Naperville

Life is sweet when half your suburb is wild and protected forest land, and you're under 5 miles away from Naperville, the top-ranking city in Niche's 2024 Best Cities to Live in America. Add on the fact that residents of the Danada neighborhood in DuPage County can ride a Metra commuter train into Chicago in under 45 minutes, and it's understandable why the only homes for sale in this neighborhood are new constructions. The people who live in Danada are staying, and the builders are building for those who want to live there. "It seems like many people in Chicago want to live in the western suburbs," says Lynda Wehrli, a 20-year veteran broker with Christie's International Real Estate. Home sale prices in the neighborhood range from $450,000 to just over $1 million. On the low end, buyers can buy a small townhouse with a two-car garage or a midcentury split-level with three bedrooms in the Fairmeadow subdivision. New traditional homes with three to five bedrooms in the Naper Commons subdivision were recently constructed and are listed between $700,000 and $950,000. "There's a lot of new construction next to the forest preserve," says Amy Kehoe, a Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Chicago Realtor. Houses in the neighborhood are zoned for Naperville's exceptional Community Unit School District 203. Beebe Elementary School received an A-plus rating from Niche and has a robotics club. Jefferson Junior High School is ranked the 20th best public middle school in Illinois by Niche. Naperville North High School is ranked the fourth best public high school in DuPage County by Niche. It has over 60 extracurricular activities and clubs for students, including biology club, improv club and robotics team. Danada Forest Preserve is just north of the neighborhood and features 800 acres of prairies, woods and wetlands. A large wetland complex on the west side of Naperville Road supports egrets, woodcocks, painted turtles, chorus and leopard frogs, and a rookery of nesting great blue herons. The Sensory Garden Playground combines sensory-integrated playground equipment and gardening areas. Herrick Lake is next door, featuring almost 900 acres of woods, marshes, and streams with over five miles of trails, boat rentals and fishing opportunities. Ecologists have recorded more than 254 types of year-round migrating wildlife among the preserve's 470 different types of plants. For groceries, residents can choose Fruitful Yield, Asian grocery chain H-Mart, Amazon Fresh, or ALDI. In its article, The Best Restaurants in Naperville, Eater Magazine recommends four restaurants in Danada. Right off the Naperville Road exit of Interstate 88 is a business park called Freedom Commons, where diners will find some of the best restaurants in Chicago's western suburbs. Schmaltz Delicatessen serves Jewish deli staples to suburbanites looking for a good pastrami sandwich. The White Chocolate Grill is named for its desserts but offers an excellent grilled fish and chops menu. Mapo is a Chinese Hunan-style eatery. MingHin Cuisine is open every day all year for dim sum. The Greater Chicago Area's Metra Train stops 2 miles south in charming downtown Naperville. Trains run every 5 minutes, and commuters can reach Union Station in Downtown Chicago in around 45 minutes. With a forest preserve for a backyard and plenty of shopping and restaurants nearby, Danada is an excellent choice for those who want to mingle a little wilderness with their suburban comfort.

Suburban life takes flight in Aero Estates, a high-end residential neighborhood on Naperville's west end. With a set of aircraft runways connecting each home to the community’s private airport, it’s the rare kind of place where it’s just as common to travel with small aircraft as it is to commute by car. When residents aren’t spending their time in the skies, ample shopping options and scenic nature preserves ensure a turbulence-free lifestyle close to home. “Naperville’s a posh town, but it’s also a community that really comes together for its people,” says Eva Burns, a broker with RE/MAX of Naperville. Burns specializes in the local real estate market and has sold homes in town for more than 20 years. Late 20th-century executive homes with grand designs are common in the Aero Estates area. Individual home styles can vary, with custom builds having elements from new traditional, Colonial Revival and Tudor architecture. Lots and properties are both spacious, ranging from about 2,500 to more than 5,000 square feet, and all homes in the area include large garage/hangar areas for car, truck and plane storage. Prices range from $570,000 to more than $1.2 million. Homes in the Aero Estates community are connected to the Naper Aero Club Airport, a private airpark for residents and members of the BFC Flying Club and the Naperville Flying Club. In operation since 1962, the airpark’s presence has a direct impact on the neighborhood's layout, with separate residential roads for air traffic connected to properties’ hangars. Public school students are zoned for Indian Prairie School District 204. Welch Elementary School has a student-teacher ratio of 14:1 and earns an A grade on Niche. Scullen Middle School receives an A-plus grade. Neuqua Valley High School offers more than 30 athletic programs and was ranked 15th on US News & World Report’s list of the best high schools in Illinois. The school also earns an A-plus grade on Niche. Many of the area’s prime shopping options are immediately north of the neighborhood, near 75th Street and Route 59. Walmart, Costco and Whole Foods Market offer reliable stops for groceries and other essentials, while specialty retailers like Lowe’s and Nordstrom Rack are also available. Local dining picks nearby Yum Yum Thai for contemporary takes on favorites like pad thai and curry, Domo 77 for Japanese teppanyaki meals and refined pasta dishes at VAI's Italian Inspired Kitchen + Bar. Locals can also find familiar brands such as Culver’s, Starbucks and Outback Steakhouse nearby. Just north of the area, the Fox Valley Mall offers additional dining options and major retailers such as Macy’s, Kohl’s and JCPenney. The neighborhood sits just west of Springbrook Prairie, a nature preserve highlighting the beauty of north Illinois whether viewed from the air or the ground. Locals can go birdwatching, hike or bike down the winding trails or bring their furry friends to the dog park area, and aviators of every age can practice their RC piloting skills at the model craft airfield. Springbrook Golf Course offers an 18-hole layout and multiple practice greens for sophisticated days out. For a more familiar neighborhood park experience, Summerfield Lake Park has two playgrounds and access to the water for fishing, while Kingshill Park is another nearby haven for picnic shelters and games of catch. Aero Estates’ primary connection to the greater Naperville area is Route 59, the major thoroughfare on the neighborhood’s west side. Residents are about 6 miles southwest of downtown Naperville, and 37 miles west of the Chicago Loop. For medical emergencies, the nearest hospital is Endeavor Health Edward Hospital, 5 miles northeast of the neighborhood. When it’s time to let another pilot handle the flying, trips beyond the Chicago area depart from Chicago Midway International Airport, 31 miles east, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport, 32 miles northeast. The neighborhood’s location near Aurora and Naperville gives locals a healthy selection of ways to spend their free time. The Piazza hosts concerts and sports watch parties, while Saddle Up @ Q lets guests lace up their dancing boots. More events happen in downtown Naperville to the east, where the Naper Settlement outdoor museum and other local organizations host family-friendly events like The Last Fling, a Labor Day celebration to send off the summer with a block party, and Christkindlmarket, a winter festival with vendors, games and character meet-and-greets. Locals can also get involved with volunteering in Naperville, including outreach programs at the neighboring Calvary Church, events with the Turning Pointe Autism Foundation and philanthropic efforts with the Naperville Junior Woman’s Club.

Views of the bright skies over Illinois meet with precisely cut lawns in Brighton Ridge. Carefully arranged homes and a mix of short and tall trees give this Naperville neighborhood a timeless appeal, with an expansive nature preserve in its backyard, ample shopping options across the street and quick access to the best of Chicagoland close at hand. “You’ve got a lot of more established houses in that particular area,” says Raelisa Schmidt, a Realtor with HomeSmart Elite Arrow Team. Schmidt has sold homes in Naperville for more than eight years and has a comprehensive knowledge of the home market and lifestyle in DuPage County. “It’s close to nature, so you’ll see a lot of bike riding and dog walking.” Most of Brighton Ridge’s homes date back to the end of the 20th century. The area's Deer Crossing subdivision consists of luxury townhomes with brick exteriors and new traditional stylings, with prices ranging from the mid $300,000s up to about $500,000. From there, buyers can find single-family homes and custom-built estates nearby, with designs drawing influence from Colonial Revival, Tudor and new traditional architecture. Prices for these generally range from $600,000 to $850,000, depending on features and updates. Public school students in Brighton Ridge can attend schools within the Indian Prairie School District 204. The youngest learners in the area can attend Owen Elementary School, which offers a before-school program called Club Owen that allows students to develop healthy exercise habits with instructors from local dance, martial arts and exercise studios. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 13:1 and holds an A-plus grade on Niche. Jeffrey C. Still Middle School earns an A grade. Waubonsie Valley High School students can participate in more than 80 extracurricular activities, from varsity athletics and intramurals to performance ensembles and shared interest clubs. The school earns an A-plus grade on Niche. Brighton Ridge’s local businesses are situated along 75th Street, the major thoroughfare to the neighborhood’s immediate north. Residents can pick up food and everyday items from two independent grocery stores close to home: Naperville Fresh Market, which focuses on organic foods and locally sourced items, and Avkar Grocer, where imported Indian food supplies and spices line the shelves. Residents can also find specialty retailers nearby, such as Buikema’s Ace Hardware for power tools and home supplies and Graham Crackers Comics for graphic novels, collectibles and games. Food choices nearby include Calogero’s for wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas and tiramisu, SpecialTea for boba and smoothies and Pancake Café for brunches in a modernized diner space. Hearty noodle bowls and bánh mì sandwiches fill the menu at Pho Thien Vietnamese Kitchen. Locals can also find familiar fast food stops such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and Taco Bell nearby. Locals can enjoy temperate spring days at Brighton Ridge Park, a neighborhood park sharing the name of its most prominent suburb. In addition to traditional offerings such as picnic shelters and a playground, licensed residents can also go fishing at the nearby pond to the north of the park area. Residents are also less than a mile from Springbrook Prairie Nature Preserve, a park with more than 1,800 acres of dedicated space to sustain local bird populations, blazing star flowers and other wildlife. Once under threat of being redeveloped, locals banded together to keep the area’s natural beauty intact. The area offers cross-country skiing, picnicking, a model plane and drone flying space and an off-leash dog park. Just southwest of the preserve, the Springbrook Golf Course has an 18-hole layout and received comprehensive renovations in 2022, with an accompanying clubhouse and café for members. To the east of the neighborhood, Westglen Park provides additional green space and a basketball court. Brighton Ridge residents can get to work and other points of interest via 75th Street, the neighborhood’s nearest major thoroughfare. Locals are 3 miles south of downtown Naperville and 9 miles east of Aurora. Residents traveling into Chicago can expect a 34-mile drive to reach the Loop. The nearest Metra commuter station is in downtown Naperville, about 4 miles north, and train travel has proven to be popular with professionals in town. "It's become more common as people have started heading back to work. I get a lot of clients working in downtown Chicago who want to be close to the train," Schmidt says. For medical emergencies, Endeavor Health Edward Hospital is about 3 miles north of the neighborhood. Residents traveling out of state can catch flights from Chicago Midway International Airport, 25 miles east of the neighborhood, or Chicago O’Hare International Airport, 30 miles northeast. While locals can bike to nearby shopping centers and Springbrook Prairie, the neighborhood's surrounding area is largely car-dependent. Situated in the Hobson West Commons Shopping Center just north of Brighton Ridge, Your Neighbors has offered the cozy neighborhood sports bar experience since the early 1980s. Locals can stop by for themed trivia nights, seasonal parties and frequent drink specials, with football and basketball games on the big screens. Bottoms Up Sports Bar & Grill offers another after-work hangout nearby on South Washington Street. More fun for the family awaits in downtown Naperville, where events like the Last Fling community festival and the Halloween Happening happen annually. As Naperville has expanded, the community has taken steps toward building a more inclusive environment. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at North Central College in 1960, and the next decade would see local movements for housing and segregation reform emerge. Efforts to improve the area’s equity for all citizens have continued since, with organizations such as Naperville Neighbors United and the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion office hosting community events and roundtables in recent years. Houses of worship nearby include Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and St. Raphael Catholic Church.

Located in northern Naperville, Brookdale is typically appreciated for its spacious properties, quality school district and proximity to the Route 59 Metra station. Quiet, compact subdivisions set the tone of the neighborhood, where each home contributes its own unique style. Many families are walkable from the titular elementary school, part of the esteemed Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204. Meanwhile, Chicago commuters travel no more than 2 miles to the nearest Metra, where even during rush hour, parking is hardly an issue. From decadent milkshakes to curated international markets, amenities abound, making for a convenient lifestyle in Brookdale. When autumn rolls around, bunches of bold orange leaves gather on the sidewalks of Brookdale. Even the stark green road verges are dotted with vibrant foliage from the new and old-growth trees lining the streets. Behind them stand Colonial Revivals and custom homes with traditional architecture—no two sharing the same features. Some flaunt the embellishments of the Queen Anne style, while others offer midcentury modern appeal. All offer paved driveways leading to two and sometimes three-car garages, as well as spacious backyards with modest gardens contained by neat fencing. Priced between $400,000 and $700,000, homes in these subdivisions rest on quarter-acre lots with neighbors no more than 30 feet apart. Townhomes line Aurora Road, Route 59 and Raymond Drive. Ranging in price from $250,000 to $450,000, units typically come with traditional architecture and attached garages. The Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 serves Brookdale, where students begin at the titular primary school. Brookdale Elementary earns an A on Niche, along with Thayer J. Hill Middle School. Students in seventh and eighth grade are encouraged to begin their athletic journeys, while those of all grades are offered a plethora of extracurriculars in preparation for attendance at Metea Valley High School. With an A-plus on Niche, Metea Valley strategically organizes extracurriculars according to discipline to promote resume building. “I know many kids that went through District 204, and they all ended up at any college they wanted,” says Vanessa Bianchi, a broker with The Ville Team at Coldwell Banker Realty. “It’s a great, academically intense district that’s brought people to the community. It’s so diverse, hardly anyone feels like an outsider.” The Route 59 Metra station is less than 2 miles south of most Brookdale residents, providing extensive commuter parking options for the hour-long ride to Downtown Chicago. Those preferring to drive can expect a 33-mile commute on Interstates 290 and 88. Chicago Midway International Airport is about 34 miles in the same direction. Those traveling locally can expect a 3-mile drive to Downtown Naperville, where the closest emergency room is located at Endeavor Health Edward Hospital. Bus stops are found along Route 59, while a bike lane is offered on Brookdale Road, which connects to several nearby parks. Most residents, however, are entirely dependent on both personal vehicles and the Metra. Route 34 extends south of the Brookdale community, where residents will find an array of shopping and dining options. Fresh Thyme Market, an upscale grocery store, is less than a mile from Patel Brothers and Jewel-Osco. Between them are trendy haunts like the Sugar Milk Café, which serves decadent milkshakes topped with two inches of whipped cream. Solemn Oath Brewery is home to a Community Dome Forest, a campground-style patio where guests congregate in the glow of string lights and firepits. Target Grocery is about 2 miles south of Brookdale on Route 59. “There’s this place on Route 59 called Entourage that’s independently owned,” notes Bridget Salela, a broker with The Ville Team at Coldwell Banker Realty. “They’re hitting it out of the park. They’re fairly new—just started three years ago—and they’re doing great. It just shows that good mix of both big box stores and independent places that pop up.” Brookdale’s parks are often referred to as “greens,” thanks to the expansive, multi-purpose fields that comprise a majority of their acreage. Queensbury Greens, in particular, offers a playground surrounded by an open field for pick-up games. Fox Hill Greens is home to the Brookdale Racquet Club & Pool, a neighborhood swim club providing tennis and pickleball courts with classes, camps and league opportunities. The eastern border of the community is largely flanked by the McDowell Grove Forest Preserve, where 7 miles of trails link to surrounding preserves, inviting guests to cross-country ski and even ride on horseback. The West Branch DuPage River is ideal for fishing and boating, along with the 22-acre Mud Lake. Farther south, Heritage Woods and Burlington Park offer access to the West Branch DuPage River Trail, where shorter trails branch off into the dense wooded enclave across the water.

Century Hill is a subdivision in northeastern Naperville, which kicked off in the 60s and evolved in the 70s and 80s. As a result, there’s a bit of an eclectic look to the housing styles. But not only do homebuyers appreciate this, they also like the community’s proximity to big city amenities. "Since it’s situated a reasonable 33 miles from Downtown Chicago, Naperville is an excellent choice for commuters," says Lori Johanneson, real estate broker with @properties. "If you’re looking to escape the busyness and noise of the city at the end of the day, Naperville is a wonderful place to relocate." Indeed, there are only two entrances to Century Hill, both situated along Chicago Avenue, cutting down on traffic passing through. It’s a little bubble of peace hugged by Naperville Country Club, Seager Park and Route 34, a crucial commuter path and commercial destination. This is a tightknit neighborhood that would be hard to get lost in. Century Hill is primarily composed of gently curving streets with early American names, like Mayflower Avenue, and is lined with sidewalks and mature shade trees. Midcentury split-level homes, brick colonials and modern traditional homes comprise much of the housing stock. Some of the colonial homes are variations on a core theme in Century Hill, like a four-bed, three-bath Dutch version that comes with an attached two-car garage. Larger lawns are typically favored here, and while there may be some ornamental shrubbery on the perimeters, most homebuyers let the tall oaks, elms and birches do all the talking. Home prices generally range from $400,000 to $700,000. Educational amenities are a big draw for Century Hill. Homes in the area are zoned for Naperville 203 Community Unit School District, which is one of the state’s largest, yet highest-performing school districts. In fact, it is one of only 16 districts in the nation to be recognized as a “Lighthouse System” for serving as a model of positive change in public education. Prairie Elementary earns an A from Niche and has a 14-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Washington Junior High School, rated by Niche as the ninth-best public middle school in Illinois, has over 20 clubs, including a newspaper club, running club and diversity club. It too earns an A rating. Naperville North High School is ranked the fourth-best public high school in DuPage County by Niche and has over 60 extracurricular activities and clubs for students, including a biology club, improv club and robotics team. It earns an A-plus. Golfers enjoy living close to Naperville Country Club on the west end, which some of the neighborhood’s homes overlook. The club has been open since 1921 and features an 18-hole course as well as a clubhouse. There are other outdoor recreation activities available in the community. Huntington Swim and Tennis Club is Naperville's oldest swimming and tennis club. The club serves as a summer hangout spot for over 200 members and offers a safe, well-maintained facility with plenty of athletic and social activities for adults and kids. Seager Park is just north of Century Hill, offering trails, picnic tables and a playground for a more traditional park experience. For groceries, residents can hop onto Naper Boulevard and then drive about a mile north to either ALDI, Amazon Fresh, Fruitful Yield or H Mart. But on the southern border of the neighborhood are places to grab a bite to eat. Angeli’s is a homey place serving Italian cuisine. There’s an extensive wine menu and a bar serving cocktails. Soups, salads, charcuterie boards and larger entrees are all available. For a sippable snack, there’s Pisces Café Boba and Tea. The café serves a wide variety of milk teas and smoothies in a sleekly designed space, amenable to those who want to park and work, or merely lounge and chat with friends. Most of Century Hill is a residential subdivision that’s eminently walkable, thanks to numerous sidewalks and a limited number of entrances that keep out traffic. But commuters do have some key amenities, not least of which is Route 34 less than a mile away. Metra stations run in parallel to this route, and it quickly connects to Interstate 88. Downtown Chicago is about 30 miles east, or roughly a 40-minute drive without heavy traffic.

Country Lakes packs the blocks between Aurora Road and Deihl Road, a series of compact subdivisions surrounded by small ponds and community parks. A mix of single-family homes and townhouses border some of the city’s northernmost industrial complexes, including Promet Processing and Alstom Transport TLS. But most residents hardly notice, considering the majority of homes only yield views of the shady foliage out front and their neighbor’s yard out back. Sidewalks interconnect with paved walking paths overlooking the water, some even branching off to the local elementary school. A bustling shopping and dining scene outlines the Route 59 strip, home to the Fox Valley Mall and its accompanying big-box shops and eateries. In Country Lakes, convenience, entertainment and community are crammed together in the span of a few blocks. Single-family homes in Country Lakes range from 1980s ranch-style builds to modern Craftsman constructed as recently as 2018. Traditional architecture is often Colonial or Tudor-inspired, lining compact subdivisions sandwiched between Aurora and Diehl Road. Closer to the community’s surrounding thoroughfares, homebuyers will find collections of townhomes featuring attached garages and modest lawns, priced between $260,000 and $510,000. These communities sometimes weave between groups of single-family homes ranging from $360,000 to around $800,000 for newer construction exceeding 3,000 square feet. Sidewalks twist and turn throughout the area, occasionally branching into paved paths surrounding small ponds, lush with foliage in the summertime. Others lead directly into neighborhood green spaces, from Country Lakes Park farther south to the Atwater Park playground up north. Tucked between subdivisions are a handful of community parks within walking distance of most residences. Shaded walking paths connect Country Lake Park’s central playground to a baseball diamond and basketball court, visible from many backyards. The park’s grassy knolls transform into sledding hills in the winter. The playground at Atwater Park sits on Capeside Drive, a mere block from the Aurora Branch of the Illinois Prairie Path. Stretching 14 miles from Wheaton to Aurora, cyclists can take advantage of the trail’s Elgin Branch and Batavia Spur for longer rides. The McDowell Grove Forest Preserve offers a more immersive nature experience 3 miles west. The preserve includes 7 miles of hiking trails, boat launches onto the West Branch DuPage River and fishing opportunities at the 22-acre Mud Lake. Route 59 stretches west of Country Lakes, a bustling thoroughfare lined with shopping and dining options frequented by residents throughout Naperville. Big-box stops like Target, Meijer, Costco Wholesale and Walmart Supercenter lead the way to the Fox Valley Mall, 3 miles south. Standalone stores like Menards and Home Depot surround more than 150 retail outlets and eateries, anchored by department stores like Macy’s and JCPenney. The mall also offers family-friendly entertainment options, including Sky Zone Trampoline Park and Round 1 Bowling & Arcade. Internationally inspired eats flank the outskirts, from Qamaria Yemeni Coffee to La Michoacana Deluxe Ice Cream. Closer to home, SanguCHE is a local favorite, a casual Peruvian sandwich shop serving authentic South American dishes. Shinto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge has table-side grilling and maki-rolling classes, while JK Kabob offers traditional Indian and Pakistani fare. Downtown Naperville is 5 miles south of Country Lakes, hosting vibrant festivities throughout the year. “The downtown area is a huge draw for people across the city,” says Ginny Jackson, a local broker associate with Baird & Warner. “It’s not only a destination for Naperville residents—we call ourselves Napervillians—it’s also a hub for people outside of the city. It’s that big sense of community that draws people in.” Held on 5th Avenue, the Naperville Farmer’s Market takes place each Saturday from June through October. Guests browse locally grown produce and handcrafted items before heading to the Naper Nights Summer Concert Series. This city-wide summertime tradition features themed tribute concerts hosted by the Naper Settlement outdoor history museum. By the time autumn settles in, Naperville families say farewell to summer at The Last Fling, a weekend-long Labor Day festival featuring live music, carnival rides and a parade. Families in Country Lakes are zoned for the Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204, ranked the third-best school district in DuPage County with an A-plus on Niche. Students begin at Longwood Elementary School, which earns an A-minus and sits less than a mile from most homes. Thayer J. Hill Middle School earns an A, offering various extracurriculars—including athletics and band—in preparation for attendance at Metea Valley High School. With an A-plus, Metea Valley encourages students to strategically choose their extracurriculars to begin resume-building. Athletes participating in the DuPage Valley Conference have brought home a handful of state championship titles over the last decade, notably in hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and rugby. The Route 59 Metra station sits 2 miles south, offering four separate commuter parking lots and an hour's ride to Chicago. "We have everything we need here, so there's not much need to go into Chicago," Jackson says. "But for commuters overall, it's a mix. Some people use the Metra, others drive." Those preferring to make the trip by car can head 35 miles east to Downtown Chicago on I-290 and I-88. Chicago Midway International Airport is about 35 miles in the same direction. Downtown Naperville is about 5 miles southeast, where the closest emergency room is at Endeavor Health Edward Hospital. Meanwhile, Downtown Aurora is 7 miles west, providing the last Metra stop on the BNSF line to Union Station. Local travel might mean catching a bus on Route 59, as Country Lakes does not provide bus service within the neighborhood.