Wheaton

Wheaton's western areas north and south of Roosevelt Road offer a more residential reprieve without sacrificing any of the area's entertainment and amenities. Besides access to the city's Metra connections and downtown stretch brimming with local businesses, locals living on Wheaton's westward side are near parks and DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds, which draw in visitors from all over Chicagoland. Big-name businesses like Target, Kohl's and Walgreens anchor the corner of Roosevelt and County Farm Road, with more options farther south. For the most part, however, Wheaton residents veer towards shopping from their neighbors. "The Downtown Wheaton Association puts on a lot of events drives traffic to local businesses, and they work to keep franchises out of the downtown stretch for the most part," says Brooke Oswald, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Chicago who lives and works in Wheaton. "They close down Hale Street and put up a huge tent for restaurants so locals can dine outside." Visitors can shop for ethically sourced home decor from Amante Marketplace before stopping for a burger and bourbon at The Burger Social. After heading home, they can order fresh coffee straight to their door from I Have a Bean—or check out the other cafes brewing downtown before their morning commute. As the DuPage County seat, Wheaton has also been home to the county's incredibly popular Event Center and Fairgrounds for 68 years. Families look forward to the DuPage County Fair each July, which is complete with a Ferris wheel, animals, exhibits and vendors. They find themselves at the fairgrounds many other times throughout the year, whether they bring their contributions to the springtime Recycling Extravaganza, watch the boxcars at the Midwest Train Show, or shop by candlelight at the holiday fair and Christmas market. Meanwhile, neighbors catch up under tents and live music blares during Cream of Wheaton. "They just renovated Bandshell downtown, too, which hosts bands throughout the summer," Oswald says. "Saturdays from April through December is the farmers market, and people from all over the west suburbs come for various handmade goods, plants, fresh foods and veggies—even a guy who makes crepes!" Wheaton's high-rise condominiums, businesses, and historic homes are mostly concentrated in the downtown area. As locals head west of the center, they see a progression to tree-shaded cul-de-sacs and smaller side streets. "One of the things I love about selling here is that you can see where the town started and then spread out," Oswald remarks. "Several neighborhoods and subdivisions were built in the 1980s and '90s, and you can see that in the Cape Cods, ranchers and colonials." Compact areas with tight sidewalks neighbor subdivisions where driveways stretch across long yards, granting privacy aided by mature foliage, gardens and stately landscaping. Save for the prestigious enclave of Muirfield Circle—where custom-built homes with elegant brick facades, gazebos and close Prairie Path access sell for $1.1 to $1.4 million—homes here range between $235,000 for a condo or townhouse along Roosevelt Road to $635,000 for a Cape Cod with an attached garage. Wheaton's students have ample choices for attending classes. "We have a unit school district, so all schools from early childhood through high are within one district, and a lot of resources are shared between the schools," explains Oswald, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee established to keep residents in the know about district activities. Families choose from options like Madison Elementary School and Emerson Elementary School before graduating from Monroe Middle School or Edison Middle School; all four earn an A from Niche. Older kids finish strong at either Wheaton North High School or Wheaton Warrenville South High School. Known to locals as "North" and "South," these choices— along with St. Francis High School, a popular private institution—receive an A-plus from Niche. Whether they live north or south of Roosevelt, residents are within walking distance of neighborhood parks and a short drive from larger expanses, all maintained by an active park district. The Illinois Prairie Path bridges Wheaton's two halves with a scenic walk or bike ride. Graf Park's popular playing fields and playground sit across the tracks from Lincoln Marsh, a diverse ecosystem with boardwalks posted across murky waters. Bobcats, white-tailed deer and more await at Cosley Zoo, a Wheaton staple open year-round. And at over 16,000 yards, the Chicago Golf Club hasn't left Golf Digest's top 100 rankings since 1971. Wheaton is home to two stations on Metra's Union Pacific West Line. "I think post-pandemic, there are a lot of people who lived in the city and are looking to move out of that area to the suburbs," Oswald reflects. "Wheaton is right on the Metra line, and it's about a 45-minute ride, so it's convenient for those with hybrid work schedules who work downtown only a few days a week. It also has good proximity to highways for commuters, with I-88 from east to west and I-355 running north to south. You can be at either airport in about an hour." Westward locals are closer to the Wheaton stop downtown, which runs directly to the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago. Proximity to Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital and Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital means locals don't have to leave Wheaton for care.

Its blend of big-city comforts and small-town charm makes moving to Northside-Wheaton an easy choice for many. Those who want to be close to the outdoors without sacrificing suburban conveniences enjoy living in proximity to neighborhood green spaces like Northside Park and Lincoln Marsh, as well as nearby shopping and downtown Wheaton's dining. The Wheaton Metra station makes the neighborhood convenient for commuters, and a highly rated school system attracts families from all over the Chicago area. "Wheaton is a wonderful town with many great schools and parks," says Patricia Murray, who's been selling real estate in the area since 1974. "Northside-Wheaton is quiet and safe, and residents really love being within walking distance to the parks." Northside-Wheaton has single-family homes in various architectural styles, the most common being ranch-style and new traditional homes. However, some historic homes still stand in the neighborhood, many of which have undergone renovations to accommodate modern lifestyles. These come in styles like American Foursquares, Colonial Revivals and Cape Cods. Northside-Wheaton's neighborhood streets are quiet and cozy. Large trees shade well-sized lots, and uncurbed streets provide a laidback charm that allows residences to blend seamlessly with the neighborhood's marsh ecosystem. Prices tend to fall between $400,000 and $800,000, with prices on the lower end getting buyers a cozy bungalow and the higher end getting them a large new build or fully restored historic home. In Northside-Wheaton, the median price for a single-family home is $600,000. Students in Northside-Wheaton attend schools in Community Unit School District No. 200, which received an overall rating of A-plus on the educational review site, Niche. They start at Longfellow, Washington, or Sandburg Elementary before continuing to Franklin or Monroe Middle. All of these schools received As on Niche. Then, all students in the neighborhood attend Wheaton North High School, which received an A-plus and routinely ranks in the Chicago Sun Times' Top Fifty High Schools in Illinois. Private schools in the neighborhood include Prairie School of DuPage, which enrolls students in preschool through eighth grade, and Wheaton Montessori School, which enrolls students in early childhood through ninth grade. Neither has been rated on Niche. Northside Park is the neighborhood's central public green space, where families celebrate birthdays and holidays, play tennis and pickleball and cool off in the summer at the pool. Kid-friendly facilities include a small zipline and ADA playground, providing engagement for children of all abilities. Nearby, the five-acre Cosley Zoo lets residents interact with farm animals, and the Lincoln Marsh Natural Area is popular for walking, biking and fishing. Smaller neighborhood parks like Herrick Park, W.W. Stevens Park and Willow Point Conservatory provide residents with proximity to playgrounds and green space. Just north of the neighborhood, residents can book tee times or pursue memberships at Klein Creek Golf Club. There's no shortage of local restaurants in and around Northside-Wheaton. When residents want to stay in the neighborhood, they can dine at Rosie O'Reilly's, the local Irish pub, or Mi Casa, a family-owned Mexican restaurant. Just south of the neighborhood, they can head to downtown Wheaton for American fare at The Burger Social, steak and seafood at Ivy and brunch at Egg Harbor Café. For groceries, most shop at the Jewel-Osco on the north end of the neighborhood, and around there, they can run errands at major retailers like Ace Hardware and The Home Depot and boutiques like Bricks & Minifigs, a LEGO resale shop, and Quest Bookshop, a theosophical bookstore. Northside-Wheaton is 30 miles west of downtown Chicago, and it typically takes 45 minutes to an hour to get there by car. Alternatively, residents can take the Metra from the Wheaton station to get there in an hour. The Pace Bus offers routes around the neighborhood, but most residents rely on cars to get around. The closest hospital, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, is less than two miles from the neighborhood, and the nearest airport, O'Hare, is about 30 minutes away. A nearly 200-year-old tradition, the DuPage County Fair is the neighborhood's biggest annual event. It started as a celebration of Illinois agriculture and continues this tradition with livestock, produce and baking competitions and farming equipment exhibitions in addition to live music, carnival rides and games. The DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds hosts events throughout the year, like antique shows, a monthly model train show and the Chicago Scots' annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games.

Like those old books where you can choose your own adventure, living in Hawthorne puts the power of choice in your hands. This neighborhood is neatly divided into four quadrants, highlighted by two major roads intersecting: President Street and Hawthorne Boulevard. The charm of Hawthorne is that it still feels modern. “This is such a great area if you want to be in touch with a lot of activities,” says realtor Wendy Lee. Homes in the area have a range of prices, making Hawthorne welcoming to an array of homebuyers. Updated condos, initially built in the late 1970s, start at $135,000. Midcentury modern split-level homes with streamlined facades and bay windows cost around $300,000. As with local condos, these, too, will have updated interiors. There are even more options in the $500,000 to $600,000 range. Expect to see prewar American foursquare in brick or stucco, exuding classic features like front doors under covered porches. There are also midcentury modern homes with greater square footage: some of these houses stretch to almost 4,000 square feet. In general, price points are between $284,000 and $1.4 million. Almost any convenience is within arm’s reach. Hawthorne is near Route 64, a commercial corridor with big retailers, grocery stores and eateries. The Roosevelt Road corridor has dozens of shops and restaurants like Target. For local flavor, head to the Hen House of Wheaton. Rustic décor like windmills and watering pails greet you inside, while the menu offers comforting breakfast dishes like French toast, crepes and poached eggs. Cozy up by the fireplace during the cool months, then enjoy the outdoor patio when the days are long. Parks are another prime place where locals like to gather. Hawthorne has green spaces both big and small. At Lawson Field, people enjoy playing soccer. At Northside Park, opportunities abound: go fishing in the pond, play everything from basketball to tennis, and then take a dip at the Aquatic Center. Or simply enjoy the vast walking trails that spread across this 69-acre expanse. The equally large Community Park offers another escape, with similar athletic facilities and walking paths. You’re never far away from fresh air in Hawthorne. Pick up Interstate 395 from here to access more destinations or use it to arrive in downtown Chicago in less than half an hour. With its striking redbrick façade, the Wheaton Metra station is another popular transportation option for residents. Hawthorn has a second commuter rail station, less than a five-minute walk from the community as well as two bus stations. For long-distance travelers, Chicago O'Hare International and Chicago Midway International airports are both less than 45 minutes away. Schools are abundant in this neighborhood. Longfellow Elementary has an A rating from Niche, as does Franklin Middle School. Wheaton North High School was founded in the mid-1960s and has a reputation for participating in community service – former President Bill Clinton once visited to celebrate just that. The school has an A-plus rating and is considered one of the best high schools in the state. Wheaton College is one of three colleges near the area. Those moving to Hawthorne will be subject to a $175 monthly HOA fee, which includes insurance, exterior maintenance, lawn care and snow removal. Hawthorne has a wealth of opportunities in its backyard.

Unlike the DuPage County villages surrounding it, Wheaton, Illinois, is a city with many of the advantages and few of the disadvantages that come with urban living. The latter may be because it's also a college town. Wheaton College, a powerhouse in Christian education, sits in the middle of the city and, as any university will, brings energy and amenities to the surrounding area. Southeast Wheaton is across town from the university. It's a more upscale area that benefits from the university nearby but also has the distance to feel like its own suburb. "The big draw to the neighborhood is the schools, especially with Whittier Elementary being walkable from many of the houses there," says Amy Kehoe, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Chicago. "The houses are really mixed. You'll find anything from between $300,000 to a million dollars." For under $350,000, home buyers will find four-bedroom midcentury split-levels with detached garages or medium- to large-sized lots. At under $500,000, three-bedroom brick ranch-style homes on half-acre lots in the classy Farnham subdivision are available. At the upper end of the price bracket, $1.25 million will buy a five-bedroom neo-colonial home built this century on a large lot with amenities such as a circular driveway. But inventory is slim, says Lynda Wehrli, a broker with Christie's International Real Estate who's been in the local real estate market for over 20 years. "We're in an extraordinarily low inventory situation right now, but it seems to be a trend. Everybody is moving to the western suburbs of Chicago." Whittier Elementary School and Edison Middle School are within walking distance from about half the homes in the neighborhood. Whittier Elementary School received an A rating from Niche and has an active PTA that funds regular field trips for students. Edison Middle School also received an A rating from Niche and has a Dungeons and Dragons, creative writing, and running club. Wheaton Warrenville South High School received an A-plus rating from Niche and has over 30 extracurricular activities for students. Kelly Park is in the center of the neighborhood and has a playground, a walking and biking trail, a large field to play soccer or baseball on and a pavilion with picnic tables. Central Park has six lit tennis courts, baseball fields and ice skating in the winter. Seven Gables Park is on the neighborhood's south side and features 66 acres of sports fields, tennis courts, an ice rink, a walking path, and a playground. The 797-acre Danada Forest Preserve is under a mile south of the neighborhood and has miles of trails and a blue heron rookery. In its article Where to Eat in Suburban Chicago, Eater Magazine recommends Wheaton's Pa Lian Burmese restaurant. The food magazine also recommends Maypole, a Filipino-American restaurant recently opened by the chef of popular Chicago restaurants, and Mapo, a Chinese Hunan-style eatery just south of the Danada Forest. Food shoppers can choose from Whole Foods, Target, and two branches of the regional chain, Jewel-Osco. Southeast Wheaton has a very low overall crime score of 3. There is a hospital 2 miles away and a 24-hour hospital 8 miles south. The risk of flood and wildfire is low in this region. However, residents must reckon with winter temperatures regularly at or below freezing, resulting in occasional snow and ice. Wheaton is an interdenominational Christian school. Lutheran and Methodist churches are the area's most common houses of worship, and residents will find mosques and synagogues nearby. The Greater Chicago Area's Metra Train stops in Wheaton. Trains run every 5 minutes, and riders can be in the Loop in 45 minutes. Interstates 355 and 88 run north, south, east and west. Residents of Wheaton can access the best of the Windy City while living in one of the best suburbs in the Greater Chicago Area.

Jewell Road is a dense suburb with quick access to dining, transportation and great outdoor options. Divided between the village of Winfield and the city of Wheaton, Jewell Road is a small neighborhood split in half by the namesake road. With only 30 miles to Chicago, residents of Jewell Road can be close to a big city for work, while still remaining in a small town that has local events and businesses. “This is a great community because there are a lot of activities, parks and restaurants nearby,” says Wendy Lee, a Realtor, broker and co-owner of Exit Realty At Home. “All of these make living here comfortable.” The neighborhood’s namesake road slices east to west, with residential streets to the south beginning to branch out in grid fashion. With a median price of $400,000, homes can have a wide range of styles, lot sizes and price points. For around $300,000, homebuyers can find modern split-level homes, often built sideways on lots, can be close together and have updated sections of the home, usually in the kitchen. These homes often come with an attached garage and fenced-in yard. The mid-$400,000s usually encompasses new traditional homes that exude details characteristic of their early 1990s construction date with tan brick façades, multiple gables and interiors that highlight soaring ceilings. There are also custom-built homes in the $1 million range from the mid-2010s. These tend to have unique features like built-in bookshelves, multiple fireplaces, designer cabinetry and wine cellars. Children can begin at Carl Sandburg Elementary for kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is heavily focused on events, like Art to Remember, where students complete a project with the assistance of an art teacher and then sell their creation at a school fundraiser. At the end of the year, students can participate in Exploremore Day, with activities like sand art and bingo. Students can then move on to Monroe Middle for sixth through eighth grade where they have access to a variety of organizations and clubs, including Chess Club, Newspaper and Jazz Band. Both Carl Sandburg and Monroe Middle receive an A from Niche. Wheaton North, first opened in 1964, offers more than 70 activities and clubs throughout the year for students. Wheaton North earns an A-plus from Niche. Jewell Road is mainly a car-focused area, with some sidewalks on Jewell Road itself but rarely within the more residential streets. Residents are less than three miles to local highways 64 and 38, both of which are east-west highways. Less than a mile from the western edge of the neighborhood, residents can commute into Chicago from the Winfield Metra, about a 90-minute ride depending on traffic density. The Wheaton Metra station is just over a mile away from the eastern edge of the neighborhood. The areas surrounding the Metra stations are a hotbed for dining options. Across from the Winfield station is Caliendo’s Restaurant and Bar serving Italian fare where residents can create their own pasta dishes. At the Wheaton Metra Station, residents can get burgers at 302 Wheaton, a French Wine Bar at Suzette’s or experience the Little Popcorn Store, measuring just 4 feet wide, for freshly-popped popcorn. Complete a grocery run at Mariano’s, about four miles from the neighborhood, or get home shopping done at Target a mile and a half to the south. The neighborhood has a few small parks, with both Herrick and Knolls Park containing a playset and a small greenspace to run in. “If you’re looking for a small-town vibe, this is for you,” says Lee. Jewell Road is also next to the Lincoln Marsh Natural Area, with over 150-acres of prairie and woodland ecosystems around the marshes. To the west of the neighborhood, the Windfield Mounds has 359-acres of undeveloped natural area with trails winding through the area. On the eastern edge of the neighborhood, the 5-acre Cosley Zoo has over 200 animals, including the endangered Blanding’s turtle, a native to Illinois. Some of the animals engage in educational programs throughout the year and so may not be on display as normal. The zoo also offers programs offered year-round include spending a day as a zookeeper or observing a coyote training session.