Relocating to the North Shore (Wilmette & Highland Park main focus, also Evanston): Questions on weather, New Trier culture, and community integration
Hi all,
We are currently living on the East Coast in DC and have the opportunity to relocate to a few different areas with work hubs for us. We keep coming back to Chicago for some key reasons (they're not relevant, so won't list them, but just know Chicago is top contender and we've been very thorough in our search over the last year).
We’ve settled on the North Shore suburbs (Wilmette, Evanston, Highland Park) because we want something quieter than our current city life, the school districts have a good reputation overall, and we can afford a nice house there. We also want to stay close to the lake--that's a total non-negotiable for us in considering Chicago at all. We’ve visited multiple times, have an agent, and know the market, but a few specific questions still come to mind:
1. How bad is the winter weather, really? Our friends who live there say people make it scarier than it is and the extremely frigid/unbearable days are few and far between as the years go on. The coldest places we've lived are Denver, the Boston area, and Germany/Austria, so we're used to winter. But are the other seasons like Spring and Fall, typical and enjoyable, or are those an extension of winter?
2. Wilmette / New Trier HS culture: Specifically looking at Wilmette, I keep reading terrible things about New Trier High School online--bullying, pressure-cooker academics, etc. We want the best for our kids, but we want them to be happy versus feeling like they have to succeed in every way imaginable to be a successful adult. I know Reddit tends to be a breeding ground for negativity, but does anyone have good things to say about their experience there?
We are also concerned with the "Keeping Up with the Joneses" vibe in Wilmette or HP. We can def afford the area, but we live modestly, prefer a smaller home, buy used items, and will definitely not be getting our kids Porsches for their birthdays. We’ve both lived and grew up in Europe where a modest lifestyle is more common. Currently in DC, the wealthy families make a lot of noise, but the area is so big it's easy to get away from that if you want to. What can we expect on the North Shore? Also, is there any international diversity in these areas, or is it pretty much just Americans? (I am specifically talking Wilmette and Highland Park here, I know Northwestern probably helps in that regard for Evanston).
3. Community fit: I keep hearing about the large Jewish population on the North Shore, especially in Highland Park. For context, my husband was raised Catholic turned atheist, I grew up non-religious, we are raising our kids how to think, not what to, trying to give them the room to experience the world, ask questions, and form their own beliefs as they grow and develop. We are inclusive and respectful, but we tend to form close friendships with those without religious backings due to fundamental differences in belief systems, lifestyle, etc. (In the same way people gravitate toward friends with similar political or parenting views).
For secular or non-Jewish families in these towns, is being non-religious going to be a problem? What has your experience been?
***I am strictly looking for respectful, practical insight into the social dynamics and community integration. I am not interested in a debate on religion in the comments**
Thanks in advance for any insights!