I live about 5 minutes from Rosemont. The area around ORD is basically white middle to upper middle class depending on the area. Within the city itself are two neighborhoods called Edison Park and Norwood Park. Both are heavily populated by city workers, ie cops and firemen. (Chicago civil servants MUST live within the city borders.) Both neighborhoods are extremely stable and are in the safest police district of the city. Homes go for $400,000 and up. There is a strip on Northwest Highway that have excellent restaurants. Italian, Vietnamese, Mexican. Go farther up Northwest Highway and you have Park Ridge. This borders Rosemont. Park Ridge is more uppermiddle class. Homes start at $500,000 and reach to over $2,000,000. Again, middle class white. Rosemont itself has a few really nice neighborhoods. There's an enclave just off of Higgins that is known for the entire area doing it up big for Xmas decorations. And I do mean BIG. Other neighborhoods in the area are Palatine, Arlington Heights (home of the race track), Mount Prospect, Elk Grove, Des Plaines. All areas are basically middle class. They all have pockets of more expensive housing and pockets of lower income. The above mentioned areas are also a little more diverse in race as well. All the areas have Hispanic populations and Asian populations. The entire area has some great restaurants. Mexican, Japanese, Fish, BBQ, Italian, Chinese, just about anything you can name is in the area. Given that you are so close to ORD, plane traffic may or may not be an issue. Although we are less that 10 minutes from ORD, we are not directly over a flight pattern and planes are not an issue. I have a friend, over 25 minutes away from OHare and directly in a flight path. She can't be on her deck and be on the phone. Remember that ORD has received Federal approval for expansion. So who knows what will happen? The entire NW side is generally very safe. The "L" goes all the way into ORD and ends in downtown, so public transportation is handy for going to Cubs and Sox games and hitting the Taste of Chicago in July. Housing prices are not cheap, no matter where you go. Right along Northwest Highway from Des Plaines into Arlington Heights is a very popular area for condos right now. Alot new buildings have gone up in the last 5 years. Beautiful condos with shopping and restarants and all the amenities just downstairs or next door. This includes grocery stores, dry cleaners, Starbucks and all kinds of eateries.

Essentially, your choices are limited only by your pocketbook. Welcome to the neighborhood. Any other ?