Welcome to Octopus Moving Company | Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Carolina
Welcome to Octopus Moving Company | Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Carolina
The best Chicago suburbs are the ones that fit your top priority, whether that’s a short train ride downtown, a strong school district, a bigger home, or a lower monthly cost. There are dozens of towns to weigh, so this guide sorts the suburbs of Chicago by area, shows who each fits, and covers what changes on move day when you leave the city. Octopus Moving’s Chicago crews move customers to Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie, Schaumburg, Naperville, and Arlington Heights, so those are the towns we start with.
Start with the one thing you won’t compromise on. Everything else becomes a trade-off.
For schools, the Illinois Report Card lets you compare schools and districts on academic progress, environment, and finances. Check the exact address, then visit on a weekday morning to see the commute yourself.
The North Shore suburbs of Chicago run along Lake Michigan north of the city, and Evanston is one of the easiest to reach without a car. It sits on the lake beside Northwestern University. The City of Evanston lists Metra stops at Main, Davis, and Central plus the CTA Purple Line, which runs express to the Loop during rush periods. Skokie, just inland, is reached by the CTA Yellow Line at Dempster-Skokie. Octopus Moving’s Illinois address is in Evanston.
Oak Park sits directly west of Chicago and is known for its historic architecture, including Frank Lloyd Wright homes. It appeals to people who want a suburban street close to the city. Many homes are older, so measure stairwells and doorways before you buy furniture.
Arlington Heights and Schaumburg sit northwest of the city and suit people who want more room than a city lot allows. If your employer is moving out there too, our commercial movers in Chicago handle business relocations, including office furniture and equipment.
Naperville is the best-known western pick, with a walkable downtown and a Riverwalk. Families who want a yard and a driveway long enough for the moving truck often start here.
The best suburbs of Chicago for families are usually the ones with a district you trust, a house you can afford, and a commute you can repeat every day. Naperville, Oak Park, Evanston, and Arlington Heights all show up on family shortlists, and rankings shift every year, so treat any list, including this one, as a starting point.
Do three checks on each finalist:
A move from a two-bedroom apartment to a four-bedroom house also means more furniture than you started with. Our furniture-only moves cover sofas, dining sets, dressers, and heavy pieces coming out of basements and garages, so you can hire help for the big items even if you pack the boxes yourself.
City moves and suburban moves fail in different places. In Chicago it’s usually access: freight elevators, downtown parking limits, narrow staircases, and building move-in rules. In the suburbs it’s volume and distance. Our Chicago moving crews plan for both before the truck leaves.
If you’re leaving a neighborhood like Wicker Park, our movers in Wicker Park plan around limited street parking, elevator reservations, and narrow walk-up stairs. Local moves anywhere in the region are quoted through our Illinois moving service, and the rate already includes tolls, gas, protective materials, the crew, and the truck. If you can’t get a parking permit, we can still park on the street, but any city fines are the customer’s responsibility.
When move-out and move-in dates don’t line up, moving and storage in Chicago lets your belongings wait between closings. Art, antiques, and other valuables can go with our white glove movers. Every Octopus mover is a full-time employee, not a day laborer, and the owner supervises the crew.
The best suburb is the one that matches your top priority: commute, schools, space, or budget. Evanston suits lakefront living and rail access, Oak Park suits historic homes close to the city, and Naperville suits families who want a house and a yard. Check your exact address before you commit.
The North Shore is the string of lakefront suburbs north of the city, starting with Evanston and Wilmette. The CTA Purple Line runs from Howard through Evanston to Linden in Wilmette, which makes those two the easiest North Shore suburbs to reach by transit. Confirm each town’s boundaries before you shop for homes.
Take the Metra Union Pacific North Line from Main, Davis, or Central for a direct ride to the Loop, or the CTA Purple Line. The Purple Line runs express to the Loop during weekday rush periods and runs local service to Howard the rest of the day. Check both schedules against your work hours.
Cost depends on the number of movers, the hours, the distance, stairs versus an elevator, parking, packing, and storage. Octopus Moving quotes local Illinois moves with the truck, crew, gas, tolls, and protective materials included. A free estimate gives you a number for your building and your destination.
Book two to three weeks ahead, especially in spring and summer. Octopus Moving also takes last-minute and same-day moves when crews are free, so call even on short notice. Tell the crew about your freight elevator, stairs, and biggest furniture so the estimate matches move day.
Choose the suburb first, because it decides the truck size, the route, and the day you’ll need. Then talk to a mover about your building and the new address. Call (781) 333-5383 to talk it through, or get a free estimate online and our Chicago team will come back with a number.
