Close to Westville IN?? Good Places to live ?

Here's your options: Michigan City is the larger (still not large) town to the north about 10 miles. Growing and full of new restaurants, stores and all the latest franchises. Of course, the maximum security facility is also there. Plenty of choices in houseing from the lakefront ($$$$) to small places ($$). LaPorte is the countyseat, about 6 miles to the east. Stable, good schools, variety of services and stores (most shop in Michigan City and South Bend (Mall)). Lots of housing in various prices ranges. Wanatah is to the south. New housing developments on the edge of town, (north of US 30). Shop in Valparaiso or Michigan City. Small town, which is becoming a bedroom community. Rural LaPorte County. Lots of small towns, Haskell, Pinhook, Door, Hanna, Kingsford Heights, LaCrosse. Most don't have much in the way of services and use LaPorte or Michigan City Valparaiso is west about 10 miles (down IN 2). Growing city. No longer small, rivals Michigan City in services and size. Of course, Westville is the fasting growing community in Indiana. No, it's not the prison population. Rural lifestyle, medium to minimum security prison on the southside, growth on the northside. Easy access to I-80/90, I-94, US 6, US 20 and US 30. Don't pass it over, you may find it's the small town you're looking for. Oh, UPS is the other large business in town (sorting facility).

I live in the west burbs of Chicago now but lived in Chesterton for 11 years and La Porte for 2.5. Here is my take. Westville itself is not really that bad, if you like small towns. And it does feel small though it has the correctional facility and a major ups hub. My favorite place is Chesterton, a little more of a historical feel and close to the lake. And very easy to get to Chicago because it is right on I-94 -- and easy to get back to Michigan as well. Do you have school aged children? If so I would avoid Michigan City. There are good parts and bad but the schools always seem to fall behind Chesterton and Valparaiso. Valpo seems to consistently have the best schools, with Chesterton second. Portage is okay but it is a big suburb. It is basically the white flight of Gary with no real downtown of its own. Closer to Chicago but a pretty soulless collection of 70's houses -- think the Pete Seeger song with houses all made off ticky tacky that all look the same. La Porte is alright, and you can probably get the best value for your money on a house there. Culturally it feels more tied to South Bend and less to Chicago like the other cities I mentioned. Gary -- no, avoid. The only decent place is Miller and where you're working you can't afford to live there, and it would be a longer commute. It's improving but has a ways to go. We can't say enough good things about Chesterton though, small town feel. It is smaller than Valparaiso and Michigan City but right between the two of them so you have easy access to all of their amenities. Valpo's development is really taking off and Michigan City is developing as well though not at the same frenzy. And a few miles drive to the north is the South Shore Station that you can take into Chicago for a day trip for museums shopping shows or the other many things to do. Best of luck in relocating!