Darien didn’t even crack the top 20 in West Suburban Living’s list of “Top Towns in which to Live" earlier this year, and that got you as well as former editor Lauren Williamson talking. 

Here's what Lauren said: 

The top spot went to our neighbors to the north in Hinsdale. Good for them. 

But you know what? I, and a lot of you I bet, have a quibble with the magazine’s rankings. They’re based on statistics, such as home values, high school ACT scores and how many people have library cards.

While there’s some inherent value to data, we know there’s so much more to what makes a community wonderful. A couple of numbers just can’t encapsulate the character of Darien. 

She presented her Top 5 list of reasons Darien is the nicest place to live in the western suburbs. Read the list here. 

So now with 2012 in the books, tell us in the comments what it is about Darien that makes you love living here!