Joliet

On the outskirts of downtown Joliet, Forest Park-Will County offers comfortability for its residents who commute to the manufacturing industries and city jobs nearby. Additionally, there is plenty of cultural commercial retail in areas closeby, creating easy access to traditional Mexican restaurants and international supermarkets that support an expansive suburban lifestyle. Most homes in Forest Park-Will County are single-family houses with two to three bedrooms. “These properties are generally small, 1000-square-foot ranches and slabs from around the 60s,” says Douglas Geissler, a Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Circle who has roughly 30 years of experience in the industry. Ranch-style homes line the streets for $175,000 to $250,000 and are often near similar-looking manufactured homes. For those who need more space, larger split-level homes with garages are rare but conveniently priced. As a primarily residential neighborhood of streets lined with homes, most residents will use their own vehicles to get around. US Route 6 and Illinois Route 171 are close by for people to hop on and get where they need to go. “We have great access to the areas nearby,” says Beth Conaghan, a Real Estate Broker with CRIS Realty who has almost 10 years of experience. For those who rely on public transportation, there are bus stops all along Arthur Avenue, Woodruff Road, Garvin Street, Demmond Street and Charlesworth Avenue. Additionally, the Joliet Metra Station is 3.4 miles away and connects to the Rock Island (RI) line and Heritage Corridor (HC) line for longer trips. Families living in Forest Park-Will County can trust Joliet Public School District No. 86 with their children’s education. Forest Park Individual Education School may have a C-minus grade on Niche, but the magnet elementary school maintains average test scores. Gompers Junior High School also has a C-minus Niche grade but offers a bilingual support program for its muti-lingual students. From there, teens can attend Joliet West High School. Ranked No. 11 in Best Public High Schools in Will County, Joliet West’s B-plus Niche grade and over 20 AP course offerings speak to its students’ success. When residents need a breath of fresh air, there are a few green spaces in the area that they can explore. Forest Park has a playground for little ones and a baseball diamond for anyone who wants to practice their home runs. The Lower Spring Creek County Forest Preserve cuts through the bottom of the neighborhood and has several trails for hiking and biking that let visitors enjoy views of the creek and woodlands. For those who want more indoor activities, the Forest Park Community Center hosts children’s sports programs and several community events that keep residents active. The center also provides other programs like a food pantry that are aimed at helping vulnerable members of the community. While the Forest Park-Will County area is primarily filled with homes, residents don’t have to travel far for their daily shopping – there are several commercial retail spaces all up and down Collins Street. Three miles south at the intersection of Collins and Lincoln Highway, people can grab their groceries at El Ranchito Super Market or Supermercado La Joliet. Farther up at the intersection along Route 6, there’s the Thorton’s convenience store and several fast-food restaurants like Sharks Fish & Chicken. Sit down at La Villa and enjoy traditional Mexican cuisine. Norma’s Café is a great breakfast joint on Lockport Road that serves hotcakes and hash. Lastly, those who stay within the neighborhood can treat themselves to Paleteria Maya Ice Cream. For a more extravagant shopping trip or weekend entertainment, residents can head 3.8 miles west into downtown Joliet for all its amenities.

Between the major highways of Lincoln Highway and Interstate 55 between the southwest Chicago suburbs of Joliet and Plainfield is the Crystal Lawns neighborhood, which is in a unique location about equidistant between the two locations. “Technically, it’s unincorporated Joliet,” says Laura Schiavone, a broker with Keller Williams Realty Infinity. “It’s a hidden secret, and the people who live in that neighborhood are on well water, so they don’t have a water bill.” Other advantages include being part of the Plainfield School District. “Crystal Lawns is more affordable than surrounding suburbs, and you get Plainfield schools with a Joliet address, meaning the property taxes are a bit lower,” says Ellen Williams, a broker with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group. Rated an overall A-minus on Niche, the Plainfield School District scores A grades for the strength of academics, the number of clubs and activities and college prep. Crystal Lawns Elementary School is rated a B-minus with a 14-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Timber Ridge Middle School gets a B overall grade. Plainfield Central High School has a 93% graduation rate, and students there may notice a dog in the school social worker’s office. The dog is named Mooch and provides a calming environment for students who need to discuss issues. She sometimes visits classrooms to take the edge off. On the surface, it may not seem that the Crystal Lawns is very walkable. “There are no sidewalks in the neighborhood because where there would be, there are drainage ditches, but there are people who do walk to get around,” Schiavone says. “It’s safe because many of the streets are winding, and people have less of a tendency to speed through.” Most homes are from the 1960s and ‘70s and are mainly ranch-style, with a few split-levels. The price ranges from $200,000 to $400,000. More recent condos, townhouses and single-family homes from the 1990s and 2000s are in the western part of the neighborhood near the Louis Joliet Mall and are in the same price range. Crystal Lawns’ CAP crime score is 3, slightly lower than the national average of 4. Every category is at or below 4. With about 80 stores, the Louis Joliet Mall has been an indoor shopping destination since 1978. The anchor stores are Macy’s and JCPenney, and there are various options for eating, like Anthony’s Restaurant and Pub, a casual spots-pub-type restaurant with familiar foods and TVs on the wall and plenty of seating at the bar. Kafe de Kassa looks like a Minimal Traditional house that could belong in the heart of the neighborhood, but it’s a modest coffee stop that’s a hip hangout to enjoy coffee, tea or a smoothie. Grocery store options include ALDI, Fresh Thyme Market and Target Grocery. “I sold a house to someone in Crystal Lawns who didn’t have a car but insisted on being in this neighborhood because she could walk to Target,” Schiavone says. Target is in the Joliet Commons Shopping Center, across from Louis Joliet Mall. Olde Renwick Trail Park is in the northern part of the neighborhood. Here, you can cast a line into a lake. Other amenities include a full basketball court, playground, picnic shelter and walking trail. However, there’s very little shade available at this park, so basketball court and playground users should be aware during hot weather. Hiking and biking trails and a picnic shelter are some amenities at Cambridge Run Park. Golfers can try their luck at Mistwood Golf Club, a Scottish-inspired 18-hole public course with an on-site restaurant named McWethy’s Tavern. East of the Crystal Lawns neighborhood is the Amazon Sort Center, where workers receive packages, sort them by delivery destination and then send them to carriers like FedEx or UPS. The centers are in big warehouses and have a large number of employees. Another employer in that area, Old Dominion Freight Lines, focuses on items transported via the 18-wheelers in the Old Dominion Transport company fleet. Lincoln Highway and Interstate 55 meet near the Louis Joliet Mall and lead northeast into downtown Chicago for the 40-mile journey. Public transportation options on Lincoln Highway include stops for the Pace suburban bus service, which can take customers to the mall and its surrounding stores. Those who prefer to ride the commuter rail can catch the train at the Lockport or Joliet Metra station. The closest hospital is Ascension Illinois Health Center of Plainfield, about a 10-minute drive. For trips outside of the area, the Joliet Regional Airport is 5 miles to the south and O’Hare International Airport is 40 miles to the northeast.

Sidewalk-lined residential streets, close-cut lawns and neighborhood parks tucked between homes lend a distinctive tranquility to Fall Creek. Sitting near the southwestern reaches of Chicagoland in the growing city of Joliet, this community’s specialty is the comfort of suburban life. The value proposition for homes here tends to give it an edge for residents looking for a more spacious lifestyle. “Compared to Chicago, you get a lot more bang for your buck, a lot more house and more yard space,” says Chayanta Spaniol, a Realtor and the principal managing broker at Chayanta Spaniol Real Estate. Spaniol started her real estate career in Joliet and is one of the directors of the Three Rivers Association of Realtors in town. Residential streets gently curve and weave through each corner of Fall Creek’s many subdivisions. Tree-lined cul-de-sacs and roads with bump-outs contribute to a cozy ambiance that places the New Traditional homes here in a starring role. New traditional stylings are common, with some homes drawing elements from Colonial Revival homes like symmetrical window layouts and faux shutters. Most exteriors employ vinyl siding and brick, and some homes use ranch-style or split-level floorplans. The earliest single-family properties here were established in the 1970s, but development of the area took off from the 1990s onward, with new homes built as recently as 2024. Prices start at about $205,000 and generally top out near $540,000. A few large custom homes in the area can go from about $580,000 up to $880,000. A smaller selection of townhomes and condo units round out the neighborhood’s home stock. These properties were generally built from the 1990s to the late 2000s and share their New Traditional stylings with their single-family counterparts. Units are typically valued from $210,000 up to $345,000. “Most of these neighborhoods have their own parks, playgrounds and ponds. You’re also pretty close to shopping, restaurants and the highway. It’s a nice area,” says Ellen Williams, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker. Williams has sold homes in Plainfield, Joliet and the greater Chicago area for more than 20 years. Students in Fall Creek are generally split between Plainfield and Joliet’s school districts. Most families living north of Theodore Street are assigned to public schools in Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202; kids living south of the street generally go to schools within Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C for the primary years and Joliet Township High School District No. 204 for the secondary years. Elementary schools serving the community include River View Elementary, Wesmere Elementary, Ridge Elementary and Meadow View Elementary. Each of these schools holds a B-plus grade on Niche. Drauden Point Middle School and Timber Ridge Middle School each hold B grades, while Aux Sable Middle School holds a B-plus. The B-ranked Plainfield South High School serves most of the community. Extracurricular activities at the school include a book club, the mental wellbeing-focused Hope Squad, an IT help desk and a papercraft club. Many of the neighborhood’s convenient shopping options are situated along Division Street/Route 59. For grocery trips, Aldi, Jewel-Osco and Tony’s Fresh Market are each situated near Caton Farm Road. Other familiar big box stores, including Target, Walmart, Petco, Marshalls and the Home Depot, are situated on the neighborhood’s south side, approaching Black Road/County Highway 56. Additional shopping options are available at Louis Joliet Mall, about 5 miles northeast. A humble shopping center exterior gives way to a contemporary dining room at Cho Sushi. Guests can put together their own roll combos or stop by for ramen and hibachi dishes. Vita Bella Pizza offers crowd-pleasing pizzas and Italian fare for carryout or delivery. Deep dish and tavern-style pies are go-to picks, but the menu also has options like fried shrimp, lasagna and baby back ribs. Bears, Bulls and Cubs memorabilia hangs on the walls at Champions Sports Bar, where guests come for the video slots and stay for the beer and cocktail specials. Mission tile awnings sit on the inside and outside of Friacos Mexican Restaurant, where TVs tuned to live sports and custom chairs with a smiling cactus mascot accompany sizzling fajitas and more than 30 tequila options. Indulgent ice cream scoops and frozen fruit pops are fixtures on the menu at La Michoacana Premium. Neighborhood parks tucked into the area, including Caton Ridge, Liberty Park and Aspen Meadows, each offer green spaces, playgrounds and small picnic areas for residents to enjoy outdoor leisure time without venturing too far from home. Much of the neighborhood’s east side is occupied by Hammel Woods, a 445-acre woodland reserve situated along the banks of the DuPage River. Visitors can go kayaking, canoeing or fishing by the shoreline on the grounds, or bring their furry friends along for trips to the dog park. For the workout faithful, 9 miles of paths bend through the tree canopy for biking, hiking or cross-country skiing in the winter. On the north side, Wedgewood Golf Course has an 18-hole layout, chipping and practice greens and a driving range. The site has held an annual amateur golf championship since 2017 and offers a membership valid at two other Joliet golf clubs. An LA Fitness gym is also available on Route 59. Fall Creek’s connections to Interstate 55 and Route 59 are convenient travel options for locals. Residents are about 9 miles northwest of downtown Joliet and 42 miles southwest of the Chicago Loop, the heart of the Windy City. Commuters traveling toward Chicago can save on gas by taking the Metra train from the Joliet station, about 10 miles southeast. Major local roads for east-west traffic include Caton Farm Road, Theodore Street and Black Road. For medical emergencies, Ascension Saint Joseph Joliet Hospital is about 7 miles southeast of the neighborhood. Residents traveling beyond the Chicago area can fly out from Chicago Midway International Airport, 35 miles northeast. On the east side of the neighborhood, Bronkberry Farms and Greenhouse sells flowers, produce and local honey. From spring into fall, locals can swing by for monthly craft and vendor fairs with selections from varied local businesses. Southwest of the neighborhood in downtown Joliet, the Rialto Square Theater showcases a variety of touring entertainment acts, including tribute bands, stand-up comedy and dance ensembles. The theater was originally founded as a movie palace in 1926, and still stages performances and classic films under crystal chandeliers and an ornate rotunda ceiling.

Between Illinois State Route 6 and Hickory Creek lays the Belmont neighborhood. This area outside of Joliet, Illinois, is primarily residential. “It has easy access to I-80 from either Briggs Street or Richards Street. You also have the elementary and middle school in the neighborhood and the high school a few minutes away, too. You are about 5 minutes away from downtown Joliet,” says Agent Sonia Medina, who has been with eXp Realty in Joliet for the last three years. Locals a wide selection of authentic Mexican dining options. “There are many different Mexican restaurants and shops such as El Atotonilco and El Ranchito or La Loma Supermarket,” Medina says. La Loma Supermarket is the type of place where patrons can buy treats straight from Mexico in the front store section and watch the chefs prepare their tacos for lunch in their back sitting area. Taqueria Los Paisanos No. 2 is off Illinois State Route 6, where they serve dishes that will transport guests to the Jerez Zacatecas region of Mexico. For meals at home, locals can get all the necessary ingredients at Gonzalez Fresh Produce, located less than five minutes up the road. Mature oak trees line these gridded streets. As with some of these trees, the houses can date as far back as the early 1900s. “You can find many different styles of homes ranging from bungalows to ranches. You may find some newly remodeled ones as well,” Medina says. For price reference, a Colonial Revival will be listed around $170,000 and have four bedrooms. Meanwhile, on the higher end of the neighborhood’s price scale, there are newly remodeled single-family houses listed for around $225,000 with three bedrooms. These properties come with enough space for homeowners to host a backyard neighborhood cookout. When searching for a neighborhood park, Pilcher Park Nature Center is close by and has plenty of trails for locals to walk or ski along. “It is very popular amongst weddings and quinceaneras for its greenhouse. There are also field trips to the nature walk part of the park,” Medina says. During the day, Residents can head over to Highland Park, where that blur whizzing through the air is not a bird, but a disk being thrown at one of the 18 baskets along the disc golf course. This course takes guests among the trees, challenging them to account for changes in elevation. “A very popular walking trail is the trail off Route 6. It is a very long, beautiful trail where they even take horses walking,” Medina says. If residents are looking for other places to get together with their neighbors, La Herradura de Joliet is one of the gathering places that she describes as “A rodeo-style place where famous music artists come.” Wherever Residents are in Belmont, they are never too far from a park or ski trail. They also have easy access to shopping and dining options with Illinois State Route 6 and Interstate 80 in their backyard. Students attend Singleton Elementary, a Niche C-minus graded school, from kindergarten to fifth grade. Later, they graduate to Gompers Junior High School, which also holds a Grade of C-minus from Niche. During their freshmen year at Joliet Central High School, a Niche B-minus graded school, the students are given an extra block to use for exploring interests in an elective or to use for extra math and reading practice. Come sophomore year, the focus shifts to college and career preparation. Instructors tailor their lessons to five disciplines: Arts and Communications, Business Management and Information Systems, STEM, Health and Medicine, and Human Services.

To live in Cunningham is to be surrounded by lush landscapes, rich history and modern conveniences. On any given day, residents can visit Old Joliet Prison to recreate the opening scene from The Blues Brothers, roll the dice at Harrah’s, catch a show or concert at Rialto Square Theater, or paddle their way down the Des Plaines River. “It’s a fast-growing neighborhood because it’s close to everything. Grocery stores, shopping, parks, restaurants, entertainment – anything you need, really,” says Jayson Iniguez, a real estate agent with Casa Moderna Real Estate who has sold seven homes in the neighborhood. Value is another reason why people are moving to Cunningham. “Homes in the neighborhood's west side are a little more expensive than what you’ll find on the east side, but overall, prices are very reasonable here.” Grid-like streets and small plots frame various house styles, with Cape Cods, American Foursquares and Craftsman homes being the most common. Most properties don’t have garages, but street parking is plentiful. A brick and stone ranch home with three bedrooms and three bathrooms costs approximately $300,000, while a two-bed, one-bath Craftsman house with 905 square feet of living space sells for $170,000. M.J. Cunningham Elementary School has a C-minus overall grade and a B diversity grade on Niche. Hufford Junior High School, which also has a C-minus grade on Niche, encourages students to take ownership of their education by giving them academic choices and a voice to make their needs and opinions known. Niche gives Joliet Central High School a B-minus overall grade and reports that 85% of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about their pupils. It's easy to get around Cunningham thanks to major roads. Highway 53 shapes the eastern border, while Larkin Avenue runs in a straight line to the west, intersecting with Interstate 80 about 3 miles south. Interstate 80 is roughly 3 miles to the southwest, with several bus stops along the way. At Route 66 Park, visitors are welcomed by a huge sign that declares “Joliet Kicks on 66,” a collection of impressive public artworks, and an overlook with views of the Old Joliet Prison. The park is also home to Rich & Creamy, a soft-serve ice cream store adorned with life-sized models of Jake and Elwood from The Blues Brothers dancing on the roof. At the intersection of Curtis Avenue and North Raynor Road, Garnsey Park features baseball diamonds, tennis courts and playground equipment. Saint Joseph Park, which covers just over 10 acres, is a walker’s paradise. Louis Joliet Mall is 4 miles northwest on Lincoln Highway. It’s home to over 80 eateries and retail shops, including Macy’s, JCPenney, Yankee Candle, Sbarro and Cinnabun. Mitchell’s Food Mart is in the heart of the neighborhood for convenient grocery shopping. Hobby Lobby, Burlington, Ross, Harbor Freight Tools, and other major retailers are less than 3 miles away. Merichka’s is on the neighborhood’s north side. Known for delicious po’boy sandwiches, this restaurant has served as an extended living room for local families since its founding in 1933.