Relocating to Naperville, Lisle or Downers Grove

By Jake Kilts, HomeSmart Realty Group · 630-487-1896

Moving to the western suburbs from another city or state means learning a lot at once: which train line runs where, how the school districts are organized, when property tax bills come, and why Illinois buyers typically hire a real estate attorney. This guide pulls the basics for Naperville, Lisle and Downers Grove into one place, with a link to the official source for each fact so you can check the details yourself.

Rules, schedules, fees and boundaries change. Treat this as a starting point and confirm anything important with the source linked below or with me directly.

Town-by-town guides: Naperville · Lisle · Downers Grove · Wheaton · Aurora · Plainfield. I live in Lisle and have closed 229 home sales across the western suburbs, so I can tell you what a street is really like before you fly in.

Getting around: Metra, Amtrak, Pace and the tollways

Metra BNSF line

All three towns sit on Metra’s BNSF line, which runs between Aurora and Chicago Union Station. Heading toward Chicago, the stations in these towns are:

Naperville: the Naperville station at 105 E. 4th Ave. The City of Naperville also lists the Route 59 station at 475 Fairway Drive as one of its two Metra stations; Metra lists Route 59 under Aurora. (City of Naperville)
Lisle: the Lisle station at 1000 Front St. in downtown Lisle. The Village of Lisle says Metra provides service to Chicago in approximately 36 minutes on express trains. (Village of Lisle)
Downers Grove: three stations, Belmont, Downers Grove Main Street, and Fairview Avenue.

Commuter parking is run locally. Metra lists 1,652 parking spaces across 31 lots for the Naperville station, managed by the City of Naperville. Lisle sells daily and quarterly commuter permits for the lots next to the tracks. Downers Grove uses quarterly permits for the Main Street lots and a mix of permit and $3 daily spaces near Fairview, plus a downtown parking deck at Curtiss St. and Mochel Dr. Check the Downers Grove parking page for current rules before you rely on a spot.

Amtrak and Pace

Amtrak stops at the Naperville train station at 105 E. 4th Ave. Pace buses provide rush-hour service to and from both Naperville train stations, with routes including 530, 714, 722 and 559, and Pace runs a weekday on-demand service for the Naperville–Aurora area. (City of Naperville)

Driving: I-88 and I-355

The Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) runs east–west through the area, and the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) runs north–south. According to the Village of Lisle, I-88 has ramps in Lisle at Naperville Road (both directions), Route 53 (eastbound entrance, westbound exit) and Ogden Avenue (both directions), while I-355 runs along Lisle’s eastern boundary with ramps at Ogden Avenue and Maple Avenue. Ogden Avenue (U.S. 34) and Route 53 are major surface corridors. The City of Naperville describes the city as approximately 30 miles from Chicago. (City of Naperville)

If your new job is downtown, it is worth riding the train once and driving the route once at your real commute time before you choose a street.

School districts

School district lines do not follow town lines, and one town can be served by more than one district. Always confirm the district for a specific address directly with the district before you make an offer. The public districts serving these towns include:

Naperville: Naperville Community Unit School District 203 (see its Boundaries & Maps page) and Indian Prairie School District 204, which serves parts of Aurora, Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Naperville in DuPage and Will counties.
Lisle: Lisle Community Unit School District 202.
Downers Grove: Downers Grove Grade School District 58 (preschool through eighth grade) and Community High School District 99 (Downers Grove North and Downers Grove South high schools).

I don’t rate or rank schools. Each district publishes its own information about its schools, calendars and enrollment, so go straight to the district for anything you need.

Parks, forest preserves and open space

A few of the larger parks, preserves and natural areas in and around the three towns:

Springbrook Prairie (Naperville): a 1,829-acre Forest Preserve District of DuPage County site with about 7 miles of trails for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding, plus an off-leash dog area. Main entrance on 83rd Street west of Book Road.
Greene Valley (Naperville): a 1,388-acre preserve with more than 12 miles of marked trails, a 16-acre fenced off-leash dog area, and a 190-foot scenic overlook on a retired landfill with views across DuPage County toward the Chicago skyline.
The Morton Arboretum (Lisle): 1,700 acres on Route 53 with about 16 miles of paths and trails and 9 miles of roads. General admission tickets are required except for members.
Lyman Woods (Downers Grove): 150 acres of oak woods, prairie and marsh with two and a half miles of trails, at 901 31st St. It was preserved in 1987 through a joint purchase by the Village, the Downers Grove Park District and the Forest Preserve District.
Hidden Lake (Downers Grove): a 390-acre forest preserve with more than 2 miles of trails, fishing, boating and picnic areas.

The Village of Downers Grove notes that its Park District manages almost 600 acres of parks and facilities. (Village of Downers Grove)

The downtowns

Downtown Naperville and the Riverwalk

The Naperville Riverwalk runs about 1.75 miles along the West Branch of the DuPage River. It was created in 1981 for Naperville’s 150th anniversary and includes brick walkways, fountains, bridges, a wooden covered bridge, sculptures and event spaces.

Downtown Lisle

Downtown Lisle centers on Main Street, with a prairie-style streetscape inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, restaurants and shops. West of Main Street, PrairieWalk Pond is a 4.5-acre area with a 2-acre pond, lighted walking paths, a gazebo and the Dragonfly Landing play area, connected by the Garden Walk. The French Market runs Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through October, and the Museums at Lisle Station Park preserve historic buildings from the area. (Village of Lisle; Attractions in Lisle)

Downtown Downers Grove

The Downtown Management Corporation, an independent not-for-profit, supports downtown Downers Grove’s mix of restaurants, boutiques, services and residences, along with a downtown theatre and a calendar of events.

Property taxes in DuPage County: the basics

Property taxes can be a significant part of the cost of owning a home, so budget for them early. Some addresses in the Naperville area are in Will County rather than DuPage; check the county on the current tax bill. For DuPage County:

Two installments. The DuPage County Treasurer mails one bill with coupons for both installments. The 2025 bills were mailed April 29, 2026, with installments due June 1, 2026 and September 1, 2026. (DuPage County Treasurer)
Bills cover the prior year. As the dates above show, the bill paid in 2026 is for the 2025 tax year. The Treasurer’s FAQ notes the tax stays with the property regardless of ownership, and points buyers to their closing statement and attorney for who owes what. (Treasurer FAQs)
Late payments. The Treasurer charges a penalty of 1.5% per month on late payment amounts. (DuPage County Treasurer)
How the bill is built. Township Assessors value each property, the Supervisor of Assessments applies any township equalization, the County Clerk computes the taxable value for each taxing body after exemptions, and each body’s tax rate is based on its levy. The county lists 2019 and 2023 as general assessment years. Appeals go to the Board of Review. (DuPage County Supervisor of Assessments)
Homestead exemption. If you own and live in the home as your principal residence, the General Homestead Exemption reduces assessed value by up to $8,000 (starting with 2023 taxes payable in 2024). In most cases the Township Assessor grants it automatically, but confirm with your Township Assessor after you move in. (General Homestead Exemption)

Your tax bill depends on the specific parcel and the taxing bodies that serve it, so ask for the current bill on any home you are considering.

How buying a home works in Illinois

If you are coming from a state where closings run through a title or escrow company alone, Illinois may feel different: the Illinois State Bar Association’s guide to buying a home expects buyers and sellers to each have a real estate attorney, all the way through closing. The key points from that guide:

Line up an attorney early. The ISBA recommends bringing your attorney on board before you make an offer.
Attorney review. If you sign an offer before your attorney sees it, the ISBA recommends an attorney approval/modification contingency that gives your attorney a period, typically several business days, to review and propose changes. Without that clause, your attorney cannot modify the contract terms.
Inspection. The ISBA advises a reasonable inspection contingency period after acceptance and choosing your own independent inspector in advance so you can move quickly.
Financing. Make sure your lender can meet the contract timeline and any financing contingency, and do not lock a rate that expires before closing.
Title. The ISBA notes that in most Illinois communities it is common for the seller to provide the buyer an owner’s title insurance policy. Your attorney reviews the title commitment.
Closing. You, your attorney, the seller and the seller’s attorney typically attend, and you leave with keys, garage door openers and any warranties.

My job alongside your attorney is the search, the pricing, the negotiation and keeping the inspection and financing dates on track, so nothing slips while you are still living somewhere else.

Planning a move?

Planning a move? Get Jake’s relocation call: 630-487-1896. We’ll talk through timing, commute, budget and the kind of home you want, and I’ll set up a search before you arrive.

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