Clarendon Hills, Illinois
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Notable For
The village is known by locals for its quaint “downtown,” which is only a couple of blocks long but features a handful of upscale boutiques and restaurants. It is also home to the Hinsdale Golf Club, a private club that was established in 1898. While some Clarendon Hills residents would consider their town modest, it has been recognized as one of best suburbs in the U.S.
Cost Of Living
Clarendon Hill’s cost of living is substantially higher than the national and state averages, with the biggest reason being housing costs. Its median home price is significantly higher than the national median and nearly triple Illinois’ median. Groceries and transportation also run a bit higher in Clarendon Hills than the rest of the U.S. and Illinois. While the village’s cost of living and home prices are on the high side (much higher than its western neighbor, Westmont), they are still much lower than neighboring communities such as Hinsdale and Oak Brook.
Transportation
At the center of the village is a Metra station of the BNSF line. From there, it’s about a 30-minute train ride to Chicago’s Union Station during peak hours, making it an easy commute for city workers. There is one Pace bus line which runs north-south through the village and links to the train station to the Hinsdale Commons Shopping Center and neighboring Darien. Though there are some grocery stores and convenience retailers in town, residents rely heavily on their cars for shopping and other errands. Going west or east down Ogden Avenue on the village’s northern boundary will lead to hundreds of stores, restaurants, bars, and strip malls. Getting on and off I-55 and Route 83 is very easy as both thoroughfares have access ramps close by. Midway Airport is about a 30-minute car ride from the village.
Schools
Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 and Maercker School District 60 serve Clarendon Hills. Prospect Elementary, Holmes Elementary and Walker School have grades K through 5 while Clarendon Hills Middle School has 6th through 8th grades. Notre Dame School is a private school that offers Pre-K to the 8th grade. High School attendance zones in the area have been shifted several times over the years, so where a high schooler attends school can be complicated, but both high schools in the area—Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South—are very highly rated schools offering robust curriculum. There are also a half dozen private high schools in the surrounding suburbs which have reputations for strong academics and college preparedness.
Attractions
The original Country House on 55th Street has been a mainstay of the village since the early 1970s. On weekends expect a long wait for a table as it is very popular with locals and serves some of the best hamburgers and buffalo burgers in Chicagoland. While waiting, patrons can look for the ghost that reportedly haunts the place. If dining in a haunted country house is not your thing there are dozens of restaurants and bars along Ogden Avenue and Cass Avenue. The country club set has both the Hinsdale Golf Club and the Ruth Lake Country Club to choose from. Both private clubs feature beautiful courses and active tennis programs.