Naperville

Naperville keeps landing on those "best places to live" lists, and once you spend a day here, you understand why. Thirty miles west of downtown Chicago, this DuPage County city of about 150,000 people delivers top-tier public schools, a walkable downtown along the DuPage River, and housing that ranges from starter homes to multi-million-dollar estates.

The schools are the big draw. Naperville Community Unit School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 are among the highest-performing in Illinois, and that drives steady demand from families moving to the western suburbs. Naperville Central and Naperville North regularly land in the top 100 nationally per U.S. News and World Report.

Downtown Naperville is centered on Washington Street, where locally owned boutiques sit next to Sullivan's Steakhouse and Hugo's Frog Bar, with the historic DuPage Theater adding character to the strip. The Naperville Riverwalk, a 1.75-mile path along the DuPage River with covered bridges, fountains, and public art, is the kind of community amenity most suburbs only wish they had.

Downtown Naperville's dining scene punches well above its weight for a suburban community. Sullivan's Steakhouse on Jackson Avenue is the area's power-dinner destination, while Hugo's Frog Bar on Main Street brings a touch of Gold Coast glamour to the suburbs with its raw bar and classic cocktails. For casual dining, Lou Malnati's Pizzeria on Route 59 serves the deep-dish pizza that relocated Chicagoans crave.

The shopping district along Washington Street and Main Street features over 100 specialty shops, from Fudge Pot confections to independent bookstore Anderson's Bookshop, which has been a community institution since 1875. The nearby Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont and Chicagoland Premium Outlets in Aurora provide additional retail therapy.

Cultural life centers around the Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College, which hosts national touring acts and the Naperville Symphony Orchestra. The Naper Settlement outdoor history museum brings 19th-century prairie life to the present through its 12-acre campus of historic buildings. Each September, the Naperville Last Fling festival draws thousands for carnival rides, live music, and a Labor Day parade.

The commute to downtown Chicago is straightforward on the Metra BNSF line. The Naperville station on Burlington Avenue runs express service to Union Station in about 50 minutes, and the Route 59 station covers the western side of the city. During rush hours, BNSF trains depart roughly every 15 to 20 minutes.

Drivers take I-88 (the East-West Tollway) straight into downtown via I-290 or the Eisenhower. Route 59, Ogden Avenue (US 34), and 75th Street handle north-south and east-west arterial traffic. Most neighborhoods here have generous driveways and attached garages, so parking is rarely an issue.

For local getting-around, Pace bus service and the seasonal Naperville Trolley cover the downtown area. The city has also put real investment into bike paths and multi-use trails. The DuPage River Trail connects to the Illinois Prairie Path, a 61-mile converted rail trail network that threads through multiple western suburbs.