Below most Illinois staff postingsIllinois staff postings that state pay run $33/hr to $51/hr, the middle half $37/hr to $48/hr, across 1,652 postings.
The Registered Nurse - Surgical Stepdown is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the care of patients in a surgical stepdown unit. The RN will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to provide high-quality patient care and ensure optimal patient outcomes.
Neighborhoods+Downtown near Davis Street is the walkable hub of independent shops and transit, the usual draw for young professionals who want urban energy without Chicago density. The Main-Dempster Mile is more relaxed and arts-forward; Central Street and the Ridge Historic District feel quieter and small-town, with specialty retailers and historic houses. Car-free nurses commuting into Evanston are repeatedly pointed at Purple Line or UP-North Metra-adjacent blocks, or at Chicago’s Edgewater and Rogers Park as cheaper bases with a straight ride north. Lakefront and downtown-adjacent streets sit at the premium end; interior residential corridors are the relative value play.
Downtown near Davis Street is the walkable hub of independent shops and transit, the usual draw for young professionals who want urban energy without Chicago density. The Main-Dempster Mile is more relaxed and arts-forward; Central Street and the Ridge Historic District feel quieter and small-town, with specialty retailers and historic houses.
Car-free nurses commuting into Evanston are repeatedly pointed at Purple Line or UP-North Metra-adjacent blocks, or at Chicago’s Edgewater and Rogers Park as cheaper bases with a straight ride north. Lakefront and downtown-adjacent streets sit at the premium end; interior residential corridors are the relative value play.
Getting around+The CTA Purple Line and Metra’s UP-North line are the practical no-car routes into Evanston; sources also cite Red Line connections and many bus routes. U.S. News puts average commute time at about 24.78 minutes. Rush-hour congestion is called out on Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue. NorthShore University Health System and Saint Francis Hospital are named as major local employers. Walkability and bikeability both score about 70/100 and transit about 60/100, so car-light living is realistic if you choose a rail pocket; Chicago’s Edgewater and Rogers Park are the neighborhoods people name for an Evanston job without a car. Resident wheel tax is a local extra; hospital-specific parking is not described in these sources.
The CTA Purple Line and Metra’s UP-North line are the practical no-car routes into Evanston; sources also cite Red Line connections and many bus routes. U.S. News puts average commute time at about 24.78 minutes.
Rush-hour congestion is called out on Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue. NorthShore University Health System and Saint Francis Hospital are named as major local employers.
Walkability and bikeability both score about 70/100 and transit about 60/100, so car-light living is realistic if you choose a rail pocket; Chicago’s Edgewater and Rogers Park are the neighborhoods people name for an Evanston job without a car. Resident wheel tax is a local extra; hospital-specific parking is not described in these sources.
Outdoors+Five Lake Michigan beaches, including Evanston Beach and Northwestern’s Lincoln Street Beach, plus the 1873 Grosse Point Lighthouse, define the shoreline. Park counts in sources run from 76 to 89, with most homes within a half-mile of one; named spots include Merrick Rose Garden, lakefront Garden Park (recently renovated), and the Lake Fill with walking paths and sports fields. Warm-weather life is swimming, biking, hiking, and picnicking along the coast. In winter the same lakefront paths and parks remain the main outdoor outlets.
Five Lake Michigan beaches, including Evanston Beach and Northwestern’s Lincoln Street Beach, plus the 1873 Grosse Point Lighthouse, define the shoreline. Park counts in sources run from 76 to 89, with most homes within a half-mile of one; named spots include Merrick Rose Garden, lakefront Garden Park (recently renovated), and the Lake Fill with walking paths and sports fields.
Warm-weather life is swimming, biking, hiking, and picnicking along the coast. In winter the same lakefront paths and parks remain the main outdoor outlets.
Check the commute at your shift’s start and end, upfront housing costs, and whether moving assistance must be repaid if you leave.
Living in Evanston
Evanston is a lakefront city of about 78,000 just 13 miles north of Chicago, built around Northwestern University and five Lake Michigan beaches rather than a pure bedroom suburb. Downtown Davis Street, the artsy Main-Dempster Mile, and quieter Central Street in the Ridge Historic District give distinct places to live and eat. Grosse Point Lighthouse, Garden Park, Merrick Rose Garden, and 76-plus parks—most homes within a half-mile of one—shape daily outdoor life. Nurses commute on the CTA Purple Line or Metra UP-North; typical commute is about 25 minutes, though Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue clog at rush hour. NorthShore University HealthSystem and Saint Francis Hospital are major local employers. Housing is the tradeoff: median home value around $429,000 and typical one-bedrooms near $1,900, with downtown high-rises and lakefront costing more than vintage courtyard apartments. Winters run long and harsh; summers mean beaches and the Saturday farmers' market. District 65 and Evanston Township High are highly rated, crime is at or below the U.S. average, and spots like Oceanique, Cupitol, and The Spot anchor a real local food scene.
