Evanston, IL

Evanston is the suburb for people who never wanted to leave the city: Northwestern's campus, five lakefront beaches, a real downtown with its own restaurant economy, and housing that runs from lakefront mansions to courtyard apartments. It borders Rogers Park directly, and the seam between city and suburb is nearly invisible on the ground.

Transit is the best of any Chicago suburb, full stop. The Purple Line runs through town with eight stops and express service to the Loop, Metra's UP North line adds a faster option, and downtown Evanston walks like a city neighborhood. Plenty of households here run on one car or none. The property taxes are famous and not in a good way, so run the full math: the transit savings and the tax bill fight each other on every block.

Evanston offers strong transit access: a car is optional for many trips. One car typically covers the gap that transit leaves.

At roughly $12,000/year for 1 car, transportation is a moderate line item in Evanston's true cost. Combined with a 28-minute commute valued at $5,833/year, the true cost of suburban living in Evanston can significantly exceed what the rent or mortgage alone suggests.