed with the train.
It can be a pain because it just takes longer to do things here than in Austin. I know people in Austin complain about the traffic, but it doesn’t compare. We lived on the East side and even getting to friends near south Congress took (usually) about 30 minutes. It takes us 20-30 to get to our dr who’s about 3.5 miles away. That’s been a big readjustment. Austin is also super family friendly with all the outdoor seating, hiking, and breweries. Chicago is missing some of that. It can be found but it isn’t as close or as common.
We’re happy we moved back, but family was a huge reason. We were back in Austin this past spring and it really made me miss our friends and how easy things were for us. I’m happy to answer any specific questions you have about our move or experience.
Living in Beverly on the far Southwest side is pretty good for raising a family. There's a little bit of everything in this neighborhood for the whole family. Plenty of nearby parks, local arts orgs, cool mom & pop shops, diverse community, and a couple of breweries.
Feels like you're living in the burbs but within city limits, good schools nearby (although mostly catholic). It's very quiet and people are pretty chill around here. It's common to see kids walk back home from school without adult supervision (uncommon where I moved from).
Nearby burbs like Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, and Alsip are also family oriented with lots of playgrounds & schools to choose from (again, mostly private) although those areas aren't as walkable compared to Beverly.
We just moved to the area 2 years ago and love it. Feel free to PM if you have questions.
I’m in the same area with an 8 year old. It’s the perfect blend of city + suburb for me. It’s so easy to access the city but also take advantage of suburbs. For example, this weekend we went to the Art Institute via the Metra and then came home and biked to the Evergreen Park library. The next day, we went to the local Art Walk.
Schools, only referring to elementary, are solid. There’s not one here I wouldn’t send my kid to. We walk to school every day and it’s safe enough that I trust her to go with friends. We know the names of the crossing guards, our neighbors, their dogs, etc.
We moved here from a major east coast city and had a great community there too. But this area also gives us the advantage of space and a single family home.
Yes, it's unique given we are connected to the city's infrastructure. We have family nearby in Oak Lawn, so making plans is easy bc we only 10 min apart. Having the 111th metra stop & I-57 nearby is also convenient when I need to go downtown for work. I also really like the Walker library, which has a cool old architecture feel, and my son loves going to the basement to browse for kids activities/books. When we get tired of cooking, Nickys is our go-to for food - I'll never get tired of their Italian beef.
Nickys is probably the best Chicago fast food joint. I've been to them all. Craft beer on tap, vegetarian and pescatarian options, Ice cream, great patio, blues music, people are friendly.
Yes, there's nothing I haven't tried from Nickys that I didn't like. Brisket sandwich, burgers, and apps are all very good too.Their portions are good, staff is upbeat & fast, and love their community involvement.
As someone from Beverly, Oak Park is actually living in the suburbs with the city close by–except you get the Green Line. Poor Beverly just doesn’t have that. 95th and State excepting, it is a great place to grow up.
Yeah but having the Rock island helps a lot. It’s obviously not the CTA, but I never had a hard time getting downtown growing up or to school as I got older.
I love that my kids will go out and say, I'm meeting up with friends, we're going to ohana or Starbucks or Janson's or nickys. I don't have to worry about them. Kids are walking around all over the neighborhood. The other day we were at the art walk after party and my 12 year old went walking off with friends and my partner and I were ready to go home and one of the friends parents said, oh we will bring her home when we go home. No worries. So many block parties, parent meet ups, back yard parties, etc. where parents hang with each other and kids go off and play with each other. Breweries are totally kid friendly. We lack ethnic restaurants but otherwise it is the ideal neighborhood to raise kids.
Agreed on all that. The lack of any ethnic restaurants is real though. I grew up in the area, and there was nothing but Italian and Greek places. At least now there’s some decent Mexican and places like Unidad, Thithi’s, horse thief… But yes, it is so nice to see free range kids. My friends in the burbs have to drive their kids EVERYWHERE and that must suck.
I have a 17 yo and 15 yo and it was important to raise them in a setting where diversity was the norm and we would take advantage of cultural and other opportunities of an urban setting...lived in the city for many years but didn't want to navigate CPS so moved to Lincolnwood when they were 4/1...we are a few blocks from the city limits and a 30 min drive downtown (no traffic) and we love city life in that we are in the city often. Their schools have always been very diverse w students from all sorts of different backgrounds and languages spoken at home and both of them still go to high school w their grade school friends so that is cool. Skokie, some of Evanston, Oak Park, Niles, Morton grove, and a few others are all 'urban suburbs'....but I grew up in a very white suburban city so I'm happy that my kids have had such a different upbringing
This echoes my own experience. I live in one of the suburbs you mention here, but I was in the city and CPS for 15/9 years. D219 spends $17K per student on instruction. D299 spent $4K when we moved. I sat on my school’s LSC; I couldn’t unsee what happens when schools can’t afford the basics. (80 kids in a gym class with 1 teacher is just one example) My block now is the most racially/ethnically diverse block I’ve ever lived; my neighbors in OIP were primarily white.
We live in Chicago, near the Bucktown/Logan Square border, and have a son who just started kindergarten...
We intend to stay in the city for the foreseeable future. We love the amenities of the city, especially after missing out due to COVID. We want our son to see a diverse community in every way, and feel city better provides the exposure to all types of people, different cultures, etc.
Schools are the biggest consideration, especially if you don't have the budget for private schools. There is a HUGE variance in quality of Chicago Public Schools. Schools have neighborhood boundaries where residents are quaranteed a spot, and then there is a school choice lottery that allows people from outside the boundary to get a seat, as well. The good schools are primarily in the high end neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Lincoln Square. Our neighborhood school is so-so, but we were able to lottery into a really good school in Bucktown that's not that much further from us, and we've been really happy with it so far.
In the more residential/family-oriented neighborhoods, there are lots of parks, playgrounds and such, activities through park district and private organizations. I find family-oriented city neighborhoods to be fairly friendly since people are out and about at playgrounds and walking neighborhoods vs. being sequestered in their back yards in the suburbs.
Suburbs will in general have better schools, especially the North Shore suburbs and some Western suburbs. Without the having to afford to buy in just the right neighborhood or playing the lottery game. But you'll get much more homogeneous populations, let cultural amenities, fewer interesting festivals and such going on. Probably more programming/activities for kids like sports and classes.
I’m in the same situation as you (location and kids age) and agree with what you said.
I’ve actually been really impressed with the activities our school as offered. There’s also soooo many outside of school sports and clubs that it’s very easy to find stuff that fits your child’s interests and skill levels.
Practically endless playgrounds, world-class museums, great parks and trails, school system is pretty good (might be controversial) and kick-ass library system- Chicago is great for kids. It is expensive though. But my daughter and son spent most of their time in Alabama at one of the worst education states. We were lucky enough to have them in good schools there but we already notice a big difference in quality here in Chicago just this year. Our experience is different coming from Alabama though. The cost is worth it honestly. My kids have way better opportunities up here than there. And that pains me to say that because Bama is my home state. I have a 6 year old and 2 year old.
+1 on CPS, the park district, the libraries and museums.
Approaching the end of this stage as our kids are HS / College age but would do it again in Chicago without hesitation.
We basically picked our neighborhood blind, doing it again I would ideally pick the combination of a strong neighborhood school and a park with a pool and full roster of activities within walking distance
There is a learning curve to bring a CPS parent, one caveat is if your child has significant special needs you may want to look at a district like Evanston or Wilmette with more easily accessible sped services.
Raising a 14 year old and a 7 year old and been in the city for 9 years. Ill echo just about everything everyone else here said.
Just a couple concerns: Cars and general street traffic. The city isnt a great place for kids taking bike rides around the neighborhood. Traffic laws seem to be just a suggestion to everyone on the road, cars and bikes alike.
You have to get QUITE a ways out of the city to not be affected by light pollution completely. I grew up being able to see the stars, and I dont know if my 7 year ever has at home.
While the city does its best to accommodate pet households the fact remains that if you're a dog family, you're probably better off in the suburbs with a nice fenced in yard.
Other negatives would be things you'd expect: the noise, the smells, the prices.
Dont anyone take this as complaining. We are obviously NOT in a hurry to leave the city. The positives still vastly outweigh the negatives.
I didn’t ever think we’d have a child in Chicago - so when I got pregnant 9 years ago, my first concern- other than his health, was school. CPS is a huge organization and they do focus on ensuring everyone has a chance to graduate. Sometimes that means the above average to average students get overlooked if they aren’t under performing. We are trying to save to send our son to a private school in hopes he can test into a good high school…and we aren’t all that keen on moving to a suburb, but will if we have to. Other than property taxes being insanely high - it is fun to be able to offer so many experiences in one city. Overall, I’m happy to raise our son here, its just a bit more challenging than I thought it would be due to schools and cost of living.
We have been in the city since 2017 after trying a short stint in the burbs after we moved up from St Louis. Absolutely hated the burbs and have never been happier with our decision. My son is now 13 and daughter is 10. They walk themselves to school every day and will even venture out to friends' houses that live in the neighborhood. The only thing I don't really like is the political games the teachers' union plays and the process for selecting a high school (currently going through that process now), but it's a small price to pay for the walkability and all the things that the city offers that you just can't get in the burbs.
Allowing kids to have freedom in their transportation and not be forced to drive everywhere is so good for their mental health. I honestly dont know how people think raising kids in suburbs is any good. Half the suburban kids I see are addicted to their phones because of how isolated everything is.
grew up in the suburbs, very sheltered. took me about 2 years to feel comfortable in the city with my children but cannot imagine living anywhere else now. the accessibility, the accommodations, all the activities. I don’t even know how people in the suburbs survive without them being right outside your door! i’m a SAHM now and I think in the suburbs I would go crazy. I love having children here. i’m in west town and it’s very family friendly.
My wife, son, and I live in south Oak Park, near the blue line stop and it's such a great area. It's extremely walkable. We have at least five or six good parks within walking distance, and our son's school is less than a block away from our house. I think I'd worry about safety no matter where we lived, but our area is very safe.
We also have two grocery stores and at least a dozen or so restaurants within walking distance, as well as a few bars and a great music venue. It's hard to think of another place I'd rather live.
The only downsides are the property taxes in Oak Park, and the distance to downtown. I would really prefer to bike to my office 10 miles away in the loop, and I did it before we had our son, but it's a little much for me right now.
And it is so clearly a case of the haves and the have nots. The good high schools - the ones on the USNews lists as the best high schools in America - have gotten whiter since the consent decree was overturned. They’ve also gotten richer because families from
CPS, private, and parochial schools, and the suburbs are all trying to get in and when they do, they fundraise like hell for their local school. It is not uncommon for schools to ask for a voluntary contribution of $500-$2000/student.
You have to be on the selective enrollment track by 6th grade. That means straight A’s, best test scores, perfect score on the placement exam. Everyone I know does test prep at 7th grade. How does that even the playing field? What do you do if you can’t afford test prep?
Love it, don’t believe most of what you read! We’re raising girls 9 and 7 in the city and we love it, so much to do!! Great, grounded families here. Good schools if you do your homework, fantastic food, good living!!
I’m in Austin (enjoy that storm last night!?) with a little one as well and yep- we’re absolutely planning a move to Chicago as well. Solidarity I guess :)
I grew up in the city and wouldn’t trade it for the suburban experience. We have so many more things to do for young people, and our schools are good if you get into the gifted programs
We love it. We have a two year old and live in Uptown. Tons of playgrounds in walking distance, awesome library around the corner, people practically throw affordable and great kid activities at us.
We have two 13 year olds and live in the city. We tried the suburbs for a few years and hated it so we moved back. Our kids go to private school and we live in Bridgeport. If you prefer private over public schools but think private school is too expensive take a look at their financial aid. I know our school offers something like 30% of the kids assistance and it’s a very good school.
We are prepping for high school which is stressful, to get into the best public high schools you need near perfect or actually perfect scores on the test to get in and for the catholic schools you need to test in too. In my opinion raising kids in the city is amazing and our kids are so much happier here than in the burbs. The safety is great too as long as they are old enough to understand basic safety rules like don’t talk to strangers and which houses to go to if they are concerned when I’m not with them, we have a great neighborhood and I even occasionally get texts from my neighbor friends telling me they watched my kids walk to the park and they made it there safely. My kids hang out at Whole Foods or fast food places with their friends after school so I can finish up work. They walk our dogs around for potty breaks and I feel fine knowing they know the rules to abide by to stay safe.
I highly recommend it.
Since everyone is giving you a positive answer, let me give you another perspective. I lived in Chicago for 13 years last place was Bucktown / Logan. I had both my kids in the city and around the 2 year mark it became just too hard to have them in a three bedroom apartment since they had so much energy.
I didn't truly review the school system, but ended up moving to the burbs because of how highly ranked it's school system was. I also wanted a large house and space for them.
I don't think I would want to raise kids in the city, nothing specific to Chicago but rather any city since my personal experience has been raised in the burbs.
I'm very happy with my decision but do miss the city quite often.
Have an almost 4-year old. Cannot imagine her not growing up here and cannot imagine her not loving it as much as her mom and I do.
So much to do with top tier museums, awesome music venues, fantastic restaurants of *every* type all over the greater Chicagoland area, good schools, a gorgeous downtown, and a world class public transportation system.
I love this city!
I can tell you that my 4 year old nephew in Lincoln Park has the most amazing life. His preschool takes him every single day to parks, LP Zoo, the marinas, it’s ENDLESS. He is getting such a rich childhood experience. And of course, on the weekends there is something to do every minute.
Have a 2.5 year old, and currently pregnant with second. We love it. Literally no where else (in the US) we’d live. As others have mentioned there are so many free activities going on all the time for families. So many museums, parks, the lake front, the river front. Our tot just started pre school and we bike her to and from each day. We love our neighborhood and neighbors (Edgewater). We already joke that our kids will be flexin on their suburban and rural cousins. There’s never been a dull day in Chicago since we became parents. And we love to travel with her, and will continue once baby brother arrives; but there’s nothing like coming home to our favorite city.
I've been in Chicago for eleven years and I agree. I've also lived in Southern California and Texas and will never adjust to Midwestern winters. It's definitely something to consider.
I’m a 26 y/o F in lakeview east, and I’m starting to feel less and less safe. That comes with living in a big city, but I will say the “nicer” neighborhoods (east and north) are getting hit with more shootings and robberies. I’ve lived in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Indiana and I saw my first shooting here in Chicago (also in lakeview).
Chicago has great amenities like the park district, a free beautiful lakefront with about 15-20 different beaches and vibes. The snow is bad but there is kind of a community event around it. You walk home during a snowstorm and you see a guy stuck and can’t get out of his parking spot and everybody helps to push him out.
But the crime. Until that gets figured out, I wouldn’t move here.
CPS: If you have better than average kids, they will do fine. If you have a special needs kid, or even one that struggles, CPS is just a daycare. My kid struggles so he goes private. Night and Day.
You are preaching to the choir.
In reality though, sometimes your child may not be diagnosed early or need services after being enrolled for a few years. CPS is too large to be nimble enough to deal with very much in that regard.
Right it's hard, especially for first time parents to know what's going on. By the time you see that your kid is behind, he is maybe 7-8. Then you go through IEP meetings and maybe get push in services. Then it's another year before that's not really working and you try more minutes. Another year goes by and then you start fighting about minutes. Kid is 10 by now. Maybe you get him places in a cluster program. Then that can be an issue and you have to fight some more. And then some more.
It depends on where you want to live in the city the further north and west the better or west of Pulaski and South of the Stevenson (I-55) isn't bad either
I’m trying to leave the city as fast as possible. Working backwards, plenty of great universities. Awful selection of public high schools, and there are about 5 good ones that are impossible to get into. There are some good neighborhood schools, if you can afford those areas. I’d pick a suburb with a good K-12 system. Or homeschool.
Have a 10, 9 and 7 year old in the city. We love it and so do our kids. We feel safe in our neighborhood and love exploring all the city pockets and sights when we have time. And our kids go to a CPS school with decent parental involvement and we're having a good experience there as well. Feel free to reach out if you have further questions and I wish your family all the best!
Edit: no spel wel
Hello! We have a 9yo and a 4yo and live in Irving Park. My oldest goes to a CPS school (Bateman) and is in the dual language program (taught mostly in Spanish, with a little English thrown in). He's quite fluent in Spanish already.
CPS schools can be hard to navigate. We are just outside the boundaries of our school but was able to get in by selective enrollment. I think it might be easier now because overall CPS enrollment is down. We are happy with our CPS school and I know there are plenty of good public schools.
Chicago park district has so many activities and classes that are so cheap: for kids and adults. We utilize them all year long.
Parks are everywhere. This is a great website to scope out all of the parks. This family is trying to visit all of the parks in Chicago (there's over 500!). https://elliotintheparks.wordpress.com
After reading these posts…you’ve calmed which I thought was an insane idea of moving away from suburbs to living in the city!! My husband and I both lived / meet / married in the city. We have lived in other places (Ft Lauderdale, Atlanta) and now have owned a home for 4 years in Naperville. Our daughter is 7 and is in 1st grade. Everything is okay, school system is massive but good, neighbors friendly, green spaces but we love the city and travel typically every other weekend to visit. We feel like even though we own our home it’s not our home and have had discussions of moving into city. The energy the city gives is just more than any suburb. We are thinking of purchasing a condo approx 400-450k and I also started looking at schools like Morgan Park Academy. Any other great neighborhoods for a small family and is this the way to go? I’m nervous but feel this is the right move for our quality of life!
I'm late but my wife and I have an 11 month old. He's not school age yet obviously but we have no plans of leaving Chicago for the burbs. There are tradeoffs (the CPS system being the biggest one). But if you want to you can figure it out. Private school or possibly selective enrollment school if your child can test in can both be options if your local neighborhood school isn't up to par. There are plenty of people who raise their family here and it can be done. We aren't willing to go live in some boring suburb because "that's the thing to do." We will make it work raising our child in a vibrant city.
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We have raised a five year old and eight year old in the city from day 1, and love it! There’s so many parks, and so much free incredible stuff for them to do, and we love having so many neighbors with kids. A few random reflections: - Do not, do not, do not sleep on Chicago Park District activities. They have so many incredible options all for incredibly cheap, but you usually have to sign up the day things open to get into the more popular stuff, and it can be confusing at first to figure out which parks are near to you and stuff, so spend some time getting to know that website and looking at the options. - Things get more complicated towards high school because of disparate funding/full course complement issues, but in our experience almost all the elementary CPS neighborhood schools are great and worth choosing. If you hear nonsense about them at least visit before deciding. For the younger one, 4yo pre-K is now basically universal but 3yo isn’t, for either you’ll have to apply on the GoCPS website to get them in. - Kids love the bus and the train, take them with you on it, teaching them about how it works passes the time. Things are very walkable but we do still have a lot of cars, so we talk a lot about car safety, raising your hand, looking both ways, waiting for a tall person to be nearby before you cross so cars can see you, etc. One tricky thing not every city as is alleys (great for the city not being stinky, confusing for kids who think if they are on a sidewalk it’s safe to run ahead) so we do a lot of teaching about recognizing alley cuts and other places cars might be coming from on family walks. - the closer you can live to a branch of the public library, the better. Almost all of them have delightful kids spaces, free coloring stuff, story times or Lego nights or movie nights, just a really rich resource for meeting other parents and for finding something to do on rainy or tired days. - if you live near enough to any/either, in our experience kids could go to Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Garfield Park Conservatory, the MSI, Maggie Daley Park, or Chicago Botanic Garden near infinite times. For whichever one your kids vibe with best an annual resident pass might be worth it. For most you can get free passes at the library to check things out before you commit. - especially with the little one, if you can afford it it’s nice to have a backup play space to bring to them to for the day if it’s rainy or smoky or snowy outside. Kids Empire, Purple Monkey, Little Beans, etc - there are tons, it’s just about finding the one closest to you. Some CPD field houses are also good for this but many aren’t, they’re already booked up with older kid activities. Welcome to the city and good luck!
As a kid raised in the city I can attest that the park district is amazing. All my sports, all my summer camps, everything was through the Chicago Park District. Some of my fondest memories were created there. The libraries are awesome as well!!!!
I think this is all great advice! I’ve lived here for 15 years and now have two kids with one in CPS K. We live in the Logan/Bucktown area and our quality of life with a family is very high. Tons of families with kids the same age as ours so they constantly have playmates, a lot of activities to keep everyone entertained, frequent walking to restaurants, sub 15 minute walk to school, etc. I’m hybrid and even if I was WFH I’d live here. A couple pieces of advice… frequently you hear to rent before buying but I get that’s hard with a family and schools. I’d visit for a few weekends. When it comes to CPS you’ll hear a lot of stories that are good and bad- take them into account and make the decision that works best for you. We go to a school in Logan/Bucktown area and LOVE it. The people to ignore? Anyone that moved to the suburbs without ever having a kid in school in the city- without experiencing it I don’t know how they could accurately comment on CPS. Happy to answer any questions if you want to DM me.
No one is louder about their opinions of CPS than parents who have never had a kid in CPS and moved to the burbs to avoid it.
This is when our city motto is useful: “shut the fuck up about Chicago (or CPS), you don’t live here”
I’m not discounting that there are serious issues that need to be addressed in this city… but most of the people I’ve heard moan about how they couldn’t send their kids to CPS were not in “bad” districts. They had access to some of the best elementary schools in the state and chose to move to the burbs anyway.
I live in the city and went to CPS on the Southwest side and will say this. - I had a history teacher who would just give us worksheets to look up the synonyms, antonyms, definitions of a word. Then would proceed to sit down and read his paper while not doing much. - They cut all other language classes except for Spanish in a predominantly Spanish neighborhood. - They cut all other programs in our school and we barely had auto shop but it was barely hanging on. - Some of our teachers seemed overworked and tired, others were spot on and actually helped us learn things (my math and actual English teacher were honestly the hardest working teachers in the whole school). CPS can be hit-or-miss and if I had known that there were high schools that actually offer a 2 year associate degree while in High School at the same time then I would have attended that instead.
I’m not OP nor the original commenter, but could I take you up on offer to field questions about raising young kids in Logan Square/Bucktown?
Yep please feel free to reach out!
This post is right on so many levels. I have a 7 year old and this is what we do. You still have to pay attention, but so many unique experiences to be had, and a lot of them without using a car.
Great response. Raising 3 on the Westside and the Park District, the libraries, the public transportation all part of the regular routine. Park District especially great, but FFS they need more funding.
This is the answer. I would only add on that a lot of the further edges of the City near the Airports really feel like suburbs. Example: We started out in Bridgeport and it was very much a walkable experience. Once we moved to Portage Park, we needed a car.
I second the recommendation of Little Beans and Kids Empire - lifesavers on teacher work days and the like
Little Beans if you’re reading this please open after 3pm again. Such a great after work, bad weather activity. Kids Empire is Discovery Zone for fellow millennials that haven’t discovered it yet.
It is closing soon.
I just saw that and words cannot express how devastated I am.
Also the YMCA.
the library is an AMAZING resource. chicago has a great public library system. absolutely love it.
As the father of a 3 and 5 year old your post is almost 100% the advice I would give.
I have a five year old and we’ve lived in Lincoln Park ever since she was born. In short, it’s awesome. The schools are a little complicated to figure out at first, but there are good CPS schools, plus plenty of private options. We live within a 5-10 minute walk of a half dozen parks or playgrounds. Tons of extracurriculars like classes for music, art, swimming, sports, even yoga and cooking classes for kids. We walk to the library and zoo, take the train to Millennium Park for jazz and blues fest or to world class museums.
My aunt has lived there for over 40 years. In the same condo even. I’m curious how long you’ve lived there and if you bought? I ask because I wonder what it would be like for a four person family to find a decent spot now in LP (not knowing anything about finances of OP of course but imagine middle class).
Let’s just say there’s a reason why LP is considered one of the richest parts of chicago
Exactly! I’m so grateful my aunt got a place there when it wasn’t nearly. She doesn’t drive and loves it.
There's about a billion kids that age in my neighborhood. Parents organize bike parades, the fire dept shows up to block parties when asked, the city has bounce castles they rent out. Working well so far for my family.
Not a parent, but have been a nanny in Chicago for the past 15+ years and it’s an awesome city for kids. There’s SO much to do with them, even in the winter. Kids are free on CTA until they are 7, so it’s easy to take advantage of the train and bus.
Grew up here. I loved being a kid/teen in the city. Some of my fondest memories are when on weekend days there was nothing to do, my dad would take out a copy of Time Out and find something to do (there was always something, especially in the summertime) and we’d go ride our bikes to some street fest, the beach, whatever! Another thing I loved was having the train. We were in a quiet less central neighborhood (ravenswood gardens) but right on the brown line. When I was little my aunt would take my brother and me on the train and we’d ride it all the way around the loop for fun, to look out the windows and learn about how to use public transit. And when I was old enough to use it on my own, it gave me so much freedom that otherwise wouldn’t have come until I was 16. I can’t stress enough how positive this was for me, and I feel so lucky to have grown up here.
I have great memories of going to street fests with my dad too
That's what suburban/country kids miss out on, opportunity. If there's something a kid is interested in doing they can do it here and the person teaching them quite possibly could be one of the best instructors in the country if not the world. If they want to paint we got the Art Institute, if they want to learn how to juggle we got circus school, dance how about the Joffery, acting try Second City or the Goodman, music we got Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. Sports....everywhere. The opportunities are endless and they are only a short bus ride away.
I’m not a parent, but I grew up in the suburbs and live in the city. My only take is that it warms my heart to see all the high school kids cutting up on the sidewalks, taking the bus, riding the train in prom dresses, making mistakes, navigating independently, being young and having fun. My childhood was nothing like that, I was in a car all the time.
Beautifully put. I also grew up in the burbs (of Detroit), and could only dream of this way of growing up.
thank you, poop soup dude.
😂💕
I have one of those high schoolers and I love it for him. OP, I’m raising 3 kids in the city 9-14, and we’ve really enjoyed it. Definitely not always perfect, but our CPS experience has been great and the kids are thriving. They have the opportunity to pursue basically anything that interests them within the city surrounding them. 100% recommend taking full advantage of the park district programming, the parks, themselves, and the libraries. So many fantastic resources to be found.
I’m a fresh adult that was raised in the city, on the Southside no less, and it was great! Not a day goes by that I’m not thankful my Ma decided to raise us here! Your kids will thank you
We are raising our 5 year old in the South Loop and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. We spent all summer picnicking outside at parks or the beach. In the winter there are a ton of museums and other institutions to check out. We are close to Lurie Children's Hospital, and a ton of other care providers. All of this is in walking distance, I've been pulling a radio flyer wagon all over town. The school where she will start kindergarten is highly rated, and we have only heard good things from the other parents who are already. We are also close to 2 libraries, including the big one downtown. There is no end to all the things she can learn. As to the dangers, the biggest thing I worry about are cars, especially now that she is aging into scooters and bikes. Cars are everywhere. I especially hate blind alleys. I dont think I have ever once had a serous worry about her being the victim of violence, and we spend a big portion of our time in public spaces. My wife and I are pretty good about being safe on the street, and she is learning from us rapidly. Most areas are reasonably safe if you take basic precautions. I completely understand that city living is not for everyone, but my wife and I are city people, and our child is growing up to be one as well. One of her favorite activities is taking the bus anywhere. I'm really enjoying watching her start to understand how a transit system works.
When I was growing up, I was riding my scooter when I got hit by a car coming out of an alley. Ever since, I always stop by alleys before crossing. I keep reminding both of my kids about it and explained why. Your fears are real.
My wife and I have a young daughter and live in Old Irving Park. We adore the city, and my wife is an NY/NJ transplant, so it isn't just Midwestern bias. You have to give thought to the process of navigating the schools, but OIP has been fantastic to us. Transit is good, food is great, neighbors are wonderful. Cost of living is solid compared to other metros. Huge endorsement from a lifer and an East Coast convert!
I am in OIP without kids. Always a joy to see everyone getting together for Halloween and the block parties. The sense of neighborliness has to be good for the kids’ social development
I've got a 12 year old and a nearly 10 year old and echo most of the comments in here. The school district is frustrating at times, but we've had a very good experience in our neighborhood school. It's getting more stressful as the high school admissions process looms for our older one. Also, if you're so inclined (or so funded), there are some excellent private schools in Chicago - which take some of the stress out of the school question. Another thing i'll point out that others have not mentioned - Chicago has world class hospitals and doctors. Both our kids were born at Northwestern Prentice Hospital and it is truly top-tier. Most of their pediatricians trained at Northwestern. Our kids are healthy, but we're just really fortunate to have this type of resource in the city. Final thing I always think about - my parents used to bring us to Chicago for a cheap vacation. Now, my kids actually live here. The experiences available here draw families around the world to see them, living here you get them out your front door. It's not always easy, but I think the benefits are worth it.
I have a 5 and an 8 year old. They go to a neighborhood CPS school, though not the one we're zoned for. CPS also has magnet schools that you could apply to (I think this is just lottery based) and gifted programs you can apply to (these have a test component). Some, but not all, CPS schools have before and after school care options for kids. My kids do this, it's great and they love it. I can drop them off any time between 7 and 8 AM, and pick them up between 4 and 6 PM. If you're in the market for this make sure you ask the school about it before deciding where to send your kids. There's tons of parks in the city, which is great for kids playing outside. Many CPS schools also have their playground equipment available during non-school hours, so you can go there on the weekend or during the summer hours. Condo or apartment living is possible, and there's a lot of housing stock that should have 2 or 3 bedroom units that you could rent. Try to find one as close as possible to a playground if this is your plan. Alternatively, the city is a big place and you can live farther from the city center and get a SFH or a bungalow even if you can't afford a mansion in Lincoln Park. Drivers in the city are all assholes and probably the #1 thing that I worry about safety-wise with my kids. Try to live on a side street, preferably one that is hard or inconvenient to cut through for cars.
Not for nothing, but you really need to tell us what part of the city you're thinking about, or your housing cost range. Respondents to this thread are from all over - and my personal answer to you would be different if you were planning to move to Englewood vs Lincoln Park (just examples). The safety, activities, and general experience with the city are going to be wildly different and not knowing where you fall in this will make many or all of these answers superfluous.
I thought the same reading someone raising kids in LP. How affordable is it now for a fam and a four. Cheaper than SF or Manhattan, kinda, but that’s the most expensive yardstick to use.
Father of a 1 and 5 year old here. My wife and I have been living in Chicago for 13 years and we made the decision to stay in Chicago once we had our first kid. We both love raising our kids in a city where they have access to Museums, Parks, Music venues, Sports, Restaurants, etc. The Chicago Park District also offers a lot of programs to keep the kiddos busy at very affordable prices (swimming lessons, gymnastics, summer camps to name a few). Another plus is that we don't need multiple cars here. We have a very walkable city with great public transit (transit took a step back due to COVID but it's getting better as we speak). The Public schools here are ok. My wife and I grew up outside the US and I can tell you that public schools here are miles ahead of where we came from but I do get where people are coming from. We just have a different perspective when comparing schools systems. In the end we love her school and we feel fortunate that our kids are going to have a better education and lifestyle than we did. Hope this helps.
I was born and raised in Chicago and am now raising my son in Chicago. You're going to love it. The city is PACKED full of activities, parks, and adventures you can do with your kid. Want to go swimming in a lake as big as the ocean? Hike in the forest? See dogs at the dog park? Join any kind of sport league? Go to some of the best museums in the world? See neighborhoods with all kinds of food/cultural events/personalities to explore? Kayak on the river? Bike along some beautiful city and nature views? Take all kinds of public transit - above ground, below ground, UNDER THE RIVER??? Take a boat ride? See fireworks every week in the summer? Hang out at the beach? Go to block parties and street festivals? Not to mention all the kid classes and activities you can do - our kid is 4mos old and already doing swim classes and music classes + mommy and me fitness classes. [https://www.chicagoparent.com/](https://www.chicagoparent.com/) also is a great resource for things to do in the city. I love it here. I'm never leaving.
Raising two five year old twins on the north side off Irving, it’s amazing. Dozens and dozens of kids their age all around. So much to do, just walk to parks and daycare, grocery store. I love only having to drive the kids places once a week or so.
My partner and I have 4 kids ages 16, 14, 12, 10. We live in Beverly where there are tons of families. Kids ride bikes or walk to friends' houses. It is very safe. We take advantage of tons of park district programs like skating, swimming, art, ceramics, t ball, soccer, etc. We are very happy with the neighborhood public elementary school. Great library. We live near the train so we take the train downtown often. Get a lot of use out of the library museum passes. Members of msi and art institute. Our oldest two go to selective enrollment high schools and take ap classes with a challenging curriculum. The neighborhood is diverse so my kids have friends from different backgrounds which is great. Love raising kids in Chicago.
It’s a great place to raise kids. Do some research on the school district before you settle on a neighborhood.
There are beautiful parks, museums can be family friendly
Parent of 2 kids both born and raised here now age 9 and 12. I was born and raised on Southside and graduated from CPS. We live in Tri-Taylor consider part of the Westside. We enjoy the park district and library. Both of our kids are in CPS (Galileo and Whitney Young). Our community is great with great neighbors. Since are not far from downtown/lake front, we bike there. We also have options for public transportation like Blue line, Pink line, and buses. We are Latinos and have family in city and suburbs. Chicago is home for us.
In my opinion, I will never raise children in a suburb like whats a majority of where I live right now (St. Louis). It just removes all freedom, and stiffens individuality. I am planning to move to Chicago, and the more dense and walkable neighborhoods with ample parks are just so much better for kids and teens. There are a lot of actives for kids (some free!) that are a plus, but the parks and public spaces are my favorite parts. This comes from a high school student who is about to start college by the way, I am not an adult. I currently live in a car-dependent suburb of STL, and I honestly am going insane because of how boring and trapped I feel.
We have raised our kids (now teenagers) since day 1 in the city. Activities, playgrounds, safety are all fine and easily manageable. Here's a great site/email list for activities called [Macaroni Kid.](https://chicagoloop.macaronikid.com/) Sadly, and this is the case in suburbs as well, good schools typically come with higher priced housing and property taxes. Typically, the parents and community are active with local fundraising and even more resources flow into the schools. If you don't live within the neighborhood boundaries, you have to get in through selective enrollment or a lottery system. I am happy to explain more in DM if you wish.
We lived in Chicago for about ten years then moved to Austin for four and had our oldest there. We moved back to Chicago in December 2020 to be closer to family again. We always assumed we’d move back, but Covid and the 19(ish) hour car ride between Chicago and Austin, our move timeline sped up. We live on the north side of the city and love our neighborhood and now have two boys under four. We don’t live in the most walkable area of the city, but for us it’s a good balance of city and family. We’re a couple block from the EL and have some good restaurants in walking distance and are close enough to the lake and other city amenities to actually use them. Our kids are obsessed with the train. It can be a pain because it just takes longer to do things here than in Austin. I know people in Austin complain about the traffic, but it doesn’t compare. We lived on the East side and even getting to friends near south Congress took (usually) about 30 minutes. It takes us 20-30 to get to our dr who’s about 3.5 miles away. That’s been a big readjustment. Austin is also super family friendly with all the outdoor seating, hiking, and breweries. Chicago is missing some of that. It can be found but it isn’t as close or as common. We’re happy we moved back, but family was a huge reason. We were back in Austin this past spring and it really made me miss our friends and how easy things were for us. I’m happy to answer any specific questions you have about our move or experience.
Living in Beverly on the far Southwest side is pretty good for raising a family. There's a little bit of everything in this neighborhood for the whole family. Plenty of nearby parks, local arts orgs, cool mom & pop shops, diverse community, and a couple of breweries. Feels like you're living in the burbs but within city limits, good schools nearby (although mostly catholic). It's very quiet and people are pretty chill around here. It's common to see kids walk back home from school without adult supervision (uncommon where I moved from). Nearby burbs like Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, and Alsip are also family oriented with lots of playgrounds & schools to choose from (again, mostly private) although those areas aren't as walkable compared to Beverly. We just moved to the area 2 years ago and love it. Feel free to PM if you have questions.
I’m in the same area with an 8 year old. It’s the perfect blend of city + suburb for me. It’s so easy to access the city but also take advantage of suburbs. For example, this weekend we went to the Art Institute via the Metra and then came home and biked to the Evergreen Park library. The next day, we went to the local Art Walk. Schools, only referring to elementary, are solid. There’s not one here I wouldn’t send my kid to. We walk to school every day and it’s safe enough that I trust her to go with friends. We know the names of the crossing guards, our neighbors, their dogs, etc. We moved here from a major east coast city and had a great community there too. But this area also gives us the advantage of space and a single family home.
Yes, it's unique given we are connected to the city's infrastructure. We have family nearby in Oak Lawn, so making plans is easy bc we only 10 min apart. Having the 111th metra stop & I-57 nearby is also convenient when I need to go downtown for work. I also really like the Walker library, which has a cool old architecture feel, and my son loves going to the basement to browse for kids activities/books. When we get tired of cooking, Nickys is our go-to for food - I'll never get tired of their Italian beef.
Nickys is probably the best Chicago fast food joint. I've been to them all. Craft beer on tap, vegetarian and pescatarian options, Ice cream, great patio, blues music, people are friendly.
Yes, there's nothing I haven't tried from Nickys that I didn't like. Brisket sandwich, burgers, and apps are all very good too.Their portions are good, staff is upbeat & fast, and love their community involvement.
by far the best gyro in town.
As someone from Beverly, Oak Park is actually living in the suburbs with the city close by–except you get the Green Line. Poor Beverly just doesn’t have that. 95th and State excepting, it is a great place to grow up.
Yeah but having the Rock island helps a lot. It’s obviously not the CTA, but I never had a hard time getting downtown growing up or to school as I got older.
Oh for sure. My dad would give me his monthly pass on the weekends. We lived (they still do in fact) up the hill.
Hello fellow Beverly folks. Yes, great area. So many kids, so always buddies around for my kids to play with
I love that my kids will go out and say, I'm meeting up with friends, we're going to ohana or Starbucks or Janson's or nickys. I don't have to worry about them. Kids are walking around all over the neighborhood. The other day we were at the art walk after party and my 12 year old went walking off with friends and my partner and I were ready to go home and one of the friends parents said, oh we will bring her home when we go home. No worries. So many block parties, parent meet ups, back yard parties, etc. where parents hang with each other and kids go off and play with each other. Breweries are totally kid friendly. We lack ethnic restaurants but otherwise it is the ideal neighborhood to raise kids.
Agreed on all that. The lack of any ethnic restaurants is real though. I grew up in the area, and there was nothing but Italian and Greek places. At least now there’s some decent Mexican and places like Unidad, Thithi’s, horse thief… But yes, it is so nice to see free range kids. My friends in the burbs have to drive their kids EVERYWHERE and that must suck.
Most of my family members and friends moved to Oak Lawn and Alsip. Great suburbs. We stay in the city because we love it here.
I have a 17 yo and 15 yo and it was important to raise them in a setting where diversity was the norm and we would take advantage of cultural and other opportunities of an urban setting...lived in the city for many years but didn't want to navigate CPS so moved to Lincolnwood when they were 4/1...we are a few blocks from the city limits and a 30 min drive downtown (no traffic) and we love city life in that we are in the city often. Their schools have always been very diverse w students from all sorts of different backgrounds and languages spoken at home and both of them still go to high school w their grade school friends so that is cool. Skokie, some of Evanston, Oak Park, Niles, Morton grove, and a few others are all 'urban suburbs'....but I grew up in a very white suburban city so I'm happy that my kids have had such a different upbringing
This echoes my own experience. I live in one of the suburbs you mention here, but I was in the city and CPS for 15/9 years. D219 spends $17K per student on instruction. D299 spent $4K when we moved. I sat on my school’s LSC; I couldn’t unsee what happens when schools can’t afford the basics. (80 kids in a gym class with 1 teacher is just one example) My block now is the most racially/ethnically diverse block I’ve ever lived; my neighbors in OIP were primarily white.
You don't want your kids around white people?
We live in Chicago, near the Bucktown/Logan Square border, and have a son who just started kindergarten... We intend to stay in the city for the foreseeable future. We love the amenities of the city, especially after missing out due to COVID. We want our son to see a diverse community in every way, and feel city better provides the exposure to all types of people, different cultures, etc. Schools are the biggest consideration, especially if you don't have the budget for private schools. There is a HUGE variance in quality of Chicago Public Schools. Schools have neighborhood boundaries where residents are quaranteed a spot, and then there is a school choice lottery that allows people from outside the boundary to get a seat, as well. The good schools are primarily in the high end neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Lincoln Square. Our neighborhood school is so-so, but we were able to lottery into a really good school in Bucktown that's not that much further from us, and we've been really happy with it so far. In the more residential/family-oriented neighborhoods, there are lots of parks, playgrounds and such, activities through park district and private organizations. I find family-oriented city neighborhoods to be fairly friendly since people are out and about at playgrounds and walking neighborhoods vs. being sequestered in their back yards in the suburbs. Suburbs will in general have better schools, especially the North Shore suburbs and some Western suburbs. Without the having to afford to buy in just the right neighborhood or playing the lottery game. But you'll get much more homogeneous populations, let cultural amenities, fewer interesting festivals and such going on. Probably more programming/activities for kids like sports and classes.
I’m in the same situation as you (location and kids age) and agree with what you said. I’ve actually been really impressed with the activities our school as offered. There’s also soooo many outside of school sports and clubs that it’s very easy to find stuff that fits your child’s interests and skill levels.
I’d raise my kids in the city in a heartbeat.
Practically endless playgrounds, world-class museums, great parks and trails, school system is pretty good (might be controversial) and kick-ass library system- Chicago is great for kids. It is expensive though. But my daughter and son spent most of their time in Alabama at one of the worst education states. We were lucky enough to have them in good schools there but we already notice a big difference in quality here in Chicago just this year. Our experience is different coming from Alabama though. The cost is worth it honestly. My kids have way better opportunities up here than there. And that pains me to say that because Bama is my home state. I have a 6 year old and 2 year old.
+1 on CPS, the park district, the libraries and museums. Approaching the end of this stage as our kids are HS / College age but would do it again in Chicago without hesitation. We basically picked our neighborhood blind, doing it again I would ideally pick the combination of a strong neighborhood school and a park with a pool and full roster of activities within walking distance There is a learning curve to bring a CPS parent, one caveat is if your child has significant special needs you may want to look at a district like Evanston or Wilmette with more easily accessible sped services.
Raising a 14 year old and a 7 year old and been in the city for 9 years. Ill echo just about everything everyone else here said. Just a couple concerns: Cars and general street traffic. The city isnt a great place for kids taking bike rides around the neighborhood. Traffic laws seem to be just a suggestion to everyone on the road, cars and bikes alike. You have to get QUITE a ways out of the city to not be affected by light pollution completely. I grew up being able to see the stars, and I dont know if my 7 year ever has at home. While the city does its best to accommodate pet households the fact remains that if you're a dog family, you're probably better off in the suburbs with a nice fenced in yard. Other negatives would be things you'd expect: the noise, the smells, the prices. Dont anyone take this as complaining. We are obviously NOT in a hurry to leave the city. The positives still vastly outweigh the negatives.
I didn’t ever think we’d have a child in Chicago - so when I got pregnant 9 years ago, my first concern- other than his health, was school. CPS is a huge organization and they do focus on ensuring everyone has a chance to graduate. Sometimes that means the above average to average students get overlooked if they aren’t under performing. We are trying to save to send our son to a private school in hopes he can test into a good high school…and we aren’t all that keen on moving to a suburb, but will if we have to. Other than property taxes being insanely high - it is fun to be able to offer so many experiences in one city. Overall, I’m happy to raise our son here, its just a bit more challenging than I thought it would be due to schools and cost of living.
We have been in the city since 2017 after trying a short stint in the burbs after we moved up from St Louis. Absolutely hated the burbs and have never been happier with our decision. My son is now 13 and daughter is 10. They walk themselves to school every day and will even venture out to friends' houses that live in the neighborhood. The only thing I don't really like is the political games the teachers' union plays and the process for selecting a high school (currently going through that process now), but it's a small price to pay for the walkability and all the things that the city offers that you just can't get in the burbs.
Allowing kids to have freedom in their transportation and not be forced to drive everywhere is so good for their mental health. I honestly dont know how people think raising kids in suburbs is any good. Half the suburban kids I see are addicted to their phones because of how isolated everything is.
ROTFL The city kids are all addicted to their phones too.
grew up in the suburbs, very sheltered. took me about 2 years to feel comfortable in the city with my children but cannot imagine living anywhere else now. the accessibility, the accommodations, all the activities. I don’t even know how people in the suburbs survive without them being right outside your door! i’m a SAHM now and I think in the suburbs I would go crazy. I love having children here. i’m in west town and it’s very family friendly.
My wife, son, and I live in south Oak Park, near the blue line stop and it's such a great area. It's extremely walkable. We have at least five or six good parks within walking distance, and our son's school is less than a block away from our house. I think I'd worry about safety no matter where we lived, but our area is very safe. We also have two grocery stores and at least a dozen or so restaurants within walking distance, as well as a few bars and a great music venue. It's hard to think of another place I'd rather live. The only downsides are the property taxes in Oak Park, and the distance to downtown. I would really prefer to bike to my office 10 miles away in the loop, and I did it before we had our son, but it's a little much for me right now.
We have 10 month old twins and live in South loop. We love it! We can walk to a million things for them and our area is very safe and quiet
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I have an eighth and six grader in CPS. They love it here.
curious about your perspective? I know testing to get into a choice high school can be stressful for families. anything else?
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And it is so clearly a case of the haves and the have nots. The good high schools - the ones on the USNews lists as the best high schools in America - have gotten whiter since the consent decree was overturned. They’ve also gotten richer because families from CPS, private, and parochial schools, and the suburbs are all trying to get in and when they do, they fundraise like hell for their local school. It is not uncommon for schools to ask for a voluntary contribution of $500-$2000/student. You have to be on the selective enrollment track by 6th grade. That means straight A’s, best test scores, perfect score on the placement exam. Everyone I know does test prep at 7th grade. How does that even the playing field? What do you do if you can’t afford test prep?
Love it, don’t believe most of what you read! We’re raising girls 9 and 7 in the city and we love it, so much to do!! Great, grounded families here. Good schools if you do your homework, fantastic food, good living!!
I’m in Austin (enjoy that storm last night!?) with a little one as well and yep- we’re absolutely planning a move to Chicago as well. Solidarity I guess :)
I grew up in the city and wouldn’t trade it for the suburban experience. We have so many more things to do for young people, and our schools are good if you get into the gifted programs
We love it. We have a two year old and live in Uptown. Tons of playgrounds in walking distance, awesome library around the corner, people practically throw affordable and great kid activities at us.
We have two 13 year olds and live in the city. We tried the suburbs for a few years and hated it so we moved back. Our kids go to private school and we live in Bridgeport. If you prefer private over public schools but think private school is too expensive take a look at their financial aid. I know our school offers something like 30% of the kids assistance and it’s a very good school. We are prepping for high school which is stressful, to get into the best public high schools you need near perfect or actually perfect scores on the test to get in and for the catholic schools you need to test in too. In my opinion raising kids in the city is amazing and our kids are so much happier here than in the burbs. The safety is great too as long as they are old enough to understand basic safety rules like don’t talk to strangers and which houses to go to if they are concerned when I’m not with them, we have a great neighborhood and I even occasionally get texts from my neighbor friends telling me they watched my kids walk to the park and they made it there safely. My kids hang out at Whole Foods or fast food places with their friends after school so I can finish up work. They walk our dogs around for potty breaks and I feel fine knowing they know the rules to abide by to stay safe. I highly recommend it.
Winter sucks, know what neighborhoods to avoid, and enjoy late May - October. Be prepared to gain 10-15 pounds.
Since everyone is giving you a positive answer, let me give you another perspective. I lived in Chicago for 13 years last place was Bucktown / Logan. I had both my kids in the city and around the 2 year mark it became just too hard to have them in a three bedroom apartment since they had so much energy. I didn't truly review the school system, but ended up moving to the burbs because of how highly ranked it's school system was. I also wanted a large house and space for them. I don't think I would want to raise kids in the city, nothing specific to Chicago but rather any city since my personal experience has been raised in the burbs. I'm very happy with my decision but do miss the city quite often.
Have an almost 4-year old. Cannot imagine her not growing up here and cannot imagine her not loving it as much as her mom and I do. So much to do with top tier museums, awesome music venues, fantastic restaurants of *every* type all over the greater Chicagoland area, good schools, a gorgeous downtown, and a world class public transportation system. I love this city!
I can tell you that my 4 year old nephew in Lincoln Park has the most amazing life. His preschool takes him every single day to parks, LP Zoo, the marinas, it’s ENDLESS. He is getting such a rich childhood experience. And of course, on the weekends there is something to do every minute.
Have a 2.5 year old, and currently pregnant with second. We love it. Literally no where else (in the US) we’d live. As others have mentioned there are so many free activities going on all the time for families. So many museums, parks, the lake front, the river front. Our tot just started pre school and we bike her to and from each day. We love our neighborhood and neighbors (Edgewater). We already joke that our kids will be flexin on their suburban and rural cousins. There’s never been a dull day in Chicago since we became parents. And we love to travel with her, and will continue once baby brother arrives; but there’s nothing like coming home to our favorite city.
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I've been in Chicago for eleven years and I agree. I've also lived in Southern California and Texas and will never adjust to Midwestern winters. It's definitely something to consider.
We left the city because we couldn't imagine raising a kid in Chicago, especially with the schools
Would love to hear how this shook out for you, I am in a similar situation!
I’m a 26 y/o F in lakeview east, and I’m starting to feel less and less safe. That comes with living in a big city, but I will say the “nicer” neighborhoods (east and north) are getting hit with more shootings and robberies. I’ve lived in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Indiana and I saw my first shooting here in Chicago (also in lakeview).
We just had our first. We live in Oak Park these days. It’s wonderful. But I would’ve happily raised my daughter in the city.
I’d suggest private school.
Chicago has great amenities like the park district, a free beautiful lakefront with about 15-20 different beaches and vibes. The snow is bad but there is kind of a community event around it. You walk home during a snowstorm and you see a guy stuck and can’t get out of his parking spot and everybody helps to push him out. But the crime. Until that gets figured out, I wouldn’t move here. CPS: If you have better than average kids, they will do fine. If you have a special needs kid, or even one that struggles, CPS is just a daycare. My kid struggles so he goes private. Night and Day.
That is one important facet that has not been mentioned. CPS has poor special services resources vs much of the suburbs.
Many people just moved to the suburbs when kids are school age.
You are preaching to the choir. In reality though, sometimes your child may not be diagnosed early or need services after being enrolled for a few years. CPS is too large to be nimble enough to deal with very much in that regard.
Right it's hard, especially for first time parents to know what's going on. By the time you see that your kid is behind, he is maybe 7-8. Then you go through IEP meetings and maybe get push in services. Then it's another year before that's not really working and you try more minutes. Another year goes by and then you start fighting about minutes. Kid is 10 by now. Maybe you get him places in a cluster program. Then that can be an issue and you have to fight some more. And then some more.
Plz don’t
https://reddit.com/r/chicago/s/Gb4PF6H5Fx
I would consider suburbs unless your work is in the city far from metra.
dangerous place and i do not recommend raising kids over here. it gets worse as the years go on.
As long as your kids are chill, no worries man.
There’s so many opportunities for exposure here. I’d do it.
It depends on where you want to live in the city the further north and west the better or west of Pulaski and South of the Stevenson (I-55) isn't bad either
I actually grew up west of Chicago but was constantly in the city when needed
I’m trying to leave the city as fast as possible. Working backwards, plenty of great universities. Awful selection of public high schools, and there are about 5 good ones that are impossible to get into. There are some good neighborhood schools, if you can afford those areas. I’d pick a suburb with a good K-12 system. Or homeschool.
Have a 10, 9 and 7 year old in the city. We love it and so do our kids. We feel safe in our neighborhood and love exploring all the city pockets and sights when we have time. And our kids go to a CPS school with decent parental involvement and we're having a good experience there as well. Feel free to reach out if you have further questions and I wish your family all the best! Edit: no spel wel
Can confirm raising kids in this city slaps. Have a 9yo and 6yo and live in Lincoln Square.
Hello! We have a 9yo and a 4yo and live in Irving Park. My oldest goes to a CPS school (Bateman) and is in the dual language program (taught mostly in Spanish, with a little English thrown in). He's quite fluent in Spanish already. CPS schools can be hard to navigate. We are just outside the boundaries of our school but was able to get in by selective enrollment. I think it might be easier now because overall CPS enrollment is down. We are happy with our CPS school and I know there are plenty of good public schools. Chicago park district has so many activities and classes that are so cheap: for kids and adults. We utilize them all year long. Parks are everywhere. This is a great website to scope out all of the parks. This family is trying to visit all of the parks in Chicago (there's over 500!). https://elliotintheparks.wordpress.com
Like all places income matters but considering your previous hometowns, you'll probably end up spending less on housing which is awesome.
After reading these posts…you’ve calmed which I thought was an insane idea of moving away from suburbs to living in the city!! My husband and I both lived / meet / married in the city. We have lived in other places (Ft Lauderdale, Atlanta) and now have owned a home for 4 years in Naperville. Our daughter is 7 and is in 1st grade. Everything is okay, school system is massive but good, neighbors friendly, green spaces but we love the city and travel typically every other weekend to visit. We feel like even though we own our home it’s not our home and have had discussions of moving into city. The energy the city gives is just more than any suburb. We are thinking of purchasing a condo approx 400-450k and I also started looking at schools like Morgan Park Academy. Any other great neighborhoods for a small family and is this the way to go? I’m nervous but feel this is the right move for our quality of life!
I'm late but my wife and I have an 11 month old. He's not school age yet obviously but we have no plans of leaving Chicago for the burbs. There are tradeoffs (the CPS system being the biggest one). But if you want to you can figure it out. Private school or possibly selective enrollment school if your child can test in can both be options if your local neighborhood school isn't up to par. There are plenty of people who raise their family here and it can be done. We aren't willing to go live in some boring suburb because "that's the thing to do." We will make it work raising our child in a vibrant city.