Tell me about life in south suburban Chicago

[elmwood]

I'm considering a job that requires residency in Homewood.

Chicago, like my hometown of Buffalo, seems like a city where most of the "buzz", for lack of a better word, is on the north side of the city and the northern suburbs. There's the cluster of cultural institutions in Hyde Park, but aside from that I wonder if life in the southern 'burbs would feel ... well, isolated.

I'm Jewish. I know that 95% of Chicago's Jews live north-ish, but there's a Reform synagogue in Homewood, and some scattered around northwest Indiana. I did know a Jewish woman in Cleveland who was born and raised in Country Club Hills, so I'm guessing south suburban Jews aren't completely fish out of water.

I know Homewood. Flossmoor and communities along the same Metra line are multi-culti; I lived in a similar environment in east suburban Cleveland for several years, and enjoyed it immensely. When the time comes, I'd prefer to raise a family in a more diverse, but still stable community.

So, those in south suburban Chicago: do you like it? Were you born and raised there, or did you move there by choice? Do you feel isolated or bored compared to your friends and family members up north? Would being a Cubs fan get me in trouble?

[elmwood]

Reposted in IMHO. Please delete or close, or whatever.

[Ed Zotti]

My mother-in-law lives in Country Club Hills, which is just west of Homewood, so I'm down there fairly often. The area has its points, I guess. For one thing, stuff tends to be cheaper, and the forest preserves are extensive and beautiful. If you're looking for a high-octane urban lifestyle, on the other hand, forget it. All the good restaurants, cultural attractions, etc., are north or central, Hyde Park and maybe Beverly excepted. Driving past miles of chain stores can be an exercise in sensory deprivation. I'm a city guy, though, and wouldn't want to live in a suburb period, so I'm not your best source.

[TubaDiva]

Closed at request of OP.

See http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=555854