Life in Darien
Just north of I-55 and US Route 66, Darien, Illinois offers all the benefits of a quiet neighborhood with easy access to a major city.
The town was originally settled in the early 1800s by travelers that arrived via the Erie Canal. Before it was a city, the area was home to two separate towns: Cass and Lace. The two communities later decided to incorporate as a single city in 1969, choosing the name Darien after a nice town in Connecticut (pronounced differently from the original town). Today, you can still find the names of the original communities in many places throughout the city of Darien, including Cass Avenue (one of the city’s main streets) and Lace Elementary School.
Today, the southwest suburb of Chicago spans more than 6 miles across DuPage county with a population of nearly 22,000.
Things to Do in Darien
While Darien doesn’t have a specific downtown area, there are still plenty of things to do around the city. Here are some of the most popular sites:
- Darien Sportsplex – Home to two local hockey teams (the Chicago Hawks and the DuPage Stars), the sportsplex is Darien’s indoor recreation center. The building features an indoor soccer field and an ice rink used for both ice skating and hockey.
- Waterfall Glenn Forest Preserve – This 2,500-acre forest preserve borders the entire lower portion of Darien’s city limits. Visitors can enjoy 11 miles of trails, a large variety of plant and animal species, and several beautiful waterfalls.
- National Shrine and Museum of St. Therese – Moved from Chicago to Darien in 1987, the shrine displays important artifacts and personal items from the life of St. Therese, a French saint officially canonized in the early 1900s. The site holds mass on weekdays and offers self-guided tours.
- Oldfield Oaks County Forest Preserve – This 109-acre forest preserve features a dog park and two miles of walking trails through woodlands, wetlands, and prairies.
- Miskatonic Brewing Company – This local dog-friendly taproom features a wide selection of traditional and modern beers styles in addition to food and the occasional live music act.
Home Life in Darien
Neighborhoods in Darien are mostly interspersed with commercial areas, parks, and nature preserves. At any point within the city limits, families in Darien have access to an abundance of schools. There are two main high schools, two main junior high schools, four elementary schools, and several other private schools.
Housing in Darien can be divided into three main categories:
Category 1 – Although less than half of the houses in Darien were built between the 1980s and 1990s, this category still makes up the majority of the housing stock in the area. These houses are aging, but still in fairly good condition. However, some of these homes may need roof replacements or repairs within the next few years.
Category 2 – An almost equally significant portion of Darien’s housing stock was built between 1960 and 1979. These older homes may be more vulnerable to damage from harsh weather. For this reason, it’s important that homeowners invest in reliable roofing work that will last for many years. A high-quality roof can help prevent major repair projects down the road.
Category 3 – Highly expensive homes make up about a quarter of the housing stock in Darien. These homes are more likely to feature premium materials like synthetic or cedar shake roofing, along with copper flashing and gutters. In addition to their curb appeal, these materials tend to hold up better against harsh weather than the average asphalt shingle.
Darien Weather
Weather in Darien, Illinois is typical of most Midwestern climates. The warm season begins in May and ends in mid-September. The average high temperature during this season is 73°F but may get considerably hotter, especially during the month of July. Humidity also picks up with the heat during this season, but is only terribly muggy about 40% of the time.
The cold season lasts from early December to early March, with an average high of 40°F. Winters are much cloudier in Darien and are almost never humid or muggy. That said, Darien receives about four inches of snowfall on average from December to February. It’s important for homeowners to take action to prevent ice dams, especially in January when the average low temperature is 18°F.
In June 2021, Darien was hit by an EF3 tornado that originally spun up in southern Naperville and damaged multiple homes all across DuPage county. While tornadoes aren’t very common in Darien, the Midwest is no stranger to strong winds. Winter is the windiest season, with the average wind speed in January at 12.7 miles per hour. When it comes to asphalt shingles, wind damage is nothing to ignore. High winds, tornados, and falling trees can all cause major damage to your roof. For this reason, it’s wise for homeowners in Darien to regularly inspect their roofs for missing shingles.
Darien also gets slightly more rain and snowfall than the national average. October through April is the driest season. After that, rainfall picks up in late April and remains steady until mid-late September. June has the highest amount of precipitation year round.
Hail is also fairly common in Darien, and hailstones have been known to reach nearly three inches in diameter. This kind of hail can cause major property damage, and leave shingles vulnerable to swift deterioration from UV rays and continuous rainfall. It’s important for homeowners in Darien to inspect their homes for impact damage and make repairs with a trusted roofing company as soon as possible (especially after a storm).
