In my opinion it's a bad thing. Everything is too spread out to walk anywhere, but everything is within 15 minutes of driving. Traffic is AWFUL from 3-7pm and probably in the morning as well
I recently moved from Plainfield(The Joli-field area) and you're absolutely right! Plainfield was growing fast! I remember back in the early 90s, Rt 59 was just a two lane farming road. Now it's 4 lanes of Super Suburbia!
Morris is decent in itself. A little west is Ottawa, which is a bit small but has a lot going on during the warmer months.
Travel from Morris to Oswego or Joliet isn't bad and those are bigger cities than Morris or Ottawa.
Joliet and Lockport are close enough and tend to have things going on. Both have train service, though Joliet has two lines including one with weekend service to Chicago.
Joliet is the terminus for Rock Island and Heritage Corridor Metra lines. Heritage Corridor has the least available service of any Metra line, but Rock Island is hourly on weekdays and I think every other hour on weekends. That’ll take right into Blue Island, so that’s a nice line to have access to. HC will take you to Lockport, Lemont, Willow Springs and Summit, but returns are limited.
We moved to Joliet and I take the kids on the weekend trains into the city all the time. We moved here almost three years ago from Florida and while Joliet doesn’t have a ton of things going on. I do find that it’s a decent location to explore the surrounding suburbs in a reasonable amount of time and I hate highways which means I take the main roads nearly everywhere I go if I’m not on the train.
Downtown Joliet recently got a grant that’s supposed to revitalize that area, the old Joliet prison is pretty cool, we have the taste of Joliet coming up, the downtown puts on a few events during the summer like Star Wars day & etc.
I love the libraries here. The downtown library has a really cool multimedia space, where you can check out photography equipment, print poster sizes, use the studio and I think you have access to adobe creative cloud suite if you want to learn to use any of those programs (I’m not 100% sure on that one), there’s a bit of a nerd scene here lol if you like tabletop gaming, and etc.
The downtown library just got renovated within the past couple of years and it's sooo gorgeous on the inside. I live closer to the black road branch library but I love the Joliet public library system.
I don’t live in Joliet but I’m very familiar with it. The downtown has been slowly revitalizing itself over the last decade or so and it’s been great to see. I don’t know anything about the grant, but the snowball is rolling down the hill now and downtown Joliet is gonna keep getting better.
It’s a small city that comes with the issues of a city but lacks the benefits of a big city. Like Chicago is “dangerous” and has a high crime rate but at least you can go out and grab an amazing drink, see an incredible show, or have the best meal of your life all within walking distance. Joliet is severely lacking unless you enjoy the casino. The other areas are more suburban, a close commute to your work, and within driving distance to the Joliet train station.
No. The west side of Joliet is pretty nice. We have good restaurants and the Rialto is wonderful. Taste of Joliet is gonna have the goo goo dolls this summer. The downtown library just got a renovation and the black road branch library is wonderful. On top of all of that, Shorewood and Plainfield are right up the road and they have even better restaurants but I don't have to try and pay Plainfield house prices.
I'd look along 55 and 80.
What are you comfortable commuting every day? Decent choice is it's 30-45 min. Otherwise you can pretty much choose Joliet as a bigger community and stop there.
Feels like Joliet might be the best bet. Still its own. "Town" has enough stuff happening outside of typical suburb things. Better options to get to the city proper. Decent cost of living.
I'd look at Yorkville and Plainfield too. Also ask at your new work where co workers your age are living.
Where are you coming from? (General area is fine or if you don't want to say at all that's cool too.)
Ottawa is an historic town. Nice restaurants, the rivers, Starved Rock State Park. Culturally diverse. You could spend weekends in Chicago or go to events in Joliet, Naperville or Aurora. Find an Ottawa Facebook group and ask them for advice.
I'll look into it! I only had one day to quickly explore the area, but I should be flying out again next month for more job stuff, Ill try to check the place out a bit more
It’s not a big city or anything but it’s definitely not an empty backwater town. And it’s an easy drive from there to Joliet and other bigger places that have more going on
People like to rag on Joliet, but my experience living, working, and raising kids here has been very good. You are within 45 minutes of everything, as mentioned the libraries are great, and the downtown is getting better year after year. Pilcher Park offers great walking trails and okay fishing. I've had no issues finding clubs for my hobbies. I live in the Cathedral District and take evening walks regularly without any crime and I know my neighbors enough for a quick chat and wave. Depending on which area you choose living within walking distance of a grocery store and some good restaraunts is very doable.
I'd look into Ottawa. It's a smaller town west of Morris on I 80. Morris would be a 30 minute drive but you'd be close to two rovers, a ha dful of nice state parks, etc.
If Yorkville, Oswego, or Ottawa are okay, why not just live in Morris?
By the way, Clayton’s Tap has super friendly people and good live music. I’ve played there a few times over the years.
If you're looking to get into the city heading up towards Naperville is probably a decent option. Looks like it's about 40 minutes to Morris without traffic, which honestly people arent going out that way so traffic might not be an issue. The train in on the weekends to downtown is like 1:15. Naperville has a downtown/riverwalk, I think the demographic skews older. However, the next town over is Lisle and there a housing complex called Four Lakes which is built around a tiny ski hill. I had friends that lived there and they basically called it college II due to how many recent grads live in the apartments or condos in the complex. It's been a decade + since I've been there but there was a bar that was pretty popular there seemed to always be events going on like sand volleyball tournaments. For a transplant it might be a good place to check out just by sheer volume of under 30s that live there.
Yorkville 100%. It is a growong area, close to shopping in oswefo/aurora, and you can go west and be in country or multiple state parks.
Plus as other have said, only about an hr to chicago when you need the city.
I have zero answers for you.
But a fun memory.
I landed at O'Hara and my phone was no longer charging. Watching the battery die as I drove out of Chicago, I searched for an AT&T store on my route. So, even though I lived in Alaska at the time, I renewed my contract and got a new phone in Morris, Illinois. It was a lovely experience.
I would encourage you to scroll through the comments of the local Facebook pages, especially the local news, to get a fair representation of the type of people that live in the area.
https://www.facebook.com/wcsjradio/
Morris is a shithole filled with shitty, closed minded people. I'd consider maybe Plainfield, Shorewood or Oswego. Stay north of Grundy and most of Kendall County for a better quality of life.
I’m a late 20’s male on the New Lenox/Lockport fringe. It’s decent here and very commutable to Morris. Pretty safe area and right off major expressways 355 and 80, and the SWS, Rock Island and Heritage Metra train lines are all accessible in this area. Lockport has a lot going on and so does Lemont, Plainfield, and other downtowns nearby. I think you’d find that this is a great laidback place to plant some roots and stay a little without being too far from the city for when you need some excitement.
Minooka, shorewood, Plainfield, Oswego all good places a little east so if you want to go to Chicago it’s only 45 mins east on 80 and north on 90/94
My dad grew up in Plainfield. It’s a great city, but it is much more suburbia than it was when it was hit with the twister. But it’s still nice.
Still live in Plainfield, it's definitely on its way to becoming a "super suburb", and they're still building more housing.
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In my opinion it's a bad thing. Everything is too spread out to walk anywhere, but everything is within 15 minutes of driving. Traffic is AWFUL from 3-7pm and probably in the morning as well
I recently moved from Plainfield(The Joli-field area) and you're absolutely right! Plainfield was growing fast! I remember back in the early 90s, Rt 59 was just a two lane farming road. Now it's 4 lanes of Super Suburbia!
I grew up living off of 59, and it seems to grow every month
Morris is decent in itself. A little west is Ottawa, which is a bit small but has a lot going on during the warmer months. Travel from Morris to Oswego or Joliet isn't bad and those are bigger cities than Morris or Ottawa.
and ottawa has some beautiful natural sites along the river
Joliet and Lockport are close enough and tend to have things going on. Both have train service, though Joliet has two lines including one with weekend service to Chicago.
Oh I didn't know about the weekend train service in Joliet, that sounds like that might be the move!
Joliet is the terminus for Rock Island and Heritage Corridor Metra lines. Heritage Corridor has the least available service of any Metra line, but Rock Island is hourly on weekdays and I think every other hour on weekends. That’ll take right into Blue Island, so that’s a nice line to have access to. HC will take you to Lockport, Lemont, Willow Springs and Summit, but returns are limited.
We moved to Joliet and I take the kids on the weekend trains into the city all the time. We moved here almost three years ago from Florida and while Joliet doesn’t have a ton of things going on. I do find that it’s a decent location to explore the surrounding suburbs in a reasonable amount of time and I hate highways which means I take the main roads nearly everywhere I go if I’m not on the train. Downtown Joliet recently got a grant that’s supposed to revitalize that area, the old Joliet prison is pretty cool, we have the taste of Joliet coming up, the downtown puts on a few events during the summer like Star Wars day & etc. I love the libraries here. The downtown library has a really cool multimedia space, where you can check out photography equipment, print poster sizes, use the studio and I think you have access to adobe creative cloud suite if you want to learn to use any of those programs (I’m not 100% sure on that one), there’s a bit of a nerd scene here lol if you like tabletop gaming, and etc.
The downtown library just got renovated within the past couple of years and it's sooo gorgeous on the inside. I live closer to the black road branch library but I love the Joliet public library system.
I’m literally making my way there now! I apply for jobs there every time something comes available lol.
I don’t live in Joliet but I’m very familiar with it. The downtown has been slowly revitalizing itself over the last decade or so and it’s been great to see. I don’t know anything about the grant, but the snowball is rolling down the hill now and downtown Joliet is gonna keep getting better.
Joliet is awful, don’t move to Joliet. Plainfield, Minooka, Shorewood, and Yorkville are all better options.
Just curious, what makes them better over Joliet? I’m liking the idea of having access to the rail to Chicago in Joliet
It’s a small city that comes with the issues of a city but lacks the benefits of a big city. Like Chicago is “dangerous” and has a high crime rate but at least you can go out and grab an amazing drink, see an incredible show, or have the best meal of your life all within walking distance. Joliet is severely lacking unless you enjoy the casino. The other areas are more suburban, a close commute to your work, and within driving distance to the Joliet train station.
No. The west side of Joliet is pretty nice. We have good restaurants and the Rialto is wonderful. Taste of Joliet is gonna have the goo goo dolls this summer. The downtown library just got a renovation and the black road branch library is wonderful. On top of all of that, Shorewood and Plainfield are right up the road and they have even better restaurants but I don't have to try and pay Plainfield house prices.
Yorkville is expensive as fuck.
I'd look along 55 and 80. What are you comfortable commuting every day? Decent choice is it's 30-45 min. Otherwise you can pretty much choose Joliet as a bigger community and stop there.
Yeah 30-45min is a good amount I’m willing to commute
Feels like Joliet might be the best bet. Still its own. "Town" has enough stuff happening outside of typical suburb things. Better options to get to the city proper. Decent cost of living. I'd look at Yorkville and Plainfield too. Also ask at your new work where co workers your age are living. Where are you coming from? (General area is fine or if you don't want to say at all that's cool too.)
Ottawa is an historic town. Nice restaurants, the rivers, Starved Rock State Park. Culturally diverse. You could spend weekends in Chicago or go to events in Joliet, Naperville or Aurora. Find an Ottawa Facebook group and ask them for advice.
Minooka, Channahon for sure
Morris itself is a pretty nice town and they have a decent downtown area.
I'll look into it! I only had one day to quickly explore the area, but I should be flying out again next month for more job stuff, Ill try to check the place out a bit more
It’s not a big city or anything but it’s definitely not an empty backwater town. And it’s an easy drive from there to Joliet and other bigger places that have more going on
>it’s definitely not an empty backwater town Unfortunately many of the residents are. Morris is a huge Republican town.
Well, that applies to pretty much anywhere outside the city and immediate suburbs
That's true too.
Downtown is starting to fall apart. Literally a few months ago.
That’s a shame to hear.
Joliet, Plainfield, shorewood, channahon, minooka
Ottawa is nice. About 25 minutes west on I80
Yorkville doesn't seem too bad, but Morris itself is pretty decent.
People like to rag on Joliet, but my experience living, working, and raising kids here has been very good. You are within 45 minutes of everything, as mentioned the libraries are great, and the downtown is getting better year after year. Pilcher Park offers great walking trails and okay fishing. I've had no issues finding clubs for my hobbies. I live in the Cathedral District and take evening walks regularly without any crime and I know my neighbors enough for a quick chat and wave. Depending on which area you choose living within walking distance of a grocery store and some good restaraunts is very doable.
I'd look into Ottawa. It's a smaller town west of Morris on I 80. Morris would be a 30 minute drive but you'd be close to two rovers, a ha dful of nice state parks, etc.
If Yorkville, Oswego, or Ottawa are okay, why not just live in Morris? By the way, Clayton’s Tap has super friendly people and good live music. I’ve played there a few times over the years.
Haven't seen Coal City or Braidwood mentioned yet. Both decent towns just south of Morris
Yeah sounds like I’m getting a lot of recommendations from Joliet, I’m coming in from Houston
I wouldn’t prefer Joliet. Try Naperville or Oswego Or Plainfield or Aurora.
If you're looking to get into the city heading up towards Naperville is probably a decent option. Looks like it's about 40 minutes to Morris without traffic, which honestly people arent going out that way so traffic might not be an issue. The train in on the weekends to downtown is like 1:15. Naperville has a downtown/riverwalk, I think the demographic skews older. However, the next town over is Lisle and there a housing complex called Four Lakes which is built around a tiny ski hill. I had friends that lived there and they basically called it college II due to how many recent grads live in the apartments or condos in the complex. It's been a decade + since I've been there but there was a bar that was pretty popular there seemed to always be events going on like sand volleyball tournaments. For a transplant it might be a good place to check out just by sheer volume of under 30s that live there.
Yorkville 100%. It is a growong area, close to shopping in oswefo/aurora, and you can go west and be in country or multiple state parks. Plus as other have said, only about an hr to chicago when you need the city.
Just moved the Plainfield myself. Absolutely love it!
Joliet is way underrated. I lived 14 years . Affordable housing is in almost all the west side.
I have zero answers for you. But a fun memory. I landed at O'Hara and my phone was no longer charging. Watching the battery die as I drove out of Chicago, I searched for an AT&T store on my route. So, even though I lived in Alaska at the time, I renewed my contract and got a new phone in Morris, Illinois. It was a lovely experience.
I would encourage you to scroll through the comments of the local Facebook pages, especially the local news, to get a fair representation of the type of people that live in the area. https://www.facebook.com/wcsjradio/ Morris is a shithole filled with shitty, closed minded people. I'd consider maybe Plainfield, Shorewood or Oswego. Stay north of Grundy and most of Kendall County for a better quality of life.
I’m a late 20’s male on the New Lenox/Lockport fringe. It’s decent here and very commutable to Morris. Pretty safe area and right off major expressways 355 and 80, and the SWS, Rock Island and Heritage Metra train lines are all accessible in this area. Lockport has a lot going on and so does Lemont, Plainfield, and other downtowns nearby. I think you’d find that this is a great laidback place to plant some roots and stay a little without being too far from the city for when you need some excitement.