America's hottest suburb is midwest gem

Just 15 miles outside of downtown Chicago sits a suburb with charm and affordability that's now attracting city slickers . Elmhurst, Illinois , is quickly becoming a hotspot as it fills up with young families and professionals who can walk to the train and be in the middle of the city in 15 minutes. But it still feels a world away from urban life.

According to one local realtor, who has lived in Elmhurst for 31 years, home prices are rising due to high demand and an influx of new people looking for small-town charm with big-city access. The median home price now sits around $600,000 and according to real estate agent Molly Radoha who works on the Schiller Team at Christie's International Real Estate, the surge shows no signs of slowing down.

'We've seen a major increase just in the last three years,' she told the Daily Mail. 'Almost all the people moving in are coming from the city - and they're ready to spend. Plus, there's so much new construction and so many homes being built.' Radoha added that the entire city is extremely walkable and family-oriented, and the town center has high-end boutiques and great restaurants.

Downtown, there is a stop for the Metra train, which gets residents into Chicago in under 20 minutes, and O'Hare International Airport is just a 15-minute drive away. 'You can get on any interstate in five minutes,' Radoha said. 'The location is unbeatable.' And the town offers so much more than good logistics. Elmhurst's downtown area is packed with more than 50 restaurants and 40 shops.

Annual community events like Rock the Block shut the streets down for food and live music, and there's even a free trolley service on summer weekends. 'It runs from South Elmhurst all the way down York Road,' Radoha said. 'You can hop on, go out to dinner, hit a bar, all without getting in your car.'

Elmhurst boasts top rated schools, with the high school graduation rate near 96%. The area also has top-tier private Catholic schools that take kids through 8th grade. The town is also known for having one of the best libraries in the country, said Radoha. 'And everything's walkable - the library, city center, green space - it's all connected.'

Elmhurst University, a small college, gives the area a bit of a younger feel when school is in session. Many students remain in Elmhurst after graduating because of the easy access to Chicago. The 'burb is home to nearly 30 parks, including the award-winning Wilder Park with tennis courts, manicured gardens and a conservatory. Bikers and hikers can enjoy the beautiful Illinois Prairie Path.

Elmhurst was even selected as the sixth US city to display a famous art installation called Umbrella Sky Project, which was born in Águeda, Portugal, and fills downtown walkways with more than 300 brightly colored umbrellas for pedestrians to walk beneath. When it comes to real estate, the housing market boasts a mix of charming older homes and more modern new construction.

Radoha, who has lived in five different homes in Elmhurst, said there have been many changes to the town since the uptick in interest, but that residents are enjoying the boost. 'You'll see $400,000 homes right next to three brand-new builds listed for over $1.4 million [each],' she told the Daily Mail. 'That's what I love - every neighborhood is different, and the new construction is really spread throughout the city.'

She says buyers these days are often millennials from Chicago, with dual incomes and savings either from working or family money. 'They come out here ready to buy new builds with big down payments,' Radoha said. 'I always say this might be the best suburb in Illinois - and people are finally catching on.'