Plainfield, IL, United States

With a population of 44,762, Plainfield is a fast-growing Chicago suburb that has seen its share of ups and downs. The village was ravaged by an F5 tornado in 1990 that killed 29 people and destroyed over 1,100 homes, but has since rebounded with a population boom and new home subdivisions. However, the town's history is not without its challenges - traffic congestion remains a persistent headache, with the merged U.S. Route 30 and Route 66 creating bottlenecks through the center of town. For those seeking an affordable alternative to pricier Chicago neighborhoods, Plainfield offers a relatively safe and family-friendly community, but the bureaucratic hassles and lingering infrastructure issues may be a turn-off for some.