Ghentleman

Thanks for all the tips! Interesting how this thread started as a question about short term housing evolved to schools and neighborhoods. Anyway: we've found a nice 2br/ba flat in a high rise in the Loop on Airbnb for the first 2 weeks. Most "short-term" rental companies have a 30 day minimum.
We will definitely look into Lakeview, Roscoe Village, North Center.

rjque

For your needs, Bucktown/WP are good choices. We just went through the same analysis and decided that both Burr and Pulaski International were good options for us - I'd encourage you to take a look at both of these. We eventually bought a place within Pulaski's boundaries.

Living near the Blue Line is really nice if you are going to O'Hare a lot. Driving out there in the morning is just brutal, and relying on a bus to get to the train puts you at the mercy of traffic on Chicago city streets.

cheltzel

If you use rankings that weight heavily academic performance, I do not believe you are correct on the quality of the schools. Many of the higher performing schools in the CPS system require competitive testing for admissions.

You can look at the blog CPS Obsessed that details the schools in CPS that require competitive admissions.

Also the suburbs have become increasingly diverse over the last couple of decades.

Here is a largely academic ranking of Chicago metropolitan area public elementary schools:

2016 Best Public Elementary Schools in Chicago Metro

Here is a dated analysis (2012) that allows one to compare Chicago public schools and suburban public schools.

Chicago Magazine - Best Public Schools in Chicago and the Suburbs

If you will be working at or near the Merchandise Mart, there are several commuter trains that operate from the Oglesby Transportation Center that is within a kilometer.

glg

I'm very wary of the rankings because they're usually based on test scores, which aren't a great measure. Yes, the top performing CPS schools do require admissions tests, but there are plenty just below the top that do not such as Lincoln, Blaine, and Burley and some that are partially test partially neighborhood like Bell and Coonley.

The suburbs as a whole, sure. Wilmette or Winnetka? Not so much. I went to the city fireworks show in Wilmette on Sunday, I would not call that crowd diverse at all.

I'm pretty skeptical of those ratings because they do *not* contain the aforementioned test-in schools in Chicago. I took a look at their methodology and it's pretty opaque, they tell you there's 4 factors and the weighting, but nothing about how those factors are calculated, which is all done by them.

It's test scores, but even if you go on that, the top north side non-test-in schools still rank right up there with north shore schools.

rjque

Yes, I'm not sure there is much diversity in any of the Northern suburbs. I went to the Lake Bluff 4th of July parade this weekend and do not recall seeing a single non-white person in the audience.

cubbie

That's confusing the "North Shore" with the "northern suburbs." Not that the OP wants to live that far north anyway.

rjque

I'm still new to Chicago. Are Wilmette and Winnetka North Shore or Suburbs? Because those were the suggestions.

Non-NonRev

My concern in this discussion has been the immersion of non-fluent kids into their new schools. Especially in the first semester, I cannot help feeling that THEIR needs will be best served in a Wilmette/Winnetka school environment.

rjque

Why? Aren't there more ESL students in CPS?

Non-NonRev

I didn't elaborate because I am stuck using a difficult tablet, but I did think about that, and I don'the think ESL is what will best serve these kids. I think of ESL as having a remedial focus. These kids need to thrive, not to receive basic skills.

JBord

North Shore. Think John Hughes movies .

There are quite a few northern suburbs that are more diverse, but the common second language is typically Spanish. Vernon Hills, Mundelein, Gurnee as a few examples.

It's a fairly safe bet that students are going to have more opportunities in North Shore public schools than in Chicago public schools. But the OP's children already speak some English, and I would take the side that, for 2 years, the life experience of living in a city like Chicago will be worth more than a few missed school opportunities. I would think differently if it were a more permanent move.

Easy access to all the culture Chicago has to offer is an educational opportunity that shouldn't be missed when one has the chance, coming from another country and culture. My well-intentioned friends who live in the suburbs really don't take advantage of this with their kids because it's too much of a hassle to take the drive.

rjque

I've personally never understood the allure of living in a nice suburb of Chicago. They all look like a nice suburb of Cleveland, but with a much higher cost of living.

JBord

It's not my style either but I understand it. Many of them are safe (virtually no crime in many northern suburbs), have some of the best public schools in the State, and you can get a LOT more house for your money than in a nice Chicago neighborhood. Definitely a lifestyle choice though.

Non-NonRev

Some people do view suburbs in a 'citadel' mentality. But that is not the only option, one can embrace all aspects of a great city like Chicago (acknowledging it does take extra effort versus close-in neighborhoods).

cubbie

Exactly as JBord said: less crime, better schools, lower housing prices. Oh, and let's not forget PARKING! And gas is cheaper. Come to think of it, outside the city and outside Cook County, lots of things are cheaper. Groceries, for example.

But yes, the schlep into the city can be a pain.

For a two-year stint, to make the most of Chicago, I too would probably live closer than I do (up in one of those ethnically diverse suburbs in Lake County). Longer-term, however, although I love Chicago, I prefer living near the city to living in the city. But of course that's just me.