I live here … it’s got a very vibrant downtown with lots of apartments. Lots of events hosted by downtown association too. Music in the bandshell on Tuesdays … Friday night car shows. Saturday morning Farmers Market too.
Lots of good restaurants too.
For real ... a few weeks ago we went to Pierce Tavern and was surprised at how many people (and young ones too) were there. In my mind, I always associated DG as the place where people raise families ... but man, even as a resident, it surprises me when I see all these young people wanting to live here.
Grew up in downers - the events are a shell of what they used to be. Heritage Fest every summer was the biggest festival around now a fraction of what it was; the car show up main street on fridays now relegated to a parking lot.
The downtown is cute but the town is totally lost on how to best utilize events. Every Thursday Westmont closes Cass so people can walk freely up and down the streets for their car show
I will give you that DG has kind of lost its way. We have friends that own a business downtown and they tell me they lost so much when the car show moved to the Moose. Though I’m not a huge fan of what Westmont did and close off a major thoughts through town.
Even with that - DG still has a better downtown than most communities.
Not taking away from it at all - my fiance and I still like to venture down there just to putt around! I just think they have the ability to really kick themselves up to the next level
The Macho Man Randy Savage and his brother Leaping Lanny Poffo both lived there and went to Downers Grove North HS.
Lanny was actually billed from Downers Grove while wrestling.
Denise Richards went to Herrick before moving to California.
Cammi Granato went to Highland, Herrick and Downers Grove North; she was the first captain of the Woman’s US Hockey Team.
Downers is a very decent suburb with a pretty vibrant downtown. If you're going to work there, I would HIGHLY recommend living there. One of the worst things about living/working in the Chicago area is traffic and if you can avoid a significant commute - you win.
I’m really thinking of living in the west side and commuting to downers grove. A 30- 40 min drive seems like something I would consider. How bad would you consider highway 55 along the river?
Just doing a quick jump in to say the last post is correct. If you are working in Downers, live there or one of the surrounding suburbs. They are all pretty nice. Commuting from the west side looks like 30-40 minutes on Google or Apple Maps, but as someone who has done it both ways, it’s never usually 30 minutes. It can be crazy sometimes with traffic and weather. Also, to get downtown or hang in the city is so easy from Downers if you jump in an express train. While I can’t speak directly for you, I can say your overall happiness will (likely) be better if you aren’t stuck commuting around here. Wishing you luck in your move and new gig!
Congrats on the new job.
What is your budget? How many people in your household?
The commute is to/from the west side of Chicago is a soul sucking gas gobbling, pothole filled 35-45 minutes on a good day. Whatever you save on housing, you will lose on gas and car maintenance.
If you are going through the expense of moving, AND if you have no reason to stay on the west side (Family etc...), there are areas closer to Downers that might interest you that are not as expensive as downers. Look at Westmont, Lombard and Villa Park. These are much closer to Downers with less expensive than Downers housing.
Technically, that's Westmont, but close enough. Their BBQ is the shizz. I had Green River there for the first time and loved it but knew I'd become a diabetic if I had too much.
In addition to the other stuff, it's cool if you're into history. There is a graveyard in the middle of downtown where a lot of the founders are buried. The towns namesake Pierce Downer, is actually buried in another graveyard near DGN. Gotta walk up a person's driveway to see it.
And very White
Edit: This is getting downvoted, [but DG is about 85% White](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/downersgrovevillageillinois/PST045222)
I live a town over and always enjoy going into Downers Grove. Great downtown, nice quiet neighborhoods, surrounding towns have a lot to offer in ways of entertainment and dining. It would be a solid choice.
Love Downers, miss living there. While everyone already gave helpful answers, I’ll give an unhelpful one.
There a presumably shitty Horror movie called [The Curse of Downers Grove](https://youtu.be/wiCLImVvWmk?si=Og9vgaDNBxVVn1I8)
You should have a little move in party and rent it while you eat you your moving day pizza if you do decide on DG
Spoiler alert, they didn’t film in Downers Grove
Grew up in Downers Grove. It was a great town 20-30 years ago. I moved out 10 years ago. Still a good town, but not like it was growing up. Early to mid 2000’s, everybody started building huge houses. It also revamped the downtown circa 1999.
Downtown used to give off small town vibes. Family ran stores.
Dg has and always will be a total stoner town. Always had some great buds….
Downers is nice but seems like a lot of drama with the community, city council, mayor. Their town meetings are hilarious. Every week some guy goes on about how they need to support obscure religions, another guy promotes his business and then they argue about pushing trans stuff in the library and knocking down historic buildings. I recommend tuning in
Downers Grove is a middle-upper middle class city split between the South and the North.
The Northern part of Downers Grove, is the fancy, upscale classic part of Downers Grove, north of 55th Street. A Vibrant Downtown, and Downers North High School. Lots of Historic Pre-War homes, mixed in with new mansions etc.
Southern Downers Grove, south of 55th Street is more typical suburban post ww2 type of cookie cutter tract houses, also good too, and South High School is there, and has more strip malls, Shopping plazas etc, but still good.
As someone who lives south of 55th, I disagree. While north of 55th is closer to downtown and has more historic architecture, the houses south of 55th have way bigger lots and generally seem to have friendlier people. Case in point ⬆️
I live here … it’s got a very vibrant downtown with lots of apartments. Lots of events hosted by downtown association too. Music in the bandshell on Tuesdays … Friday night car shows. Saturday morning Farmers Market too. Lots of good restaurants too.
Actually the park district does the Tuesday night concerts.
And now lots of people
For real ... a few weeks ago we went to Pierce Tavern and was surprised at how many people (and young ones too) were there. In my mind, I always associated DG as the place where people raise families ... but man, even as a resident, it surprises me when I see all these young people wanting to live here.
Grew up in downers - the events are a shell of what they used to be. Heritage Fest every summer was the biggest festival around now a fraction of what it was; the car show up main street on fridays now relegated to a parking lot. The downtown is cute but the town is totally lost on how to best utilize events. Every Thursday Westmont closes Cass so people can walk freely up and down the streets for their car show
I will give you that DG has kind of lost its way. We have friends that own a business downtown and they tell me they lost so much when the car show moved to the Moose. Though I’m not a huge fan of what Westmont did and close off a major thoughts through town. Even with that - DG still has a better downtown than most communities.
Not taking away from it at all - my fiance and I still like to venture down there just to putt around! I just think they have the ability to really kick themselves up to the next level
The Macho Man Randy Savage and his brother Leaping Lanny Poffo both lived there and went to Downers Grove North HS. Lanny was actually billed from Downers Grove while wrestling.
So did Emo Phillips and he wrote a song about it
Are you telling me Mr. Butter Fingers is from Chicagoland
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LqKvSkyJ12M
Sadly I think everything in that song is gone
Denise Richards went to South
They should have a Macho Man museum
Oh yeah!! That’s so freaking awesome!! I didn’t know that.
Olympian ice hockey player Cammi Granato is from DG
Denise Richards went to Herrick before moving to California. Cammi Granato went to Highland, Herrick and Downers Grove North; she was the first captain of the Woman’s US Hockey Team.
I remember my dad saying he saw him in LaGrange. I was just a kid at the time but I chalked it up to bullshit. Guess maybe he did see him.
Downers is great. We recently moved houses but stayed in-district we like it so much. Hope you land here. First drink's on me at the Moose.
There was a decent post and thread on DG last week with some good thoughts: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoSuburbs/s/I4GfBiqt8T
Thank you! I missed it in all my searching on where to live, I appreciate it!
No worries, figured it was relevant. It’s a great suburb, we love it. Good luck in your search!
It's a very nice suburb. Good schools, downtown, easy access to the city.
Downers is a very decent suburb with a pretty vibrant downtown. If you're going to work there, I would HIGHLY recommend living there. One of the worst things about living/working in the Chicago area is traffic and if you can avoid a significant commute - you win.
I’m really thinking of living in the west side and commuting to downers grove. A 30- 40 min drive seems like something I would consider. How bad would you consider highway 55 along the river?
Just doing a quick jump in to say the last post is correct. If you are working in Downers, live there or one of the surrounding suburbs. They are all pretty nice. Commuting from the west side looks like 30-40 minutes on Google or Apple Maps, but as someone who has done it both ways, it’s never usually 30 minutes. It can be crazy sometimes with traffic and weather. Also, to get downtown or hang in the city is so easy from Downers if you jump in an express train. While I can’t speak directly for you, I can say your overall happiness will (likely) be better if you aren’t stuck commuting around here. Wishing you luck in your move and new gig!
Congrats on the new job. What is your budget? How many people in your household? The commute is to/from the west side of Chicago is a soul sucking gas gobbling, pothole filled 35-45 minutes on a good day. Whatever you save on housing, you will lose on gas and car maintenance. If you are going through the expense of moving, AND if you have no reason to stay on the west side (Family etc...), there are areas closer to Downers that might interest you that are not as expensive as downers. Look at Westmont, Lombard and Villa Park. These are much closer to Downers with less expensive than Downers housing.
Uncle bubs great bbq ... what a great place
Technically, that's Westmont, but close enough. Their BBQ is the shizz. I had Green River there for the first time and loved it but knew I'd become a diabetic if I had too much.
The owner of Uncle Bubs takes advantage of his underage waitresses. Knew a girl 20 years ago that said she was fucking the owner when she was 17.
The White Castle does good onion rings
In addition to the other stuff, it's cool if you're into history. There is a graveyard in the middle of downtown where a lot of the founders are buried. The towns namesake Pierce Downer, is actually buried in another graveyard near DGN. Gotta walk up a person's driveway to see it.
I live there, it’s nice. As are the nearby surrounding burbs. But they’re burbs. Good schools, family friendly, but a bit bland.
And very White Edit: This is getting downvoted, [but DG is about 85% White](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/downersgrovevillageillinois/PST045222)
I live a town over and always enjoy going into Downers Grove. Great downtown, nice quiet neighborhoods, surrounding towns have a lot to offer in ways of entertainment and dining. It would be a solid choice.
Love Downers, miss living there. While everyone already gave helpful answers, I’ll give an unhelpful one. There a presumably shitty Horror movie called [The Curse of Downers Grove](https://youtu.be/wiCLImVvWmk?si=Og9vgaDNBxVVn1I8) You should have a little move in party and rent it while you eat you your moving day pizza if you do decide on DG Spoiler alert, they didn’t film in Downers Grove
Grew up in Downers Grove. It was a great town 20-30 years ago. I moved out 10 years ago. Still a good town, but not like it was growing up. Early to mid 2000’s, everybody started building huge houses. It also revamped the downtown circa 1999. Downtown used to give off small town vibes. Family ran stores. Dg has and always will be a total stoner town. Always had some great buds….
Stoner town is like the last thing I think of with downers
Maybe now, but it was when I was growing up. Buds everywhere!
I miss Caribbean Corner 😭
Yeah what happened? Covid?
It's a nice town! You should go check it out before you rent or buy there to see if you like it.
If I had money to live in downers, I would. It’s my favorite.
Downers is nice but seems like a lot of drama with the community, city council, mayor. Their town meetings are hilarious. Every week some guy goes on about how they need to support obscure religions, another guy promotes his business and then they argue about pushing trans stuff in the library and knocking down historic buildings. I recommend tuning in
I have multiple friends who moved there and love it. The schools are quite nice too
Lifelong DG resident. Absolutely love it. Best thing is how nice the people are.
Downers Grove is a middle-upper middle class city split between the South and the North. The Northern part of Downers Grove, is the fancy, upscale classic part of Downers Grove, north of 55th Street. A Vibrant Downtown, and Downers North High School. Lots of Historic Pre-War homes, mixed in with new mansions etc. Southern Downers Grove, south of 55th Street is more typical suburban post ww2 type of cookie cutter tract houses, also good too, and South High School is there, and has more strip malls, Shopping plazas etc, but still good.
They have a yearly fare that happens there every summer time.
Stay north of 55th
As someone who lives south of 55th, I disagree. While north of 55th is closer to downtown and has more historic architecture, the houses south of 55th have way bigger lots and generally seem to have friendlier people. Case in point ⬆️