Interesting Facts About Naperville

Interesting Facts about Naperville


World-class libraries and schools. Top-notch dining, shopping and entertainment opportunities. Peaceful parks along the riverfront and numerous recreational spaces, with an integrated trails plan connecting many of them. A vibrant, energetic downtown hosting a mix of college students, families and seniors. All just a 30-minute train ride from Chicago, one of the leading business centers of the world.

This, of course, is Naperville. Those unfamiliar with the city view residents’ claims with skepticism. After all, how can one city boast so many advantages? Yet statistics, and national rankings, bear out these assertions. The library system is ranked number one nationally. Money magazine consistently rates the city as one of the top in the country in which to live. The schools, too, bring home awards and offer a multitude of opportunities for the students. The police and fire departments help ensure safe neighborhoods and peace of mind. The quarterly park district brochure of activities has the heft of some rural phonebooks.

For those who work in Chicago, or the many employed in the high-tech corridor along I-88, Naperville is hard to beat when choosing where to make a home. Naturally, it’s not particularly cheap. There is a price to pay for such fine public services, and it comes in the form of a high Naperville tax rate and some fairly expensive homes. Yet with a population of 140,000, the city offers a quite a wide range of home prices that might surprise some. There are modest neighborhoods, town homes, and apartments, filled with those who can enjoy the amenities as much as the folks in the custom homes along the Riverwalk.

The burgeoning population can lead to traffic snarls, but the good news is that you often don’t need to go very far. Getting to Chicago is a breeze on the Metra train, and even getting to the train station is assisted with bus routes throughout much of Naperville. As far as shopping is concerned, if you can’t find it in Naperville or along Route 59 at the western edge of town, you probably don’t need it! If you enjoy dining out, you can choose a different restaurant every night of the month without leaving Naperville.

So, although you might feel you’re biting the bullet with the Naperville income tax and the frequent crowds on a warm summer evening, you will discover that the advantages of living in Naperville outweigh the disadvantages approximately a thousandfold!