Southwest Joliet

Travelers flying into Joliet Airport, for fun or business, may have the best view of daily life in Joliet. They can see that Joliet is a community with a vested interest in maintaining its natural surroundings, from the Des Plaines River to the Rock Run Preserves. At the same time, these Residents enjoy modern conveniences like the shops and restaurants found around Interstate 80 and Route 6. They also benefit by having the Metra nearby for traveling into Chicago.

In Joliet, Residents get “A great price point, relatively close to the city, and with easy access,” says Broker Susie Scheuber, with RE/MAX Ultimate Professionals, and longtime resident of the Will County area of which Joliet is a part. There is a diverse collection of housing types in town. Some of the most common housing types on the market are Cape Cod, Colonial Revival and ranch-style homes. Many of these houses have been around since the 1950s and the 1970s. They sit on manicured lawns with paved driveways leading up to attached garages. The houses stand timeless as the oak tree leaves change colors and fall to the ground, becoming a crunch under the feet of runners and dog walkers passing on the front sidewalks. Meanwhile, other empty lots lay flat, awaiting their perfect home pairing. While list prices range from $125,000 to $550,000 for single-family homes, the average list price is $250,000.

From the start of their academic career in prekindergarten, up to the eighth grade, students attend Rockdale Elementary School. At this school, which Niche gives a Grade of C, students learn in an intimate classroom setting with a student-teacher ratio of 11-to-1. Starting in ninth grade, students attend Joliet West High School, which Niche gives a Grade of B-plus. Students can participate in over 30 clubs and choose from 28 different sports during their time at Joliet West. After high school, Joliet students can stay close to home and attend Joliet Junior College.

When the playsets in their backyards are not enough to satisfy their craving for outdoor entertainment, locals head to Rock Run Forest Preserve. There, they can walk, run, bike, skate or ski however much they want along the 11.24 miles of the Greenway Trail. Locals may also fish in the quarry pond, year-round. Residents visit Ronald D. Lehman Community Park for an entire day of activity. Here, they challenge friends to a competition on the disc golf course and test their endurance along trails that run through the park. Children run from playset to playset with a smile on their faces and squeal with delight in the water at the splash pad in the summer.

In July, Residents flock to the Joliet Memorial Stadium to attend Taste of Joliet. At this three-day event, “Vendors come for people to try different foods, and there are some bands. The event draws record crowds there every July,” Scheuber says.

In Downtown Joliet, locals catch up with their friends at Chicago Street Pub, where they can select from 21 beers on tap. Many people also come for the live bands that earned this downtown hotspot the CCP Award for Best Downtown Music Venue. For date-night, “158 is a nice, high-end restaurant down there in Joliet with great food and great service,” Scheuber says. With Interstate 80 cut through the heart of Joliet, Residents have convenient access to additional restaurants and shops.

Residents can also select from chains such as Dunkin,’ Wendy’s and McDonald’s if they want a fast bite to eat. A Sam’s Club is close to Menards and Walmart, for when they want to buy items in bulk. Up the road, they can stop at Tony’s Fresh Market or Jewel-Osco for weekly grocery needs. Whether looking for household items or a night of entertainment, Residents are sure to find what they are seeking in Joliet.

Written By

Lauren Melton

Photography Contributed By

JJ Starr

Video By

Celeste Thoms