Just because it butts up against the city limits doesn't mean Evanston is close to the action.

As others have said, it takes around an hour on public transportation to get into the city (a little less if you're Lakeview-bound). And the scene there is kind of boring, so you're likely going to be city-bound all the time.

The Chicago to Northbrook commute will suck no matter where you live in the city, and no matter how you choose to get there.

How much do you love this company? It's kind of a shady move, but could you take the position for now and look for something downtown? It's a way to get to Chicago without losing income.