After perching near the top of Money magazine's Best Places To Live list for two years straight, Naperville was holding its collective breath this time, wondering if this was the year we'd make it to No. 1. Then something strange happened.
Money decided to rank small towns, tiny hamlets the size of Lisle, which, incidentally did very well, placing 20th on the list. Woodridge is on there, too. Maybe the glow of Naperville's two years in the limelight rubbed off on its smaller neighbors.
So, what do you say, Naperville? Are you disappointed there was no chance to make the list this year? What is it with Naperville's fascination with lists, anyway? Or is not making the list this time no big deal?
It's good to see some other towns getting good press.
There are a lot of better places to live than Naperville.
Not a big deal. I prefer the small towns, part of why I moved OUT of Naperville, but not too far from my hometown of Naperville. Naperville is still a great place to raise a family, and it doesn't really matter what any magazine has to say about it. Yes, it has become overly competitive, Yes, it is overly congested, Yes, real estate is over-priced, and Yes- the downtown area doesn't have the same "family friendly appeal" that it once had; it is still a safe place to be with a strong sense of civic pride. I reiterate- rankings by a magazine should be taken for face value- they don't mean a thing. People will continue to come to Naperville to live, work and play. In short, my only beef is this- the people that think that the ranking carries some kind of mythical significance. The greater Naperville area in general (including Lisle, Woodridge, Downers Grove, Warrenville, Wheaton, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, and Aurora) is a very affluent, privileged and safe that is a great place to live. As citizens of this greater west-suburban area we should feel blessed for having the opportunity to live in such a great place.
It's about time people realized that Naperville isn't that great after all. Frankly, Naperville is too crowded, the schools are horrible, the people are snooty, and the children all have a sense of entitlement...this place is a little too Stepford for my taste.
Naperville boasts a gun club that has devastatingly polluted a sensitive wetland and is responsible for the killing of hundreds migratory birds each year, but has a park district that likes to talk about their quality of environmental stewardship because they spent a ton of money in Springfield to get a permit to pollute legally. And the citizens believe it! Duh - Your town has always been overly self-congratulatory and unwilling to admit imperfections. I only come back for Ribfest and the occasional barbecue.
I will not rest until this grave injustice has been avenged!
Lisle is an awesome community, and finally is getting recognized for just how wonderful the community really is. The Lisle Public Schools are amazing, since they are smaller than most private schools, but have all of the benefits of large school districts. The state of the art tech labs, collaborations with Fortune 500 companies in the area, and active community involvement and atmosphere make them unbeatable. As a professor at the nation's largest medical center (UIC), we waited for almost a year to find the right house in Lisle for the schools. It is not uncommon for high school students to play 3 sports, be in school plays, serve in a charitable organization, be in several academic clubs, and take advanced classes. Unlimited participation and opportunities develop well rounded students, and unite the town behind the schools in ways I have not seen anywhere else.
The Morton Arboretum also makes Lisle special, and an escape from the asphalt and concrete that is closing much of DuPage County in. Lisle is also blessed with many neighborhood parks, easy transit system, and excellent local college (Benedictine).
Lisle will never compete with huge towns like Naperville or Wheaton in many ways, but for folks that prefer a smaller town feel, active community, "kid safe" activities, and feel like they belong (and are heard by leaders), Lisle comes out ahead. It is nice that someone outside of the town finally noticed.