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Allison King best-worst

Oak Park is underrated, change my mind

Hey everyone, Poverty rate is 3.5%, which is pretty low. The median home value here is around $456,300, which is pretty steep. The suburbs are where most families end up. The city has invested a lot in new development.
24 upvotes

2 Replies

Nolan Moore
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 15 years ago from Charlotte and here's my honest breakdown:

Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Meadowbrook. It's solid for what you get.

Jobs: The market is established right now, especially in manufacturing. If you're in healthcare you might struggle.

People: Generally solid. It took about 18 months to build a solid friend group.

Food: decent. Tons of options if you like Vietnamese.

Would recommend to anyone considering it..
16 upvotes
stlfan2021
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.

If you value healthcare, you'll love it. The cultural scene is genuinely underrated and I've found it's improved dramatically in recent years. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.

But if you're coming from Houston, be prepared for the culture shock. community vibe is completely different here. And Summers can be brutally hot.

My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
1 upvotes
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