United States: Illinois: Naperville

gne
Aurora

A review of this place: overrated

I have observed the development of the Naperville phenomena for about 30 years from the vantage point of the city to its west, Aurora. There’s an assumption going that Naperville has everything going for it and Aurora has nothing. I know families in Naperville and I’ve noticed that the kids who I’ve met are sometimes odd. This is in no way scientific, but I think they are insulated and not very cosmopolitan. I have heard that there are serious drug problems in the high schools and I get the feeling that everyone is held to a level of scrutiny to determine whether they are up to par socioeconomically. (A high school teacher friend of mine tells me similar things about St. Charles.)
My daughter went to West Aurora and she told me that she doesn’t think there’s much of a drug problem there (and she’s sort of bohemian and would know.) She says the kids don’t harrass each other about their “style.” so much. I’ve noticed that the kids at West are a lot more tolerant than they are in the typical high school. My daughter’s friends are a mixed group in the economical sense, but they’re all very cosmopolitan, bright, cultivated, and ambitious but not driven. Some are at U of I, UIC, Loyola, St. Johns in Santa Fe New Mexico, Waubonsee CC, and some aren’t studying.
Kids at West who are bright (and there are plenty of them) can succeed without the cutthroat competition that’s rampant in the moneyed suburbs.
Real Estate is overpriced in Naperville and many people have financial problems that they keep under the social radar.
I never lock my doors in my car or my house. One of our many (multicultural) friends might stop by when we’re not home and might need something! I’ve had people I don’t know lend me their car to get my keys when I’ve locked mine in the car, and I’ve paid a lady’s groceries with my credit card in exchange for a check when she’d forgotten her check cashing card. I’ve given strangers rides and people have done me favors here over the years.
Real Estate is a bargain (though taxes here are high) in Aurora and that allows us to travel (11 countries in Europe, Africa and South America so far), to pay cash for our cars, to have a small investment house, and to save for retirement. And I only work part-time as a teacher!
I just think the quality of life is not what it’s cracked up to be in Naperville (although people there would deny it to the death.)

Comments:

jackoffscrappy
0 places

No, no, no...

I don’t see the logic here. Aurora has been identified as an area with high crime and high drugs as per statistics published in 2006. I would question whether his daughter is on drugs or not at the moment given his assessment. Base it on fact and not conjectur

gne
Aurora

conjectur (sic)

The logic I use in forming my opinion is based on direct experience (not rumor, stereotype or statistics unrelated to my circumstances.)
I’m reminded of the people in Indiana where we had our summer cottage. On Sundays on our way home we’d stop at a farm stand and they’d ask where we were from. Upon being told that we were headed home to Chicago, they’d admonish us to be careful; “It’s dangerous.” When we asked them where in Chicago they’d visited, they’d reply, “Oh I’d never go there, it’s not safe.”
Aurora’s the second biggest city in Illinois. Joyce Carol Oates was here last fall for the Midwest Literary Festival and when she was introduced to our mayor, asked him “What else do you do?” Everyone was perplexed then amused. When told that it was a full-time job, she was surprised to realize that we’re about 175,000 people.
My husband and I have lived in Aurora for 28 years and have heard it all. I am very familiar with both Naperville and Aurora. We have 2 houses in Aurora (you can easily afford to invest in a rental property in many of the very nice neighborhoods here and thus diversify your retirement investments.) I’m a part-time teacher and my husband is a manager with an MBA. We’ve traveled extensively (Europe, Canada, United States, South America even Africa, once.) My kids are 26 and 20. I would not raise a family anywhere in Naperville (nor Wheaton, Hinsdale, Glen Ellyn or Oswego, but especially not Naperville.)
I’m not sure why jackoffscrappy questions my daughter’s drug use, but it’s necessarily limited to an occasional glass of wine or a couple of beers with us or her friends because when she’s not working 30 hours a week as a waitress (great life experience) to save for U of I, studying (all A’s through high school honors and AP classes and so far in college honors courses as well as phi theta kappa,) playing with her friends (paintball, oil painting and drawing, concerts, films in Chicago), or traveling, she’s hanging out with us at home – we really do like each other! She’s the 20 year-old (we’ve always felt that Just Say No was too simplistic) and she’s very savvy about substance abuse – she plans to study neurology.
I’ve known several families who have been unhappy enough in Naperville to move to Aurora’s West Side. They have all said that they believe that the materialism, competitiveness and alienation is bad for their kids.
I also know countless families who can afford to live just about anywhere and they choose Aurora for the quality of life.
We’re getting ready to retire and are looking to buy a building downtown Aurora where we can rehab a loft space and be close to all the activities and resources (arts, music, theater, restaurants, cafe, yoga, museums and the train to Chicago.)
I’m a city person, you know, cosmopolitan.

unemokid
Naperville

You bring up good points about Naperville, but most of them are way overgeneralized and we’ve all heard them a million times. It got a little irritating reading about how great your daughter is (since that has nothing to do with Naperville and just sounds like bragging to a point). I’ve lived here most of my life and I’m not a huge fan either…But you’re coming off as extremely pretentious and arrogant in both your original post and your reply, bashing all of these suburbs that honestly have more to offer than Aurora. It’s great that you have 2 homes and that you can travel wherever you want; however, some people just aren’t that lucky. And again, that should have nothing to do with your review of Naperville.
And also – while Naperville and Aurora are different, please don’t try to act like they’re different worlds. They share a mall, for Christ’s sake, and there are parts of Aurora where the real estate is more expensive than in Naperville. The only reason I go to Aurora is to go to Village Discount and to eat awesome Mexican food. Other than that, it’s not that great a town.


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