Orland Park, IL

Orland Park is the retail and residential capital of the southwest suburbs: the Orland Square mall corridor, newer subdivisions with serious square footage, and a park district whose facilities rival private clubs. It's where the Southwest Side's families have traded up for two generations.

Metra's SouthWest Service runs from three stations to Union Station in about an hour, though frequencies are thin outside rush hour, and daily life is entirely car-based with two vehicles standard. That transportation load is the honest tax on the space. Orland Park suits households that want maximum house and retail convenience and have already accepted the driving life that funds it.

Orland Park offers limited transit access: most households rely on personal vehicles. Most households here need two cars, which adds substantially to annual costs.

At roughly $24,000/year for 2 cars, transportation is a major line item in Orland Park's true cost. Combined with a 60-minute commute valued at $12,500/year, the true cost of suburban living in Orland Park can significantly exceed what the rent or mortgage alone suggests.